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.
Cat's In The Cradle
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it and as he grew
He said, I'm gonna be like you, Dad
You know I'm gonna be like you
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home Dad?
I don't know when but we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
My son turned ten just the other day,
He said "Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw?", I said
"Not today, I got a lot to do", he said, "That's okay"
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
He said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home, Dad?
I don't know when but we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
He came from college just the other day
So much like a man, I just had to say
"Son I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and said with a smile
"What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See ya later, can I have them please?"
And the cat's in the cradle, and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home Son?
I don't know when but we'll get together then, Dad
You know we'll have a good time then
Now I've retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you, if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, Dad, if I could find the time
My new job's a hassle and the kids got the flu
But it's nice talkin' to you Dad, it's sure nice talkin' to you"
As I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
And the cat's in the cradle, and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home, Son?
I don't know when but we'll get together then Dad
You gonna have a good time then
The song "Cat's In The Cradle" by Johnny Cash tells the story of a father who is too busy with work and other responsibilities to spend time with his son. The song begins with Cash singing about the birth of his son and the everyday pressures of life that keep him from being present for many of his son's milestones. As his son grows up, he becomes more and more distant, wanting to be like his dad but never receiving the attention and guidance he needs. Finally, the father reaches out to his son later in life only to realize that he has grown up to be just like him.
The song's imagery of the "cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon" is a metaphor for the cyclical nature of life and the idea that parents pass their behaviors, attitudes, and habits onto their children. The "cat's in the cradle" is referring to the old nursery rhyme about a cat who is sleeping in a cradle while the baby mice play around him. The phrase "little boy blue and the man on the moon" symbolizes the father's realization that his son has grown up and is no longer a little boy.
Overall, the song highlights the importance of spending time with loved ones and the negative impact that neglecting relationships can have on a family. It's a poignant reminder that we need to make time for those who matter most to us before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
A child arrived just the other day
My son was born not long ago
He came to the world in the usual way
His birth was a normal one
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
I was too busy working to spend much time with him
He learned to walk while I was away
He achieved important milestones without me being present
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it and as he grew
He grew up quickly and I missed a lot
He said, I'm gonna be like you, Dad
He admired me and wanted to be like me
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Time passes quickly and my son is growing up fast
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
My son is both young and full of promise for the future
When you comin' home Dad?
My son misses me and wants me to come home
I don't know when but we'll get together then
I'm uncertain when I'll be able to spend time with him
You know we'll have a good time then
When we're together, we'll have a good time
My son turned ten just the other day,
My son is already ten years old
He said 'Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let's play
He wants to spend time with me playing sports
Can you teach me to throw?' I said 'Not today, I got a lot to do', he said 'That's okay'
I declined his request to play and he was understanding
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
He was still happy despite my rejection
He said, 'I'm gonna be like him, yeah You know I'm gonna be like him'
He still wants to be like me despite my absence
He came from college just the other day
My son has grown up and finished college
So much like a man, I just had to say 'Son I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?'
I'm proud of him and want to spend time with him
He shook his head, and said with a smile 'What I'd really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys See ya later, can I have them please?'
He has grown up and wants to be independent
Now I've retired, my son's moved away
I'm retired and he's moved away
I said, 'I'd like to see you, if you don't mind'
I want to spend time with him now that I have more free time
He said, 'I'd love to, Dad, if I could find the time My new job's a hassle and the kids got the flu'
He's busy with work and family obligations
But it's nice talkin' to you Dad, it's sure nice talkin' to you'
He still values our relationship and enjoys talking to me
As I hung up the phone it occurred to me He'd grown up just like me
He has become just like me in many ways
My boy was just like me
My son has inherited many of my traits
You gonna have a good time then
When we do spend time together, we will enjoy ourselves
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sandy Chapin, Harry F. Chapin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thomasraahauge5231
That's what I love so much about my Old Man: He always had time for us kids when we grew up. We would play soccer in the evening if weather wasn't acting out, or any old board game if we had to stay inside. I can barely remember a night where he didn't read us bedtime stories, and we spend so many weekends walking in the forest, by the beach, or by the lake. He's doing the same for my daughter when she visits my Old Folks.
How comes he had so much time for us? A lot of the kids in school were so envious. I took it for granted, that my Old Man just was . . . there. He chose us kids.
My Old Man was an engineer, and could have piled a lot of cash if he'd been working for a private company, but worked for the town counsil instead. No extra hours, but way lower wages. We weren't excactly poor, but we never went on expensive holidays, he never bought a fancy car, he still sails his boat (which is actually just a little dinghy with a 4hp outboard engine). He never bought fancy clothes or expensive shoes for us. We made a lot of our own toys out of sticks and planks.
Some times, I envied THOSE kids. The ones with fancy shiny plastic toys, levi's jeans, 12 or 15 gears racer bikes, going to pop concerts and fancy resorts in the summer. But they only had their dad around that one week at a time: christmas and summer holiday. Their dad rarely had time for bedtime stories or walks in the forest.
They grew up with silver spoons. I grew up with my Old Man. He did the right thing, and I would never trade my childhood time with him for all the shiny toys in the world. God bless you, Old Man!
@prateekpareek8217
Off the Ranch got me here, Demolitia is here!!
@codyleslie478
Demolitia for life!!
@jean-francoiscarrier3286
Same here!! Demo for life!!
@chuckcocain9397
Yes bro liked it from him!!!
@josephpoindexter248
Yeah same
@joncunningham7672
#DEMO
@williamkirkland7002
No one can beat Johnny Cash. His guitar always sounds like a long black train rolling down the Eastern Seaboard. This was a great rendition of "The Cats In The Cradle"
@matteobarbarossa4420
😢
@polishexpress2387
Ngl cat Stevens version is better
@user-vs1pp1bf1z
@polishexpress2387 agreed but this one still is great