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.
Can the Circle Be Unbroken
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On one cold and cloudy day
When I saw the hearse come rolling
For to carry my mother away
Will the circle be unbroken
Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye
There's a better home awaiting
I said to the undertaker
Undertaker please drive slow
For this lady you are carrying
Lord I hate to see her go
Will the circle be unbroken
Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye
There's a better home awaiting
In the sky Lord, in the sky
Oh, I followed close behind her
Tried to hold up and be brave
But I could not hide my sorrow
When they laid her in the grave
Will the circle be unbroken
Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye
There's a better home awaiting
In the sky Lord, in the sky
I went back home, the home was lonesome
Since my mother, she was gone
All my brothers and sisters crying
What a home so sad and alone
Will the circle be unbroken
Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye
There's a better home awaiting
In the sky Lord, in the sky
We sang songs of childhood
Hymns of faith that made us strong
Ones that mother maybelle taught us
Hear the angels sing along
Will the circle be unbroken
Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye
There's a better home awaiting
In the sky Lord, in the sky
The lyrics of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" tell the story of a person grieving the loss of their mother. The first verse sets the tone as the singer watches the hearse carrying their mother's body away. The chorus ("Will the circle be unbroken...") offers a glimmer of hope in the face of death, suggesting that the end is not really the end and that there is a better home waiting in the sky. In the second verse, the singer addresses the undertaker, asking him to slow down and expressing their sadness at the sight of their mother being taken away. The third verse finds the singer following the procession to his mother's grave, trying to be brave but ultimately unable to hide his sorrow. In the final verse, the singer returns home to a lonely, sad house, joined by family members who are all mourning their loss. They sing the songs of their childhood, finding solace in the familiar hymns that their mother had taught them and imagining that they can hear the angels singing along.
Line by Line Meaning
I was standing by my window,
On one cold and cloudy day
When I saw that hearse come rolling
For to carry my mother away
The singer was looking out of his window on a bleak day when he saw a hearse which was carrying his mother's body.
Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, lord, by and by
There's a better home a-waiting
In the sky, lord, in the sky
The singer is asking whether his family will be reunited after death to live forever in heaven.
I said to that undertaker
Undertaker please drive slow
For this lady you are carrying
Lord, I hate to see here go
The singer pleads with the undertaker to drive slowly and respectfully as he carries his mother's body to her final resting place.
Oh, I followed close behind her
Tried to hold up and be brave
But I could not hide my sorrow
When they laid her in the grave
The singer walks closely behind the hearse, attempting to be strong, but he struggles to hide his grief when his mother is buried.
I went back home, my home was lonesome
Missed my mother, she was gone
All of my brothers, sisters crying
What a home so sad and lone
Returning home, the singer realizes how empty it feels without his mother's presence. He hears his siblings crying, and the home feels sad and lonely.
We sang the songs of childhood
Hymns of faith that made us strong
Ones that mother Maybelle taught us
Hear the angels sing along
The siblings sing the hymns of their childhood, songs of faith that give them strength. They remember how their mother Maybelle taught them, and they imagine that the angels are singing with them.
Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, lord, by and by
There's a better home a-waiting
In the sky, lord, in the sky
At the end of the song, the singer asks again whether the circle of life and love will remain unbroken after death, and whether they will all be reunited in heaven.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dreamsofkaia7275
Buried my Mother today, it was a cold and cloudy day and I followed close behind that hearse. I’m alone at my parents home now. It used to feel full of love and like home. Now it feels so lonesome without my Mother’s presence. I’m so heartbroken. Cancer is a terrible disease.
@waldemarakrapsata8406
Zažila jsem to před pěti lety,přeji hodně síly 😢
@juilebrown2461
sorry 😔 tohearaboutmotherspassing,.
@georgegoodyear9631
I hope that your feelings of loss are now less raw.
@georgegoodyear9631
I hope that your feelings of loss are now less raw.
@massphiri2252
Hey you, Jesus got you, he'll carry that pain for you, in the best way you can't imagine. Your home will be colourful once again i know it.
@Greg-zr2pf
June had a beautiful underrated voice
@colleenpeterson7247
I can only imagine family sing along's, The party doesn't start til June, Rev's it up..
@TerrieLReed
What can you say but Amen, hallelujah and amen
@gregnormal
Hello! How are you doing today, please pardon me for intruding into your privacy but I just wanted to know if you’re a fan ? Have a great day… Stay Safe