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.
If I Told You Who It Was
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanted to see the brand old Loper show
So I held a cap and I headed down to Opryland
They said they sold their last ticked the day before
So I kinda just hung around the backstage door
And down the steps she came, men oh men
My favourite female country star
She waved her fans and headed for her carHer tire, unlike her body, was very flat
She said, could you change my tire
I said your wish is my desire
As she raised the lid, I grabbed her bomber jack
She said I sure do appreciate you're changing my tire
If I told you who it was, if I told you who it was
You'd say I was making it up
You've seen her on the screen and in country magazines
You'd think I was making it up
She said it was our little secret and by golly
Oh I'm gonna keep it
Anyway you wouldn't believe it
If I told you who it was
She said you need a lift and I said well
You can drop me of at the York motel
So we headed down Briley parkway in the town
I told her I got all your records ma'am
She smiled and said well I be damned
She said, you're kind of cute fellar, wanna mess around?
When we got to my room just the people lied
I said sure wish I could've heard you sing tonight
She smiled at me and said what do you wanna hear?
Well if I was one of them country music folks
I'll tell you, she'd sure get my vote for the best performance of the year
If I told you who it was, if I told you who it was
You'd say I was making it up
You've seen her on the screen and in country magazines
You'd think I was making it up
She said it was our little secret and by golly
Oh I'm gonna keep it
Anyway you wouldn't believe it
If I told you who it was
Well I tell you this much
When I put my arms around her and squeezed her real tight
She looked up at me with those big beautiful eyes
Took a deep breath in the side and said:
"Howdy I'm just so proud to be here!"
If I told you who it was, if I told you who it was
You'd say I was making it up
You've seen her on the screen and in country magazines
You'd think I was making it up
She said it was our little secret and by golly
Oh I'm gonna keep it
Anyway you wouldn't believe it
If I told you who it was
The lyrics of Johnny Cash's "If I Told You Who It Was" tell the story of a chance encounter that the singer has with a female country star. The singer of the song is a fan of the star's music and had hoped to see her perform at the Loper show. However, when he arrives, he finds that the tickets are sold out. While waiting outside backstage, the protagonis unexpectedly meets the star, who needs her tire fixed. The two spend some time together, with the star asking the singer if he wants to mess around. In the end, the singer decides to keep the female country star's identity secret.
The song can be interpreted in different ways, but it is mainly a story of an unlikely encounter between a fan and their idol. The singer is surprised by the star's kindness and down-to-earth demeanor, even though she is a celebrity. In the end, the singer decides to keep her identity secret, suggesting that their shared moment was special and intimate, something to be cherished and guarded.
Line by Line Meaning
I was down in music city 'bout a week ago
About a week ago, I was in Nashville, also known as 'Music City'.
I wanted to see the brand old Loper show
I had a desire to attend the Loper show.
So I held a cap and I headed down to Opryland
I headed down to Opryland, where I had the hope of enjoying musical entertainment.
They said they sold their last ticked the day before
When I reached Opryland, I discovered the tickets for the Loper show had been sold out the previous day.
So I kinda just hung around the backstage door
I lingered around the backstage door, with the hope of getting a glimpse of a celebrity or getting inside the show.
And down the steps she came, men oh men
Suddenly, a female celebrity made her way down the steps, and I was amazed and excited.
My favourite female country star
The female celebrity who came down the steps was my favourite country music star.
She waved her fans and headed for her car
After getting attention from fans, she went towards her car.
Her tire, unlike her body, was very flat
Unlike her perfect body, her car tire was flat.
She said, could you change my tire
She asked me if I could help her by changing her car's tire.
I said your wish is my desire
I responded positively by saying her request is my desire to fulfill.
As she raised the lid, I grabbed her bomber jack
As she opened the trunk of her car, I quickly grabbed my jacket.
She said I sure do appreciate you're changing my tire
After I had replaced her tire, she expressed her gratitude to me for my help.
If I told you who it was, if I told you who it was
The singer is now teasing the listener, by saying if they knew who she was, they wouldn't believe her.
