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.
New Mexico
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was there an old cow puncher, stepped up and said to me
How do you do young fellow and how would you like to go
And spend a pleasant summer, out in New Mexico
I'll furnish you good wages, your transportation too
If you will but go with me, one summer season through
But if you should get homesick and back to Griffin go
We left the town of Griffin in the merry month of May
When all the world was lovely and everything was gay
With saddles on our horses, marching over we did go
Until we reached the logging out in New Mexico
It was there our pleasures ended and our troubles they began
The first hail storm fell on us, those cattle how they ran
Through all the thorns and thistles, us cowboys had to go
While the Indians watched upon us, out in New Mexico
Well, when the drive was over, the riders would not pay
To all you happy people, this much I have to say
Go back to your friends and loved ones, tell others not to go
To the God forsaken country, they call New Mexico
The lyrics to Johnny Cash's song New Mexico tell the story of a young man who is offered a job by an old cow puncher to spend a summer in New Mexico. The cow puncher offers the young man good wages and transportation, but warns him that if he were to get homesick and return to Griffin, he would not receive any horses from the hills of Mexico. The young man agrees to the job, and they set off in the merry month of May, with saddles on their horses, and everything seemed pleasant until they reached the logging out in New Mexico.
Their troubles began when a hailstorm fell on them, causing the cattle to run amok. The cowboys had to navigate through thorns and thistles while being watched by the Indians. When the drive was over, the riders would not pay, and the young man advises anyone who wants to go to the God-forsaken country, they call New Mexico, to go back to their friends and loved ones and tell others not to go.
The song is a commentary on the difficulties of the cowboy life and how people often find themselves in situations that are beyond their control. The hailstorm, the cattle running amok, and the presence of Indians lurking in the background are all symbols of the harsh conditions that cowboys had to endure in their line of work. It also highlights the importance of friendship and loyalty, as the young man advises the listeners to go back to their loved ones and tell others not to go to New Mexico.
Line by Line Meaning
T'was in the town of Griffin, the year was Eighty three
The story is set in Griffin, a town in the year 1883
It was there an old cow puncher, stepped up and said to me
An elderly cattle driver approached the singer with an offer
How do you do young fellow and how would you like to go
The cow puncher greets the singer and proposes an idea
And spend a pleasant summer, out in New Mexico
The cow puncher suggests spending the summer season in New Mexico
I'll furnish you good wages, your transportation too
The cow puncher offers to pay a fair salary and provide transportation
If you will but go with me, one summer season through
The singer must accompany the cow puncher for the entire summer season
But if you should get homesick and back to Griffin go
The cow puncher warns that if the singer becomes homesick and returns to Griffin
Then I'll furnish you no horses from the hills of Mexico
The cow puncher will not provide any horses from Mexico if the artist breaks the agreement
We left the town of Griffin in the merry month of May
In May, the artist and cow puncher departed from Griffin
When all the world was lovely and everything was gay
The world was beautiful and joyful during their departure
With saddles on our horses, marching over we did go
The singer and cow puncher rode horses as they traveled
Until we reached the logging out in New Mexico
Their destination was a logging area in New Mexico
It was there our pleasures ended and our troubles they began
At the logging site, their enjoyment ceased and difficulties arose
The first hail storm fell on us, those cattle how they ran
The first hailstorm frightened the cattle and caused chaos
Through all the thorns and thistles, us cowboys had to go
The cowboys had to traverse rough terrain with obstacles
While the Indians watched upon us, out in New Mexico
Native Americans observed the cowboys' struggles in New Mexico
Well, when the drive was over, the riders would not pay
At the end of the journey, the cowboys were not compensated as promised
To all you happy people, this much I have to say
The singer addresses the audience with a warning
Go back to your friends and loved ones, tell others not to go
The singer advises people to avoid traveling to the undesirable New Mexico
To the God forsaken country, they call New Mexico
The artist refers to New Mexico as a forsaken place
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LAMBSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
David Woods
One of my favorite unknown songs. God bless America and Johnny Cash too.
MrRockzilla86
A very overlooked and semi unknown Johnny Cash song..Johnny voice really peaks beautifully as he emphasizes the struggle in this tale. God bless and keep the "man in black"
Oliver P. Hviid
I was aware of Johnny Horton's version, but I did not realise that Cash also had done this song; this is great.
Stefano Santangelo
Pure boom-chicka-boom sound and western ballad mix...Johnny Cash could sing everything and make it his own...I miss him so
David Woods
Stefano Santangelo h
yes it is chickaboom
Lorraine Paradine
What great voice he was blessed with👍
Free man
This song dates back to 1873, originally titled "The Trail of The Buffalo". Since then it's been covered by Dylan, Guthrie, Seeger and many more including Cash. My favorite version is by G.E. Smith.
Peter Warburton
Love this song. Real nice.
saved atlast
Great job Johnny does it best,Cheers,Keith
fredquimbythe23rd
Johnny Horton's equally excellent recording is also called New Mexico