Cash was known for his deep, calm bass-baritone voice, the distinctive sound of his Tennessee Three backing band characterized by train-sound guitar rhythms, a rebelliousness coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor, free prison concerts, and a trademark, all-black stage wardrobe, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black." He traditionally began his concerts by simply introducing himself, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash," followed by his signature song "Folsom Prison Blues".
Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his career. His other signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Ring of Fire", "Get Rhythm", and "Man in Black". He also recorded humorous numbers like "One Piece at a Time" and "A Boy Named Sue"; a duet with his future wife, June Carter, called "Jackson" (followed by many further duets after their wedding); and railroad songs including "Hey, Porter", "Orange Blossom Special", and "Rock Island Line". During the last stage of his career, Cash covered songs by several late 20th-century rock artists, notably "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails and "Rusty Cage" by Soundgarden.
Johnny Cash was born on February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas, to Ray Cash and Carrie Cloveree (née Rivers). He was the fourth of seven children, who were in birth order: Roy, Margaret Louise, Jack, J. R., Reba, Joanne, and Tommy (who also became a successful country artist). He was primarily of English and Scottish descent. As an adult he traced his surname to 11th-century Fife, after meeting with the then-laird of Falkland, Major Michael Crichton-Stuart. Cash Loch and other locations in Fife bear the name of his family.
At birth, Cash was named J. R. Cash. When Cash enlisted in the United States Air Force, he was not permitted to use initials as a first name, so he changed his name to John R. Cash. In 1955, when signing with Sun Records, he started going by Johnny Cash.
In March 1935, when Cash was three years old, the family settled in Dyess, Arkansas, a New Deal colony established to give poor families a chance to work land that they had a chance to own as a result. Cash started working in cotton fields at the age of five, singing along with his family while working. The Cash farm experienced a flood during the family's time in Dyess, which led Cash later to write the song "Five Feet High and Rising". His family's economic and personal struggles during the Great Depression inspired many of his songs, especially those about other people facing similar difficulties. Consequently, Cash had sympathy for the poor and working class throughout his life.
Cash was very close to his older brother, Jack. On Saturday May 12, 1944, Jack was pulled into an unguarded table saw at his high school while cutting oak into fence posts as his job and was almost cut in two. He lingered until the following Saturday, when he died. Cash often spoke of the horrible guilt he felt over this incident; according to Cash: The Autobiography, his father was away that morning, but Johnny, his mother, and even Jack himself, all had premonitions or a sense of foreboding about that day. His mother urged Jack to skip work and go fishing with his brother, but Jack insisted on working since the family needed the money at the time. On his deathbed, Jack said he had visions of Heaven and angels. Decades later, Cash spoke of looking forward to meeting his brother in Heaven.
Cash's early memories were dominated by gospel music and radio. Taught guitar by his mother and a childhood friend, Cash began playing and writing songs at the age of 12. When young, Cash had a high-tenor voice, before becoming a bass-baritone after his voice changed.
In high school, he sang on a local radio station. Decades later, he released an album of traditional gospel songs, called My Mother's Hymn Book. He was also significantly influenced by traditional Irish music, which he heard performed weekly by Dennis Day on the Jack Benny radio program.
In 1997, Cash was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease Shy–Drager syndrome, a form of multiple system atrophy. According to biographer Robert Hilburn, the disease was originally misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease, and Cash even announced to his audience that he had Parkinson's after nearly collapsing on stage in Flint, Michigan, on October 25, 1997. Soon afterwards, his diagnosis was changed to Shy–Drager, and Cash was told he had about 18 months to live. The diagnosis was later again altered to autonomic neuropathy associated with diabetes. The illness forced Cash to curtail his touring. He was hospitalized in 1998 with severe pneumonia, which damaged his lungs.
During the last stage of his career, Cash released the albums American III: Solitary Man (2000) and American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002). American IV included cover songs by several late 20th-century rock artists, notably "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails and "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails commented that he was initially skeptical about Cash's plan to cover "Hurt", but was later impressed and moved by the rendition. The video for "Hurt" received critical and popular acclaim, including a Grammy Award.
