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.
I'm Movin' On
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Means your true-lovin' daddy ain't comin' back
I'm movin' on, I'll soon be gone
You were flyin' too high, for my little old sky
So I'm movin' on
That big loud whistle as it blew and blew
Said hello to the southland, we're comin' to you
You had the laugh on me, so I'm settin' you free
So keep movin' on
Mister fireman won't you please listen to me
'Cause I got a pretty mama in Tennessee
Keep movin' me on, keep rollin' on
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll
And keep movin' on
Mister Engineer, take that throttle in hand
This rattler's the fastest in the southern land
Keep movin' me on, keeps rollin' on
You gonna ease my mind and put me there on time
Keep rollin' on
I've warned you baby, from time to time
But you just wouldn't listen or pay me no mind
So I'm movin' on, I'm rollin' on
You have broken your vow and it's all over now
So I'm movin' on
You've switched your engine now I ain't got time
For a triflin' woman on my main line
So I'm movin' on, you done your daddy wrong
I've warned you twice, you can settle the price
'Cause I'm movin' on
But someday baby when you've had your play
You're gonna want your daddy but your daddy will say
Keep movin' on, stayed away too long
I'm through with you, too bad you're blue
Keep movin' on
The lyrics of Johnny Cash's song "I'm Movin' On" is about a person who has made up his mind to move on and leave behind a relationship that didn't work out. The first verse sets the tone for the rest of the song by introducing the eight-wheeler train that is taking the singer away from his lover who has flown too high for him. The second verse speaks of the whistle of the train and its sound greeting "the southland", suggesting that the singer is leaving not just his lover behind but also a place that he called home. The third verse has the singer seeking the help of the fireman and the engineer in making his journey comfortable because he has a "pretty mama in Tennessee" waiting for him. The fourth and fifth verses reinforce the singer's resolve to move on, and with the final verse, he tells his lover that when she eventually comes back to him, he would have already moved on.
The song's structure is relatively simple, with a few verses and a repetitive chorus. The use of the train as a metaphor for moving on suggests that the singer is not just leaving behind his lover but also his past. The tone of the song is mournful yet determined, and Johnny Cash's delivery adds a layer of authenticity to the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
That big eight-wheeler rollin' down the track
I am leaving, indicated by the train leaving.
Means your true-lovin' daddy ain't comin' back
I am not returning to you.
I'm movin' on, I'll soon be gone
I am leaving and will be gone soon.
You were flyin' too high, for my little old sky
We were too different for this to work out.
So I'm movin' on
So I am leaving.
That big loud whistle as it blew and blew
The sound of the train represents my feelings of moving on.
Said hello to the southland, we're comin' to you
The train is announcing its arrival in a new place, signaling a new chapter for me.
And when we're movin' on, oh hear my song
As I leave, I am expressing my emotions through music.
You had the laugh on me, so I'm settin' you free
You played a joke on me, so I'm letting you go.
So keep movin' on
So keep going without me.
Mister fireman won't you please listen to me
I am asking for assistance to help me move on.
'Cause I got a pretty mama in Tennessee
I have someone else waiting for me in another state.
Keep movin' me on, keep rollin' on
Keep pushing the train forward, keep moving me forward in life.
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll
Speed up the train so I can leave faster.
And keep movin' on
And keep going without me.
Mister Engineer, take that throttle in hand
I am asking for help to move on from the person driving the train.
This rattler's the fastest in the southern land
This train is the fastest in the south, emphasizing the idea of moving on quickly.
Keep movin' me on, keeps rollin' on
Again, keep pushing forward, keep moving forward in life.
You gonna ease my mind and put me there on time
You are going to help me move on and get to where I need to be in life.
Keep rollin' on
Keep moving forward, keep going without me.
I've warned you baby, from time to time
I have cautioned you about our differences in the past.
But you just wouldn't listen or pay me no mind
But you did not take my warnings seriously or even consider them.
So I'm movin' on, I'm rollin' on
So, I am leaving and moving on with my life.
You have broken your vow and it's all over now
You broke your promise and our relationship is over.
