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.
Help Me Make It Through the Night
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shake it loose and let it fall
Layin' soft against your skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early mornin' light
All I'm askin' is your time
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
I don't care about tomorrow
'Cause tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
Ain't it sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
I don't care who's right or wrong
I don't try to understand
I don't care about tomorrow
June tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
Ain't it sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
Ain't it sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
"Help Me" is a passionate ballad that speaks to the loneliness and desperation of being alone at night. The song begins with the singer asking their lover to take off her ribbon and lay by their side until the morning. The singer is trying to find comfort in their lover's presence, asking them to help them get through the long night. The lyrics allude to the fact that the singer does not care about right or wrong, and they do not worry about tomorrow because they are only focused on the present moment.
The song continues to convey how the singer is feeling lost and sad, and they need someone to just be with them. The repetition of the phrase "Help me make it through the night" emphasizes the singer's desperation and how they are trying to find comfort in someone's company. In the end, the singer realizes the sadness of being alone at night and looks to their lover for help.
Overall, "Help Me" is a passionate song that speaks to the human need for connection and a sense of belonging. It conveys the feeling of being lost and desperate in the moments where we feel alone and asks someone for help to get through them.
Line by Line Meaning
Take the ribbon from your hair
Remove the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Shake your hair loose and let it fall down
Layin' soft against your skin
Your hair should now be resting softly against your skin
Like the shadows on the wall
The hair should resemble the soft, svelte shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Come and lie down next to me
Till the early mornin' light
Stay until the morning
All I'm askin' is your time
I just need some of your time
Help me make it through the night
Assist me in surviving through the night
I don't care who's right or wrong
I'm not concerned with placing blame
I don't try to understand
I don't make attempts to understand
I don't care about tomorrow
Tomorrow is inconsequential to me
'Cause tonight I need a friend
Because tonight I need companionship
Yesterday is dead and gone
Yesterday is in the past
And tomorrow's out of sight
I cannot see what tomorrow holds
Ain't it sad to be alone
It is unfortunate that one is alone
Help me make it through the night
Assist me in surviving through the night
Ain't it sad to be alone
It is unfortunate that one is alone
Help me make it through the night
Assist me in surviving through the night
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Kris Kristofferson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bryancraddock1213
Take the ribbon from your hair,
Shake it loose and let it fall,
Layin' soft upon my skin.
Like the shadows on the wall.
Come and lay down by my side
'till the early morning light
All I'm takin' is your time.
Help me make it through the night.
I don't care what's right or wrong,
I don't try to understand.
Let the devil take tomorrow.
Lord, tonight I need a friend.
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight.
And it's sad to be alone.
Help me make it through the night.
I don't care what's right or wrong,
I don't try to understand.
Let the devil take tomorrow.
Lord, tonight I need a friend.
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight.
Lord, it's bad to be alone.
Help me make it through the night
@lexi-op5vk
When June looks into Johnny's eyes... Gosh, you can feel how much they loved each other
@johandekorte4637
More than that.
@josephbrocchini5067
They don't make country music like this anymore. Wow ! Just beautiful
@mattiaslindberg4124
So true.
They did music deep from The heart 👍
@francisbielby2113
that's love
@anelladambrosio2513
@@mattiaslindberg4124ciao Mattia! 🙋♀️😊😘💘🌅
@TylerJohnson-wp2qf
When June looked into Johnny's eyes, I felt that
@barbarachionchio5238
I think they were a beautiful couple, you can see how much in love they were,God bless them in heaven
@jasonrose2159
Johnny and June were so happy! I think she was beautiful!
@KPD_RAD
I miss the old Johnny Cash