June Carter Cash died on May 15, 2003, at the age of 73. June had told Cash to keep working, so he continued to record, completing 60 more songs in the last four months of his life, and even performed a few surprise shows at the Carter Family Fold outside Bristol, Virginia. At the July 5, 2003, concert (his last public performance), before singing "Ring of Fire", Cash read a statement about his late wife that he had written shortly before taking the stage:
"The spirit of June Carter overshadows me tonight with the love she had for me and the love I have for her. We connect somewhere between here and Heaven. She came down for a short visit, I guess, from Heaven to visit with me tonight to give me courage and inspiration like she always has. She's never been one for me except courage and inspiration. I thank God for June Carter. I love her with all my heart. "
Cash continued to record until shortly before his death. His final recordings were made on August 21, 2003, and consisted of "Like the 309", which appeared on American V: A Hundred Highways in 2006, and the final song he completed, "Engine 143", which was recorded for his son John Carter Cash for a planned Carter Family tribute album.
Calilou
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Runnin' and thumbin' all the way
That started out way out in California
I been makin' bout five hundred miles a day
I covered all the beaches on the west coast
From Mexico Crason City Bay
But Calilou was not in California
And by the way her mother was a cajun
She came from New Orleans I've heard her say
And it's just like a girl to wanna see her mama
So I might find her there along the way
Calilou Calilou well they should have call you restless
Well they should have call you drifter
Yeah they should have call you trouble instead of Calilou
I reacall the first time that I saw her
I picked her up near Phoenix in my car
Just another beauty seekin' fame and fortune
And I told her if she should be a movie star
The next time I saw her was Tucumcari
She served my bowl of chili with a smile
I said it's been a year since I last saw you
Wonder how'd you like to share a few good miles
Well the justice of the peace was very sleepy
I held her in my arms a whole night long
I whispered words like settle down and family
And when I woke up my Calilou was gone
Calilou Calilou well they should have call you restless
Well they should have call you drifter
Yeah they should have call you trouble instead of Calilou
Calilou Calilou well they should have call you restless
Well they should have call you drifter
Yeah they should have call you trouble instead of Calilou
It's a long way to New Orleans
Well I got plenty of time
Me too you know it's lot of fun just seein' what the next day has to offer
You never know what round the next bend
Or what we're gonna find either
Do you know what I just wonder how long a man has to look before he finds himself
I just got the feelin' that the fire was burnin' out
Cause the air was turnin' colder every time you came about
And a flame won't take a fannin' if the last reserve of love is runnin' low
So since I've gotta button up I believe I'll hit the road and go
Country road 6-40 state highway 45
Life out of the interstate is very much alive
There's magic in the mountains and music in the valleys down below
And my song ain't through playin' yet so I believe I'll hit the road and go
In Johnny Cash's song Calilou, the singer is returning to Louisiana after traveling from California. He has traveled 500 miles a day and has seen all the beaches on the west coast. Calilou, a girl he met seeking fame and fortune, is not in California, but her Cajun mother is in New Orleans. The singer remembers when he first picked up Calilou near Phoenix, and the two of them shared a bowl of chili in Tucumcari. He had hoped to settle down with Calilou and start a family, but when he wakes up, she is gone. The lyrics suggest that Calilou is restless, a drifter, and trouble.
