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.
Roll Call
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It was just another day
But her sweetheart and his buddies
Died ten thousand miles away
A Captain sadly walked the muddy bloody battlefield
The smoke had cleared away and it was terrible and still
In his pocket was a roster of the falling fighting men
Atkins Baker, Carter Calahan, Clement Jones, Johnson Moran
McCoy, Perkins Rivers and Revere Stepherd, Thomas Wilson
What can of you here
The roll call was completed but no sign of life was there
Not one man had answered not one accounted for
He turned around and he walked away and looked up to the sky
When he heard his own voice echo and the answer from on high
Atkins
(Here)
Baker
(Here)
Carter
(Here)
Calahan
(Here)
Clement
(Here)
Jones
(Here)
Johnson
(Here)
Moran
(Here)
McCoy
(Here)
Perkins
(Here)
Rivers
(Here)
And Revere
(Here)
Stepherd
(Here)
Thomas
(Here)
Wilson
(Yes sir, we're all here)
We are present, sir and all accounted for
"Roll Call" is a heart-wrenching song by Johnny Cash. This song vividly paints the picture of a captain on a battlefield after a tragic event. With a roster of the fallen heroes in his pocket, the captain begins the roll call in accordance with his orders. Sadly, none of the names that he read out are called out, and no one responds, resulting in deafening silence. However, in a remarkable moment of inspiration, the captain hears his own voice echo, with the names of his fallen men being called out with a resounding "here." This gives him immense comfort and reassurance that his soldiers are accounted for, even though they are no longer with them.
The lyrics of this song convey the deep sense of loss and sorrow that comes with the terrible cost of war. The captain's voice fades as he calls out the names of his brave men, and the quiet, somber music in the background adds to the melancholy mood of the song. The repetition of the names and their response with "here" is poignant and carries a sense of finality. The idea that the echoes of the fallen soldiers' voices are still present on the battlefield serves as a haunting reminder of their sacrifice and bravery.
Line by Line Meaning
To Annabel in Memphis
Narrator mentions Annabel who is possibly someone they know or someone who represents all the people who have experienced losing a loved one thanks to war.
It was just another day
Normalcy of a day which was to be shattered for her later is conveyed.
But her sweetheart and his buddies
Annabel's sweetheart and others who were close to him had gone to war.
Died ten thousand miles away
They died far away from home, fighting a war they didn't ask for.
A Captain sadly walked the muddy bloody battlefield
The captain who had to lead the soldiers who fought for their country was now seeing the bloody remnants of it all.
The smoke had cleared away and it was terrible and still
The battle had ended, with the winner and loser known, but the loss of life and the sadness of it still remained.
In his pocket was a roster of the falling fighting men
The captain carried a list that mentioned the soldiers who were not fortunate enough to come back from the battle.
And the Captain had his orders, so the roll call begin
Despite the pain of the situation, the Captain has to go ahead and follow orders by starting the roll call.
Atkins Baker, Carter Calahan, Clement Jones, Johnson Moran
The deceased soldiers are called out one by one in the roll call.
McCoy, Perkins Rivers and Revere Stepherd, Thomas Wilson
The roll call continues with the fallen fighting men being named one by one.
The roll call was completed but no sign of life was there
All the soldiers who had to be accounted for were called out, but there was no response, since they have all sacrificed their lives in a foreign battle.
Not one man had answered not one accounted for
The lives of these soldiers had been lost by nobly trying to defend their country.
He turned around and he walked away and looked up to the sky
After completing the roll call, the captain left the site, looking up at the sky, indicating his reverence for those who lost their lives.
When he heard his own voice echo and the answer from on high
The echo and the response show the solidarity the captain feels with the deceased soldiers and reassures him that they have gone to a better place.
Atkins (Here) Baker (Here) Carter (Here)
The echo goes on to convey to the captain that all of the fallen fighting men are now present and accounted for in heaven.
Calahan (Here) Clement (Here) Jones (Here)
In the end, the captain gets the assurance that all of his soldiers are well and safe in heaven.
Johnson (Here) Moran (Here) McCoy (Here)
Despite the sadness and loss, the captain receives some solace in knowing that his soldiers found a better place to be.
Perkins (Here) Rivers (Here) And Revere (Here)
The soldiers may have lost their lives, but their memories will remain immortalised.
Stepherd (Here) Thomas (Here) Wilson (Yes sir, we're all here)
The soldiers have left the mortal battlefield, but the fact that they all showed up in this alternate realm gives the singer hope that they are forever present somewhere.
We are present, sir and all accounted for
The souls of the deceased soldiers give a sense of peace to the captain and to Annabel, who, in this case, represents all of the loved ones who lost their significant other to a war.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY JOE CARNAHAN
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