You'd say I was making it up
The singer is insisting that if she revealed the identity of the celebrity, the listener would accuse her of fabricating the story.
You've seen her on the screen and in country magazines
The celebrity in question is popular and has been featured in magazines and on TV.
You'd think I was making it up
Once again, the singer is letting the listener know that they would not believe her if she told the truth.
She said it was our little secret and by golly
The celebrity asked the singer not to reveal her identity.
Oh I'm gonna keep it
The singer is assuring the celebrity that she will not reveal the secret.
Anyway you wouldn't believe it
The singer is implying that even if she did reveal the secret, the listener would not believe her.
Well I tell you this much
The singer is about to reveal something interesting to the listener.
When I put my arms around her and squeezed her real tight
The singer is talking about hugging the celebrity very tightly.
She looked up at me with those big beautiful eyes
The celebrity looked up at the singer with her big, beautiful eyes.
Took a deep breath in the side and said: 'Howdy I'm just so proud to be here!'
Finally, the celebrity greeted the singer and expressed that she was happy to be there.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRADDOCK, PUTMAN JR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Iluvatara
I was down in music city 'bout a week ago
I wanted to see the brand old Loper show
So I held a cap and I headed down to Opryland
They said they sold their last ticked the day before
So I kinda just hung around the backstage door
And down the steps she came, men oh men
My favourite female country star
She waved her fans and headed for her car
Her tire, unlike her body, was very flat
She said, could you change my tire
I said your wish is my desire
As she raised the lid, I grabbed her bomber jack
She said I sure do appreciate you're changing my tire
If I told you who it was, if I told you who it was
You'd say I was making it up
You've seen her on the screen and in country magazines
You'd think I was making it up
She said it was our little secret and by golly
Oh I'm gonna keep it
Anyway you wouldn't believe it
If I told you who it was
She said you need a lift and I said well
You can drop me of at the York motel
So we headed down Briley parkway in the town
I told her I got all your records ma'am
She smiled and said well I be damned
She said, you're kind of cute fellar, wanna mess around?
When we got to my room just the people lied
I said sure wish I could've heard you sing tonight
She smiled at me and said what do you wanna hear?
Well if I was one of them country music folks
I'll tell you, she'd sure get my vote for the best performance of the year
If I told you who it was, if I told you who it was
You'd say I was making it up
You've seen her on the screen and in country magazines
You'd think I was making it up
She said it was our little secret and by golly
Oh I'm gonna keep it
Anyway you wouldn't believe it
If I told you who it was
Well I tell you this much
When I put my arms around her and squeezed her real tight
She looked up at me with those big beautiful eyes
Took a deep breath in the side and said:
"Howdy I'm just so proud to be here!"
If I told you who it was, if I told you who it was
You'd say I was making it up
You've seen her on the screen and in country magazines
You'd think I was making it up
She said it was our little secret and by golly
Oh I'm gonna keep it
Anyway you wouldn't believe it
If I told you who it was
@danielzader8917
Johnny Cash was the KING of country music Rest In Peace Great Man
@anonymespersonchen5133
He IS the GOD forever
@vercingetorixarverni6343
I just want to clear this up for future generations. This song is about Minnie Pearl from hee-haw.
That voice you hear near the end saying, "Howdy I'm just so proud to be here!" is hers.
@djedwards8394
I'm 21 and I must say that I know my cousin Minnie Pearl!
@G2CondorJoe
By Toutatis, I believe you're right.
@alexcrawford5350
Vercingetorix king of the Arverni: Thanks for the info! I was thinking he meant Dolly Parton. Maybe the way he talked about her body or the way he said Opryland, and when I think of country music and amusement parks combined, I think of Dolly Parton.
@monerz1
Thank you for your post. You're extremely important. You should look in the mirror numerous times daily & say, "I'm very important."
@Saintnick90
That's cool. I would have guessed Dolly Parton.
@EventHorizon1776
This whole album is full of life
@austi1865
Just listened to all his albums. Damn. Wish i found him sooner. Not a country fanatic, but he's an exception. :))