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.
Ragged Old Flag
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a park bench an old man was sitting there
I said, your old courthouse is kinda run down
He said, naw, it'll do for our little town
I said, your old flagpole has leaned a little bit
And that's a ragged old flag you got hanging on it
He said, have a seat, and I sat down
I said, I think it is
He said, I don't like to brag
But we're kinda proud of that ragged old flag
You see, we got a little hole in that flag there when
Washington took it across the Delaware
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing say can you see
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams
And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the texas flag, but she waved on though
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg
And the south wind blew hard on that ragged old flag
On Flanders field in World War one
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun
She turned blood red in World War Two
She hung limp and low a time or two
She was in Korea and Vietnam
She went where she was sent by Uncle Sam
She waved from our ships upon the Briny foam
And now they've about quit waving her back here at home
In her own good land here she's been abused
She's been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused
And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in
'Cause she's been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more
So we raise her up every morning
We take her down every night
We don't let her touch the ground and we fold her up right
On second thought, I do like to brag
'Cause I'm mighty proud of that ragged old flag
In Johnny Cash's song "Ragged Old Flag," the singer describes walking through a county courthouse square and talking to an old man sitting on a park bench. The singer points out that the courthouse and flagpole look run down, but the old man insists that they are good enough for their small town. The singer then observes that the flag itself is ragged and torn, and the old man responds by detailing the history of the flag through various American wars and conflicts. Despite the flag's many wounds, the old man notes that she is still standing and still represents the resilience and perseverance of the American people.
The lyrics of "Ragged Old Flag" celebrate the history and significance of the American flag, even in the face of adversity and challenge. Throughout the song, the flag is described as battered and bruised, but still flying proudly. The image of the flag as a symbol of America's strength, determination, and resilience is a powerful one, and it is a theme that runs throughout the song. By highlighting the flag's many struggles and triumphs, the song suggests that America itself is a resilient and enduring nation, one that can weather any storm.
One interesting fact about "Ragged Old Flag" is that it was inspired by a conversation that Johnny Cash had with a friend about the state of the country in the mid-1970s. At the time, America was going through a period of social and political upheaval, and Cash was concerned that the country had lost its sense of pride and purpose. He wrote the song as a way of reminding people of the values that Americans share and the things that make America great.
Line by Line Meaning
I walked through a county courthouse square
The singer is describing his surroundings
On a park bench an old man was sitting there
An old man was present in the park
I said, your old courthouse is kinda run down
The singer noticed the courthouse was in poor condition
He said, naw, it'll do for our little town
The old man defended the building
I said, your old flagpole has leaned a little bit
The artist observed the flagpole was not standing straight
And that's a ragged old flag you got hanging on it
The flag was old and worn out
He said, have a seat, and I sat down
The old man invited the singer to sit with him
Is this the first time you've been to our little town?
The old man asks about the artist's familiarity with the town
I said, I think it is
The artist confirms it was his first time there
He said, I don't like to brag
The old man claims not to like to boast
But we're kinda proud of that ragged old flag
The old man expresses pride in the country's flag
You see, we got a little hole in that flag there when Washington took it across the Delaware
The flag has historical significance
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
The flag was damaged during battles and wars
Sat watching it writing say can you see
Key wrote the 'Star-Spangled Banner' while watching the flag
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
The flag was damaged again during the Battle of New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin' at its seams
The battle involved famous generals, Jackson and Packingham
And it almost fell at the Alamo
The flag nearly fell during the Battle of the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though
The flag still flew despite its condition
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
The flag was damaged yet again in Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill
The flag was damaged twice in Shiloh Hill
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg
The battle involved famous Confederate generals
And the south wind blew hard on that ragged old flag
The flag withstood harsh weather conditions
On Flanders field in World War one
The flag was present in World War One
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun
The flag was damaged during the war
She turned blood red in World War Two
The flag was present in World War Two and was stained with blood
She hung limp and low a time or two
The flag hung low during difficult times
She was in Korea and Vietnam
The flag was present during the Korean and Vietnam War
She went where she was sent by Uncle Sam
The flag served its country obediently
She waved from our ships upon the Briny foam
The flag was present during naval battles
And now they've about quit waving her back here at home
The flag is not always celebrated in today's society
In her own good land here she's been abused
The flag is mistreated and not respected in America
She's been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused
The flag has been disrespected and burned by protestors
And the government for which she stands
The flag represents the American government
Is scandalized throughout the land
The government is often criticized and shamed
And she's getting threadbare and wearing thin
The flag is old and becoming frail
But she's in good shape for the shape she's in
Despite its condition, the flag is still strong
'Cause she's been through the fire before
The flag has survived difficult times in the past
And I believe she can take a whole lot more
The singer has faith that the flag will persevere
So we raise her up every morning
The flag is raised every morning
We take her down every night
The flag is lowered every night
We don't let her touch the ground and we fold her up right
The flag is treated with great respect and care
On second thought, I do like to brag
The old man changes his mind and brags about the flag
'Cause I'm mighty proud of that ragged old flag
The old man expresses deep pride and admiration for the flag
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: John Cash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Hollows1997
As a Brit I know we take a verbal beating in this song, but, I’m just as proud as your Ragged Old Flag as I am my own.
Sure, we have had our ups and downs both as enemies and as allies but much of what is said of old glory in this video is true of our own Union Jack and I can’t think of any flags other than those of the US, Canada or the Anzacs that I would rather fly beside our own.
Brothers in Arms forever 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿❤️
Edited to share the love with our Pacific brothers and mates down under, I hadn’t forgotten about you but didn’t think so many of you would listen to this track.
Further edited: My thoughts and prayers are with you all today on September 11th, one of my mother’s colleagues sons was killed that awful day.
@kielbasathief9576
I think a lot of people need to hear this song more than ever.
@AmericanSavage1492
I strongly agree let's recommend this to folks
@justagreasemonkey
Oh definitely. My town has a flag that they flew during the civil war. Kinda confusing, confederate and Union flags both flew in my town. They still have both.
@lisadc4681
@@justagreasemonkey Awesome! What town?
@9rempire892
Yes
@TonioD49
The people you want to hear this already know about this stuff. They resent it. It means nothing to them. They openly support evil.
@bobbycaley
As a Canadian, I must say proudly that we are grateful to have you guys as neighbours and brothers in arms!
@rebelpride6895
If you ever get down to Alabama I have a place for you my friend
@classonbread5757
Swing by Alberta and you know where to come
@GNHawkBA23
And we love you back. Canada is such a beautiful country! Banff National Park is one of my favorite places in the world!