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 Don't Believe You Wanted to Leave
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I now deep down inside that you still love me
But you listened to those lying tongues and things they had to say
Of course they said I was to blame
True or not you felt ashamed
And they called you a fool each time you listend to my alibi
You cried to much when we said goodbye
There's gotta be a way to win
Your love back once again
'Cause it just ain't right to let a love like we had fade and die
And I don't believe you wanted to leave me
You cried to much when we said goodbye
The song I Don't Believe You Wanted to Leave Me by Johnny Cash is about a man trying to convince his former lover that leaving him was a mistake. The lyrics suggest that the woman still loves him but was convinced to leave him by others who blamed him for the problems in the relationship. Despite this, the singer believes that his former lover still has feelings for him because she cried too much when they said goodbye. He pleads with her to find a way to reignite their love and not give up on what they had together.
The song touches on themes of regret, lost love, and the desire to rekindle old flames. The singer is hopeful that their love can be salvaged and not allowed to "fade and die." Despite the blaming and shame that was thrown his way, he still holds on to the love he shared with his former lover.
The song is a classic example of the country genre, with simplistic musical arrangements to complement the emotional resonance of the lyrics. Johnny Cash's iconic baritone brings a sense of urgency to the song that puts listeners in the middle of the emotional turmoil being expressed.
Overall, I Don't Believe You Wanted to Leave Me is a powerful ballad that speaks to the universality of heartbreak and the never-ending hope for a second chance.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't believe you wanted to leave me
I believe that you still love me and did not intend to end our relationship
You cried too much when you went away
Your tears when you left me show that you are still emotionally invested in our relationship
I know deep down inside that you still love me
I have a strong feeling that you have not fallen out of love with me
But you listened to those lying tongues and things they had to say
However, you took to heart the untrue words of others who spoke ill of me and our relationship
Of course they said I was to blame
Naturally, those individuals placed the blame for our problems solely on me
True or not you felt ashamed
Regardless of whether their accusations were factual, you internalized their negativity and felt guilty
And they called you a fool each time you listened to my alibi
Furthermore, these people belittled and insulted you whenever you gave me the benefit of the doubt
But I don't believe you wanted to leave me
Even with all that has transpired, I remain convinced that you did not actually desire to end our relationship
You cried too much when we said goodbye
Your tears when you left me reinforce my belief that you have emotional ties to me
There's gotta be a way to win your love back once again
I am determined to find a way to reignite our love and reconnect with you
'Cause it just ain't right to let a love like we had fade and die
It is not fair to us or our love to let our relationship wither away and come to an end
And I don't believe you wanted to leave me
Despite everything, I still have faith that you did not truly want to leave me
You cried too much when we said goodbye
Your tears when we parted ways only reinforce my conviction that you still care for me
Contributed by Jayden C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@l12boy
yet another Cash song I didn't know i can't be without
@SaleemSaleem-fy4rr
I like this kind of music 😴
@alexluther2628
Still a good one
@alexluther5767
Very groovy song man
@alexluther2628
Good song again
@rickluther5285
Good this year too