So I'm movin' on
So I am leaving and moving on from you.
You've switched your engine now I ain't got time
You have changed your behavior and I am no longer interested in wasting my time with you.
For a triflin' woman on my main line
I am not willing to pursue a relationship with a woman who has been disloyal and devious.
So I'm movin' on, you done your daddy wrong
So, again, I am leaving and moving on from you after you have hurt me.
I've warned you twice, you can settle the price
I have tried to warn you twice, but now you have to deal with the consequences.
'Cause I'm movin' on
Again, I am leaving and moving on from you.
But someday baby when you've had your play
Someday, when you have completed whatever you are doing, you may regret what you've lost.
You're gonna want your daddy but your daddy will say
You will want me back, but I will not be interested.
Keep movin' on, stayed away too long
Again, keep moving forward without me because you waited too long to change your ways.
I'm through with you, too bad you're blue
I am done with our relationship, even if it makes you sad.
Keep movin' on
Keep moving on without me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Cloud9, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hank Snow
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@leefoster3996
another classic Waylon & Johnny duet to add to the collection
the funky ones work so well
my top 5
AINT NO GOOD CHAIN GANG
I'M NEVER GONNA ROAM AGAIN
WISH I WAS CRAZY AGAIN
MOVIN' ON
BALLAD OF FORTY DOLLARS ,
FOLKS ON THE ROAD is a close 6th
@Verycreativeusername_
That big eight-wheeler rollin' down the track
Means your true-lovin' daddy ain't comin' back
I'm movin' on, I'll soon be gone
You were flyin' too high, for my little old sky
So I'm movin' on
That big loud whistle as it blew and blew
Said hello to the southland, we're comin' to you
When we're movin' on, oh hear my song
You had the laugh on me, so I've set you free
And I'm movin' on
Mister fireman won't you please listen to me
'Cause I got a pretty mama in Tennessee
Keep movin' me on, keep rollin' on
So shovel the coal, let this rattler roll
And keep movin' me on
Mister Engineer, take that throttle in hand
This rattler's the fastest in the southern land
To keep movin' me on, keep rollin' on
You gonna ease my mind, put me there on time
And keep rollin' on
I've warned you baby, from time to time
But you just wouldn't listen or pay me no mind
So I'm movin' on, I'm rollin' on
You've broken your vow, and it's all over now
So I'm movin' on
You've switched your engine now I ain't got time
For a triflin' woman on my main line
So I'm movin on, you done your daddy wrong
I warned you twice, now you can settle the price
'Cause I'm movin on
But someday baby when you've had your play
You're gonna want your daddy but your daddy will say
Keep movin' on, you stayed away too long
I'm through with you, too bad you're blue
Keep movin' on
@Infiverse
We are all moving on but we will never forget Johnny Cash. I was in a bad mood but Johnny set me straight.
@americanrootssessions8000
This song has so much Waylon Jennings in it...The bassline, the progressions...SO GOOD!
@aaccount547
yes
@volvo240maniac
Johnny and Waylon! Can't beat that...ever..
@Royelsworth
yes you can with Hank snow he is better Johnny Cash is great but hanks snow better
@blueeyes3349
You can’t beat Johnny and old hoss
@truesouthern6138
Yes you can. Johnny, Waylon, Willie and Kris😎
@colinbryan8265
Hank Snow was born in Liverpool Nova Scotia Canada. Moved the Nashville in 1949. His song I’m Moving On, was top of the Country Hit Parade for 21 weeks. A record that has never been beaten. He was very big in Train songs. Golden Rocket, Canadian Pacific. His, I’ve Been Everywhere, song, is truly a special. I’m a fan of his, you might say !!!!!!!!!!!
@generalv1nce
@@Royelsworthagreed. Johnny is awesome but I love Hank Snow more and Hank Williams is my personal favorite
@barbaravanweelden4711
I don't know what "bro country crap" is but I've always been a Johnny Cash fan. Saw him and the other highwaymen in concert at a local high school football field in 1987, near Joliet Il. I won tickets and sat on the field in the first row!! Best concert ever. Love his music!!!