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.
Ringing the Bells for Jim
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He went to the tower found a little girl there said why ring the bells at this time
I'm just ringing the bells for Jim please father ringing the bells for Jim
I'm sorry I'm cryin' but my brother Jim's dyin' so I'm ringing the bells for Jim
Please father pray for him this Christmas he's sick and he's in so much pain
The doctors all say he'll be gone any day so I must ring the bells again
I'm just ringing the bells...
[ ac.guitar ]
You see he got well when he heard the church bells I was ringing the bells for Jim
I'm just ringing the bells...
The song "Ringing the Bells for Jim" by Johnny Cash is a moving tale of a little girl who desperately wants to save her brother's life. She hears church bells ringing at midnight (a time when they shouldn't be ringing) and goes to investigate. Her father finds her in the tower, ringing the bells, and asks her why she's doing it at such an odd hour. She tells him that she's ringing the bells for her dying brother Jim, who is in so much pain that he can't sleep at night. She asks her father to pray for Jim and promises to keep ringing the bells until he improves.
The little girl's dedication to saving her brother's life is heart-wrenching. She can't bear to see him in so much pain and believes that ringing the church bells is the only thing that can help him. The father is moved to tears by his daughter's devotion and agrees to pray for Jim. The little girl continues to ring the bells for several days, and miraculously, her brother begins to improve. On the day after Christmas, she brings him to her father and tells him that Jim got better when he heard the church bells ringing.
The lyrics touch on themes of hope, faith, and the power of prayer. The little girl's unwavering belief that ringing the church bells can save her brother's life is both poignant and powerful. Cash's storytelling is masterful, and the song is a testament to his ability to weave a compelling narrative.
Line by Line Meaning
The father heard church bells at midnight a wrong time for church bells to chime
The father heard unexpected church bells ring at midnight, an unusual time for church bells to be heard.
He went to the tower found a little girl there said why ring the bells at this time
The father went to the church tower and found a little girl there. He asked her why she was ringing the bells at such an odd hour.
I'm just ringing the bells for Jim please father ringing the bells for Jim
The little girl explained that she was ringing the bells for her sick brother named Jim and asked the father not to interfere.
I'm sorry I'm cryin' but my brother Jim's dyin' so I'm ringing the bells for Jim
The little girl apologizes for crying as she explains that her brother Jim is dying and she is ringing the bells for him as a way of coping.
Please father pray for him this Christmas he's sick and he's in so much pain
The little girl asks the father to pray for her sick brother Jim during the Christmas holiday, as Jim is in a lot of pain.
The doctors all say he'll be gone any day so I must ring the bells again
The little girl is determined to keep ringing the bells for Jim because the doctors say he will pass away soon and she wants to do something to help.
On the day after Christmas she brought him said father heed little Jim
The little girl returns to the church the day after Christmas with Jim and brings him to the father.
You see he got well when he heard the church bells I was ringing the bells for Jim
The little girl explains that Jim got better after hearing the church bells she had been ringing specifically for him.
I'm just ringing the bells...
Throughout the song, the little girl continually repeats that she is simply ringing the bells for Jim, and nothing more.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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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