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.
Drive On
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was my boonierat buddy for a year in Nam
He said I think my country got a little off track
Took 'em twenty five years to welcome me back
But, it's better than not comin' back at all
Many a good men I saw fall
And even now, every time I dream
I hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream
Drive on, it don't mean nothin'
My children love me, but they don't understand
And I got a woman who knows her man
Drive on, don't mean nothin', and don't mean nothin'
Drive on
What I remember one night, Tex and me
Rappelled in on a hot L.Z.
We had our sixteen's on rock and roll
And with all that fire, I was scared and cold
I was crazy, and I was wild
And I have seen the tiger smile
I spit in a bamboo viper's face
And I'd be dead, but by God's grace
Drive on, it don't mean nothin'
My children love me, but they don't understand
And I got a woman who knows her man
Drive on, it don't mean nothin', and don't mean nothin'
Drive on
It was a slow walk in a sad rain
And nobody tried to be John Wayne
I came home, but Tex did not
And I can't talk about the hit he got
But I got a little limp now when I walk
And I got a little tremolo when I talk
But my letter read from Whiskey Sam
You're a walkin' talkin' miracle from Vietnam
Drive on, it don't mean nothin'
My children love me, but they don't understand
And I got a woman who knows her man
Drive on, it don't mean nothin', it don't mean nothin'
Drive on
The Johnny Cash song, "Drive On," follows the story of a Vietnam war veteran named Whiskey Sam and his experiences during and after the war. Whiskey Sam is Cash's friend, who was his boonierat buddy for a year in Nam. He tells Cash how his country seems to have gone off track, and it took them twenty-five years to welcome him back after he served his country. The song highlights the emotional trauma and scars that veterans carry with them, regardless of how much time has passed. The only solace he receives is the love of his children and the understanding woman waiting for him.
The lyrics of the song are a commentary on the human experience during war and after. The emotive language used is intended to evoke strong emotions in the listener, allowing them to relate to the struggles that soldiers faced in the Vietnam War. It is a poignant reminder that war leaves behind many scars, some visible and others not so visible, on the people who fight them. The war had no meaning, and the chaos and destruction it caused are still difficult to comprehend for those who were part of it.
"Drive On" is a powerful song with hidden meanings behind the lyrics. It highlights the futility of war and how difficult it is for veterans to reintegrate into civilian life. The song is a passionate reminder of the pain of war, the loss of life, and the sacrifices made by veterans.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I got a friend named Whiskey Sam
I have a friend from my time in Vietnam named Whiskey Sam
He was my boonierat buddy for a year in Nam
We were close friends, working together in Vietnam for a year.
He said I think my country got a little off track
Whiskey Sam felt like the US had lost its way.
Took 'em twenty five years to welcome me back
It took a long time for Vietnam veterans to feel appreciated and respected when they returned home.
But, it's better than not comin' back at all
Despite the hardships of returning, it's still better than having never made it back alive.
Many a good men I saw fall
I witnessed many brave men and women lose their lives.
And even now, every time I dream
I still have nightmares about my time in Vietnam.
I hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream
The sounds of war still haunt me, including the screams of injured soldiers and the noises of the jungle.
Drive on, it don't mean nothin'
Despite everything that's happened, life goes on and the world keeps turning.
My children love me, but they don't understand
My family loves me, but they can't fully comprehend what I went through in Vietnam.
And I got a woman who knows her man
My wife understands me and supports me through everything.
Drive on, don't mean nothin', and don't mean nothin'
Again, life goes on, and there's no point in dwelling on the past.
What I remember one night, Tex and me
I recall a specific night in Vietnam when I was with my friend Tex.
Rappelled in on a hot L.Z.
We were dropped off in a difficult and dangerous location via helicopter.
We had our sixteen's on rock and roll
We were armed and ready for action with our M16 rifles.
And with all that fire, I was scared and cold
Despite being well-armed, I was still very frightened and overwhelmed.
I was crazy, and I was wild
In the midst of war, I was acting impulsively and recklessly.
And I have seen the tiger smile
I have witnessed and experienced the brutality and savagery of war.
I spit in a bamboo viper's face
I took a risk and did something dangerous despite the potential consequences.
And I'd be dead, but by God's grace
I was lucky to have survived that particular event.
It was a slow walk in a sad rain
Returning home from Vietnam was a somber and reflective experience.
And nobody tried to be John Wayne
People weren't trying to be heroes or put on a show of bravado when we returned home.
I came home, but Tex did not
Sadly, not everyone made it back from Vietnam alive, including my friend Tex.
And I can't talk about the hit he got
I'm not able to discuss the specifics of Tex's death.
But I got a little limp now when I walk
As a result of my time in Vietnam, I now have a physical handicap.
And I got a little tremolo when I talk
I also suffer from speech tremors related to my experiences in Vietnam.
But my letter read from Whiskey Sam
Despite everything, I still have good friends who care about me, like Whiskey Sam.
You're a walkin' talkin' miracle from Vietnam
Despite the odds, I survived and made it back home, which is a miracle in and of itself.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHNNY R. CASH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nathanyoder9593
I love you grandpa
@martijndevries8074
thank you, masterpiece!
@Rickswars
Great greatest.
@jasonkleinhanss4681
great version
@dragonbeast9318
Very nice
@RobMadeo
Good stuff.
@phil.d-roll6393
riiiightous
@MrCasca34
I agree!!
@calemcconnell7735
I think my country got a little off track, took em 25 years to welcome me back
@newmontaigne70
One great songwriter. One acoustic guitar. No pick. Maroon V might be able to learn something, if they paid attention—which is an unlikely proposition.