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.
It Come and Goes
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A Savior in her dreams.
But she was not delivered then,
And the baby became me.
There's a light inside the darkened room,
A footstep on the stair.
A door that I forever close,
To leave those memories there.
So when the shadows link them,
Into an evening sun.
Well first there's summer, then I'll let you in.
September when it comes.
I plan to crawl outside these walls,
Close my eyes and see.
And fall into the heart and arms,
Of those who wait for me.
I cannot move a mountain now
I can no longer run.
I cannot be who I was then
In a way, I never was.
I watch the clouds go sailing
I watch the clock and sun.
Oh, I watch myself, depending on,
September when it comes.
So when the shadows link them,
And burn away the clouds.
They will fly me, like an angel,
To a place where I can rest.
When this begins, I'll let you know,
September when it comes.
The song 'September When It Comes' by Johnny Cash and his daughter Rosanne Cash talks about the cyclical nature of time and life. It starts with a reflection on the cross above the baby's bed and how the baby grew up to become the singer, indicating a passage of time. There is also a light inside the darkened room, suggesting that there is hope, even amid darkness. The singer then talks about closing the door to the memories of the past, indicating a desire to move on.
The second verse talks about a desire to break free from the confines of one's present situation and fall into the embrace of loved ones who are waiting for them. The singer then admits their limitations, saying that they cannot move mountains or be who they once were. The third verse then talks about the passage of time, with the singer watching the clouds, clock, and sun, all indicators of the steady march of time.
The chorus talks about the shadows that link them, with September coming when the shadows finally burn away the clouds. The singer then talks about being carried by the angels to a place of rest when this happens, indicating a transition from the temporal to the eternal.
Overall, the song talks about the inevitability of time and change, as well as the enduring hope that we can find in loved ones and faith.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a cross above the baby's bed,
The baby's bed has a cross above it, symbolizing the child's salvation.
A Savior in her dreams.
In her dreams, the baby's mother envisioned a savior for her child.
But she was not delivered then,
However, the mother was unable to succeed in her current state.
And the baby became me.
As a result, the baby grew up to be the singer.
There's a light inside the darkened room,
In the dark, there is still a glimmer of hope.
A footstep on the stair.
Someone is approaching, bringing change.
A door that I forever close,
The singer is stepping away and leaving the past behind.
To leave those memories there.
This is so that he can move on, without being held down.
So when the shadows link them,
When the past and present collide.
Into an evening sun.
The brightness of the sun shines through the darkness, leading him somewhere good.
Well first there's summer, then I'll let you in.
Before you are able to enter his life, he must first bid his summer goodbye.
I plan to crawl outside these walls,
He longs to free himself from the constraints of his past.
Close my eyes and see.
In order to move on, he must close his eyes and visualize his future.
And fall into the heart and arms,
He seeks comfort and love from those who accept him.
Of those who wait for me.
He longs to connect with people who love and embrace him
I cannot move a mountain now
In his current state, he is unable to accomplish everything he desires.
I can no longer run.
He can no longer run away from his past.
I cannot be who I was then
He cannot be the same person he was before.
In a way, I never was.
He never truly fit into that mold in the first place.
I watch the clouds go sailing
He is constantly observing everything around him.
I watch the clock and sun.
He monitors the passage of time, watching it as it passes.
Oh, I watch myself, depending on,
He is always self-reliant, depending on himself.
September when it comes.
He anticipates September, a time of new beginnings.
So when the shadows link them,
When the past and present coincide.
And burn away the clouds.
By freeing himself from his past, he is able to see things more clearly.
They will fly me, like an angel,
He will be able to break free, soaring like an angel.
To a place where I can rest.
He will finally be able to find rest and peace.
When this begins, I'll let you know,
When he has finally found his inner peace, he will let others know.
September when it comes.
The start of something new.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: JOHN LEVENTHAL, ROSANNE CASH, ROSEANNE CASH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anonymous
on Wayfaring Stranger
Wayfaring Stranger - The New Appalachians - Lyrics
I am a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world alone
There will be no sickness, toil or danger
In that grand land to which I roam
Well I'm going home to see my mother
I'm going home to a morning rose
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
Musical Interlude
I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I know my way is rough and steep
And beautiful fields lie just before me
Where God's redeemed there vigils keep
Well I'm going home to see my brothers
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home
Musical Interlude
I'm going home to see my Father
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I’m only goin’ where no one roams
I want to wear that crown of glory
When I get to that good land
I want to shout out salvation story
In concert with that blood washed band.
I'm going there to see my saviour
I’ll see his face no more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm only goin' over home