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.
Have A Drink Of Water
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Along a dusty highway, there came a man of Galilee
And as he went through Samaria, he stopped at Jacob's well
And there he met a woman whose deep secrets he would tell
"Could I have a drink of water?", Soft and quietly asked he
And she said, "Sir, I'm Samaritan, how dare you speak to me?"
He said, "If you would ask of me than either son of man
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water
Dip in' to the endless well, pour it on the fires of hell
Have a drink and sing and shout as the flames of hell go out
Have a drink of water, everlastin', endless water
Then the woman said, "Sir, you have no way to draw out of this well
Our father Jacob dug it and the stories it could tell
From this well drank his children and his kettle by the score
Where is your well, Sir, tell me, that will flow forever more"
And he answered and said, "Unto her your water will go dry
And my well is everlastin', if you drink you'll never die€
My father God's a spirit and he set me under men
To give you living water so you'll never thirst again
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water
Dip in' to the endless well, pour it on the fires of hell
Have a drink and sing and shout as the flames of hell go out
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water
Well, there now are many thirstin' in this modern century
Whose thirst could be quenched quickly by the man from Galilee
For the water flows eternal from the well that never dries
For it flows right out of Heaven where the soul never dies
So if you're hot and tired and thirstin'
And if you crave a cool, tall drink
He will pour it right out for you a lot quicker than you think
He already knows you're thirsty so just let him come on in
And he'll give you livin' water and you'll never thirst again
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water
Dip in' to the endless well, pour it on the fires of hell
Have a drink and sing and shout as the flames of hell go out
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water, bro
Have a drink of water, ever last
Clap your hands and sing and shout
The song "Have A Drink Of Water" by Johnny Cash is a retelling of the story of Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well. The lyrics describe how Jesus approaches the woman and asks for a drink of water, breaking social customs as he is a Jew and she is a Samaritan. He then offers her "living water" that will quench her thirst forever, a metaphor for the spiritual salvation he offers. The song continues to explain how this water comes from an eternal well, where the soul never dies, and suggests that anyone who is thirsty for this kind of salvation should come to Jesus and drink from this well.
Overall, the song is a powerful metaphor for the Christian belief in salvation and the offer of eternal life through Jesus. It also highlights the way in which Jesus broke down social barriers and reached out to those who were considered outsiders or "others" at the time.
Line by Line Meaning
In the long, hot, thirsty summer of about 32 A.D.
The song recounts a story that took place in 32 AD during a hot and parched summer.
Along a dusty highway, there came a man of Galilee
A man from Galilee traveled along a dusty highway during this summer.
And as he went through Samaria, he stopped at Jacob's well
On his journey through Samaria, the man stopped at Jacob's well.
And there he met a woman whose deep secrets he would tell
While at the well, the man met a woman who he came to know intimately.
"Could I have a drink of water?", Soft and quietly asked he
In a soft and quiet tone, the man asked the woman for a drink of water.
And she said, "Sir, I'm Samaritan, how dare you speak to me?"
The woman, being a Samaritan, was surprised that the man spoke to her.
He said, "If you would ask of me than either son of man
The man told the woman that if she asked him for water, he could provide her with everlasting, living water.
Would give you living water and you'd never thirst again'
He promised her that this living water would quench her thirst forever.
Have a drink of water, everlastin' livin' water
The chorus repeats that message that this living water is everlasting.
Then the woman said, "Sir, you have no way to draw out of this well
The woman asked the man how he could provide water since he had no way to retrieve it from the well.
Where is your well, Sir, tell me, that will flow forever more"
She asked where his source of water was that would never run dry.
For my well is everlastin', if you drink you'll never die
The man explained that his well was everlasting and that drinking from it would grant eternal life.
My father God's a spirit and he set me under men
The man explained that God had set him to offer living water, as he was a spiritual son of God.
So if you're hot and tired and thirstin'
The last verse encourages the listener to come to the man if they are thirsty or weary.
He will pour it right out for you a lot quicker than you think
The man promises to provide the living water to those who come to him, Faster than they may expect.
He already knows you're thirsty so just let him come on in
The man understands the thirst of those who comes to him, and encourages them to allow him in to provide them with living water.
Clap your hands and sing and shout
The song ends with an encouragement to clap, sing, and shout about the living water that the man provides.
Contributed by Emma F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bob Sch
Ich mag seine Lieder. Er war ein grosses Talent
Jakub Kościsty
I love this song, very much. But, I'm very sad, because, Johnny Ray Cash, my English Songs Idol was died on 12.9.2003 year in Nashville, Tennessee, on the USA:-(!:-(!:-(!:-(!
Chlip!:-(! Szloch!:-(!
Jakub Kościsty
😨😨😨😨😇
Jakub Kościsty
😇😨😨😨😨