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.
Remember the Alamo
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By the line that he drew with his sword when the battle was nigh
Any man that would fight to the death crossed over
But him that would live, better fly
And over the line went a hundred and seventy nine
Hey Santa Anna, we're killing your soldiers below!
That men, wherever they go will remember the Alamo
Bowie lay dying, but his powder was ready and dry
Flat on his back, Bowie killed him a few in reply
And young David Crockett was singing and laughing
With gallantry fears in his eyes
For God and for freedom, a man more than willing to die
Hey Santa Anna, we're killing your soldiers below!
That men, wherever they go will remember the Alamo
And then they sent a young scout from the battlements, bloody and loud
With the words of farewell from a garrison valiant and proud
"Grieve not little darling, my dying, if Texas is sovereign and free
We'll never surrender and ever with liberty be"
Hey Santa Anna, we're killing your soldiers below!
That men, wherever they go will remember the Alamo
The lyrics to Johnny Cash's song Remember The Alamo recount the story of the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, where a small group of Texans, including famous frontiersman Davy Crockett and knife fighter Jim Bowie, fought against the much larger Mexican army under the command of General Santa Anna. The first stanza describes how William Barret Travis, the commander of the Alamo, drew a line in the sand and asked those willing to fight to cross it, effectively signing their own death warrant. The second stanza mentions Bowie's death and his revenge against a few of his attackers, while also highlighting the courage and determination of Crockett. The final stanza includes the famous message sent from inside the Alamo by a dying Texan defender to his young daughter, expressing his hope for the future of Texas.
The song's lyrics capture the spirit of the Battle of the Alamo, a key event in Texas history that has become a symbol of courageous resistance and sacrifice. The Texans at the Alamo knew that they were outnumbered and unlikely to win the battle, but they fought anyway, hoping to buy time for the Texan army to mobilize and ultimately gain independence from Mexico. The final message from the Alamo defenders reflects this sense of purpose and hope, even in the face of certain death.
Overall, the lyrics to Remember The Alamo serve as a tribute to the brave Texans who fought and died at the Alamo, and a reminder of the importance of standing up for one's beliefs and fighting for freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
And a hundred and eighty were challenged by Travis to die
Travis challenged the one hundred and eighty soldiers to fight until death
By the line that he drew with his sword when the battle was nigh
Travis drew a line with his sword for the soldiers to decide whether to fight and die or fly to live
Any man that would fight to the death crossed over
Those who would fight to the death crossed the line
But him that would live, better fly
Those who wanted to live had to fly and escape the battle
And over the line went a hundred and seventy nine
One hundred and seventy-nine soldiers crossed the line to fight to the death
Hey Santa Anna, we're killing your soldiers below!
The Texans were killing Santa Anna's soldiers
That men, wherever they go will remember the Alamo
The memory of the Alamo will always stay with the people
Bowie lay dying, but his powder was ready and dry
Bowie was dying, but he was still ready to fight with his gunpowder in place
Flat on his back, Bowie killed him a few in reply
Even when lying on his back, Bowie killed a few soldiers in response
And young David Crockett was singing and laughing
Crockett was singing and laughing, despite his fear
With gallantry fears in his eyes
Crockett had a brave, fearless look in his eyes
For God and for freedom, a man more than willing to die
Crockett was willing to die for God and the freedom of his people
And then they sent a young scout from the battlements, bloody and loud
A young scout was sent from the battlements badly injured and making loud noises
With the words of farewell from a garrison valiant and proud
The young scout delivered the words of farewell from the brave and proud soldiers of the garrison
"Grieve not little darling, my dying, if Texas is sovereign and free
"Do not cry my darling, if I die, because Texas will be a free and independent state
We'll never surrender and ever with liberty be"
We will never give up and will always be free
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JANE G.R. BOWERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@getrektm87yearsago29
Happy Birthday to the man in black, the legendary Johnny Cash. You made this world a lot brighter while you were in it 2/26/32 - ♾
@larrymugrage2464
Johnny Cash is 1 of my favorite country singers of all time.
@efrem1
Visited his grave today. Happiness is having loved ones indeed.
@anthonyfrew1571
I have this LP - Dad picked it up with me in London - I was nine (1972) - I had recently viewed John Wayne and Richard Widmark defending the Alamo at the pictures, now I had a song to accompany it - I was a very happy boy.
@amanselectri
I never got the bit about "young Davy Crockett..". Crockett was 49 years old. I read a story told by Santa Anas men that, during the battle, Crockett would stand on the roof, and pick ppl off with his rifle, and that he was such a good shot that he would not bother taking cover, but stand in plain sight while he reloaded because the Mexicans were all afraid of taking a shot at him lest they miss, because that would give away their positions, and he never missed. He was such a good shot that Santa Ana later said that something to the effect that, if every man at the Alamo could shoot like "Crocker" did, his army would not have stood a chance, even with the superior numbers he had.
@fusznikker7806
greetings from Poland to this legend!
@Snavels
Johnny, Your singing your hits in a better place. :'(
@nachus44
He was dead in 2003 xd
@gabedenes2976
I miss you johnny
@caroletremblay6663
Super 👍🏼 beautiful cover of 33 nice picture of Johnny ❤️🎼