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.
Reflections
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Could a land know such a people
As the pioneer, the cowboy
His clothes, his conversation, his unique brand of lingo
All his devil deeds of daring
His hat, his bandana, the dirty boots
And ragged chaps
So his hand could get it quickly
But draw your own conclusions
Lean to your own understandings
Your beliefs and your convictions
Disprove any fact recorded in these sounds
And songs and legends
But I ask you if you do be sure
You've walked in many moccasins
Over many, many pathways
And that you have listened carefully
Really listened to the west wind
And to everything it whispers
And then go back and listen, listen to this once more
To these legends and traditions
They're only one reflection of a tick of time of that time
Just ponder on the things that happened
As we gaze so very deeply
In the time and place and persons
Seeing now and then the West as it really was
And to tell you of a little that we saw there
And looking backward through a century
There was the True West there was the Real True West
Not demanding an argument but rather hoping you looked with us
And saw it as we saw it
And heard that west wind screaming, shouting almost speaking
Always whispering of these things we sang and spoke of
And you'll hear perhaps the things the we said in the stories
And the legends and traditions
Through the wind that breeze these tales
Of the ones who never made it
Yet fighting heat and mountains plains and valleys, snow and hunger
They went westward, westward, westward
The song "Reflections" by Johnny Cash is a tribute to the pioneer and cowboy spirit of the American West. The lyrics describe the unique qualities of these people, from their distinctive clothing and speech, to their daring deeds and weapon of choice, the sixgun. The song urges the listener to consider their own understanding and beliefs, while also acknowledging the importance of the legends and traditions of the West. The wind is personified as a powerful force, whispering tales of those who bravely fought to go westward, despite the challenges they faced.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the rugged individualism and resilience of the pioneers and cowboys, as well as the harsh realities of life in the American West. The song acknowledges that the stories and legends of the West may not all be factual, but they still hold great value as reflections of a time and place that shaped the identity of this region of the country. By urging the listener to listen carefully to the wind and the tales it carries, the song encourages a deeper understanding and appreciation of the West and the people who lived there.
Line by Line Meaning
Never in this world before or nevermore hereafter
No civilization has ever or will ever experience the unique culture of the American pioneer and cowboy.
Could a land know such a people
The people of the West were a product of their environment, and no other place could have produced them.
As the pioneer, the cowboy
The pioneer and cowboy were two of the most influential people in shaping the culture of the American West.
His clothes, his conversation, his unique brand of lingo
The way a cowboy dressed and spoke was a reflection of his surroundings and experiences.
All his devil deeds of daring
The cowboy was known for his bravery and willingness to take on dangerous challenges.
His hat, his bandana, the dirty boots
The cowboy's attire was rugged and practical, suited for the harsh conditions of the West.
And ragged chaps
Chaps were worn for protection while riding and dealing with cattle.
But mainly that sixgun dangling
The cowboy's signature weapon was his six-shooter revolver, which he carried with him at all times.
So his hand could get it quickly
The cowboy needed to be able to draw his weapon quickly in case of danger.
But draw your own conclusions
The listener is encouraged to interpret these stories and form their own opinions about the Old West.
Lean to your own understandings
The listener should trust their own knowledge and experience when forming their opinion of the West.
Your beliefs and your convictions
The listener should base their opinion on their values and principles.
Disprove any fact recorded in these sounds
It is up to the listener to question the accuracy of these stories and decide for themselves what is true.
And songs and legends
The cowboy and pioneer culture has been passed down through generations by stories and songs.
But I ask you if you do be sure
The listener is challenged to be confident in their conclusions.
You've walked in many moccasins
In order to truly understand the West, the listener needs to have experienced it and seen it from many angles.
Over many, many pathways
The listener needs to have traveled extensively throughout the West in order to have a well-rounded perspective.
And that you have listened carefully
The listener needs to have actively paid attention to everything they experienced in order to form an accurate opinion.
Really listened to the west wind
The listener needs to have been in tune with their surroundings, including the natural environment, to fully appreciate the West.
And to everything it whispers
The wind is a metaphor for the voices of the people and the memories of the West.
And then go back and listen, listen to this once more
After gaining more experience and perspective, the listener should revisit the stories and songs to see them in a new light.
To these legends and traditions
The songs and stories of the pioneers and cowboys are the legends and traditions of the West.
They're only one reflection of a tick of time of that time
The stories and songs capture only one moment in time that is unique to the West.
Just ponder on the things that happened
The listener should reflect on everything they learned about the West and its people.
As we gaze so very deeply
The listener and the songwriter are both contemplating the West with great intensity.
In the time and place and persons
The listener should think about the specific historical context of the stories they heard.
Seeing now and then the West as it really was
The listener should try to understand the West as it truly existed.
And to tell you of a little that we saw there
The songwriter is sharing his personal experiences of the West with the listener.
And looking backward through a century
The songwriter is reflecting on events that occurred over one hundred years ago.
There was the True West there was the Real True West
The songwriter believes in a specific idea of the West as it truly was.
Not demanding an argument but rather hoping you looked with us
The songwriter is not trying to prove his point, but rather hopes that the listener will see the West in the same way he does.
And saw it as we saw it
The songwriter wants the listener to have the same perspective on the West as he does.
And heard that west wind screaming, shouting almost speaking
The wind is an important part of the Western environment and carries the voices of the land and its people.
Always whispering of these things we sang and spoke of
The wind carries echoes of the songs and stories that people have told about the West.
And you'll hear perhaps the things the we said in the stories
The songs and stories told about the West convey the attitudes and values of the pioneers and cowboys.
And the legends and traditions
The stories and songs passed down over generations are the legends and traditions of the West.
Through the wind that breeze these tales
The wind carries the stories and histories of the people who lived in the West.
Of the ones who never made it
The West was a dangerous and difficult place to live, and many people did not survive its harsh conditions.
Yet fighting heat and mountains plains and valleys, snow and hunger
The people who lived and worked in the West had to overcome many difficult obstacles in order to survive.
They went westward, westward, westward
People traveled to the West in search of opportunities and a better life, despite the many hardships they would face.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland
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