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.
Dark As A Dungeon
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seek not your fortune in the dark dreary mine
It'll form as a habit and seep in your soul
'Till the stream of your blood runs as black as the coal
Where it's dark as a dungeon, damp as the dew
Danger is double, pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls, the sun never shines
Well it's many a man, that I've seen in my day
(No laughing during the song please)
(It's been recorded I know, hell)
(Don't you know it's recorded)
Like a fiend with his dope,
And a dropper with his wine
A man will have less for the lure of the mine
And, I pray when I'm dead and the ages shall roll
That my body would blacken and turn into coal
Then I'll look from the door of my heavenly home
And pity the miner digging my bones
Where it's dark as a dungeon, damp as the dew
Danger is double and the pleasures are few
Where the rain never falls, the sun never shines
It's dark as a dungeon way down in the mine
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Sorry about that little interruption there, but I just
Want to tell you that this show is being recorded for an album
Release on Columbia Records and you can't say hell or shit or anything like that
How's that grab you Bob?
The song Dark As A Dungeon, written by Merle Travis and popularized by Johnny Cash, is a haunting depiction of the harsh reality of working in the coal mines. The lyrics advise young people against pursuing a career in mining, warning that it will become ingrained in their very being and cause them to suffer physically and mentally until death. Cash's deep, gravelly voice adds to the sorrowful tone of the song.
The imagery in the verse "Till the stream of your blood runs as black as the coal" paints a vivid picture of the physical toll that mining takes on the body. The chorus describes the bleak and oppressive conditions underground, where the sun never shines and the only light comes from the lamps miners carry with them. The last verse reflects on the miners themselves, who sacrifice their health and well-being for the sake of providing coal for others' use, and likening their eventual death and decay to the very substance they spend their lives mining.
Dark As A Dungeon was one of Johnny Cash's favorite songs to perform in concerts, and he recorded it multiple times throughout his career. The song has also been covered by many other artists, including Dolly Parton, Odetta, and Emmylou Harris.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh come all you young fellers so young and so fine
Hey there young guys, don't go chasing dreams of wealth in the coal mines because...
Seek not your fortune in a dark dreary mine
...it will become a part of you and take over your being.
It'll form as a habit and seep in your soul
The dust of coal will be a part of you, until it changes your very being.
Till the stream of your blood runs as black as the coal
The toxins from the mine will course through your veins and tinge your blood black.
Where it's dark as a dungeon damp as the dew danger is double pleasures are few
The mine is a dangerous and depressing place, where there is little pleasure to be found.
Where the rain never falls the sun never shines
The oppressive environment of the mine is one where nature never touches its surface.
It's a dark as a dungeon way down in the mine
The mine is one of the darkest places possible, deep underground.
Well it's many a man that I've seen in my day
Over my years, I've seen many men succumb to the lure of the mines.
(uh huh no laughing during this song please it's being recorded)
The recording of this song is serious business and should not be interrupted.
Like a fiend with his dope and a drunkard with his wine
Like addicts with their drugs, these men cannot resist the call of the mines.
A man will have lust for the lure of the mine
Men will be drawn to the mines by a desire they cannot control.
And pray when I'm dead and my ages shall roll
After I die and time goes by, I hope that...
That my body would blacken and turn into coal
...my body will turn to coal and that will serve as a reminder of the danger and tragedy of the mines.
Then I'll look from the door of my heavenly home and pity the miner digging my bones
Looking down from heaven, I will feel sorry for the miners who have to dig through my blackened bones.
Where it's dark as a dungeon
The mines, again, are incredibly dark.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music
Written by: Merle Travis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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