The lyrics of Calilou are a story of a restless young woman from Louisiana who seeks fame and fortune in California. She is a "drifter," moving from place to place and person to person. The song explores themes of longing, wandering, and searching for a place to call home. The singer, with his own sense of restlessness, is drawn to Calilou, but ultimately is unable to make a life with her. The song captures the sense of freedom and possibility that comes with being on the road, but also the poignant loneliness and disconnection that can come from living a life of constant movement.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm finally goin' back to Louisiana
I'm making the long journey from California to Louisiana
Runnin' and thumbin' all the way
I'm traveling by foot and hitchhiking to get there quicker
That started out way out in California
My journey began in California
I been makin' bout five hundred miles a day
I've been covering 500 miles per day on my journey
I covered all the beaches on the west coast
I explored all of the west coast beaches
From Mexico Crason City Bay
From the Mexican border to Carson City Bay in Nevada
But Calilou was not in California
I couldn't find Calilou in California
That's where her daddy came from by the way
Calilou's father is originally from California
And by the way her mother was a cajun
Calilou's mother is from Louisiana, and of French descent
She came from New Orleans I've heard her say
Calilou's mother is specifically from New Orleans
And it's just like a girl to wanna see her mama
It's common for a girl to want to see her mother
So I might find her there along the way
I might find Calilou in New Orleans while traveling
Calilou Calilou well they should have call you restless
Calilou always seems to be moving around
Well they should have call you drifter
She could also be described as a wanderer
Yeah they should have call you trouble instead of Calilou
Her behavior can sometimes lead to problems
I reacall the first time that I saw her
I remember the first time I met Calilou
I picked her up near Phoenix in my car
I gave her a ride when I found her near Phoenix
Just another beauty seekin' fame and fortune
Calilou was just another pretty girl trying to make it big
And I told her if she should be a movie star
I encouraged her to pursue her dreams of becoming an actress
The next time I saw her was Tucumcari
I ran into Calilou again in Tucumcari
She served my bowl of chili with a smile
Calilou was working as a waitress in Tucumcari when I saw her
I said it's been a year since I last saw you
It had been a year since I had seen Calilou
Wonder how'd you like to share a few good miles
I asked if she would like to travel with me for a while
Well the justice of the peace was very sleepy
The person who performed our wedding ceremony was very tired
I held her in my arms a whole night long
I spent the whole night holding Calilou
I whispered words like settle down and family
I spoke to her about settling down and starting a family
And when I woke up my Calilou was gone
When I woke up, Calilou had left without me
It's a long way to New Orleans
New Orleans is still a long way away
Well I got plenty of time
I have enough time for the journey
Me too you know it's lot of fun just seein' what the next day has to offer
It's fun to see what new experiences each day brings on the journey
You never know what round the next bend
You never know what you may find beyond the next turn
Or what we're gonna find either
We still don't know exactly what we might come across
Do you know what I just wonder how long a man has to look before he finds himself
I'm starting to wonder how long it takes for someone to find their true path
I just got the feelin' that the fire was burnin' out
I have the feeling that the passion in our relationship is fading
Cause the air was turnin' colder every time you came about
Things felt colder and more distant whenever Calilou was around
And a flame won't take a fannin' if the last reserve of love is runnin' low
If there isn't much love left to give, no amount of attention can reignite the passion
So since I've gotta button up I believe I'll hit the road and go
Since things have come to an end, I think it's time for me to move on with my journey
Country road 6-40 state highway 45
I'm traveling on the country road numbered 6-40 and state highway 45
Life out of the interstate is very much alive
Life outside of the main highway is full of life and interesting experiences
There's magic in the mountains and music in the valleys down below
The beauty of nature and the sounds of music can be found along this route
And my song ain't through playin' yet so I believe I'll hit the road and go
I still have some life left in me and want to continue on my journey and play my music
Contributed by Adam J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Anonymous
on Wayfaring Stranger
Wayfaring Stranger - The New Appalachians - Lyrics
I am a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world alone
There will be no sickness, toil or danger
In that grand land to which I roam
Well I'm going home to see my mother
I'm going home to a morning rose
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
Musical Interlude
I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I know my way is rough and steep
And beautiful fields lie just before me
Where God's redeemed there vigils keep
Well I'm going home to see my brothers
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
Musical Interlude
I'm going home to see my Father
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I’m only goin’ where no one roams
I want to wear that crown of glory
When I get to that good land
I want to shout out salvation story
In concert with that blood washed band.
I'm going there to see my saviour
I’ll see his face no more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm only goin' over home