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.
The Color of Love
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well I used think the color of love would be a
Rosy red or a pretty pink And I thought it would
Be a thirsty man crawlin' home to get a big old
Drink And I thought love was spelled like a bell
B-E-double L bell that you ring Stead of wham bam
Hit your man with a pan Hit him on the head hear
Oh you heart breakin' love makin' cut
Me-a-piece-of-bacon man of mine And you money
Shiftin' flour siftin' nose liftin' rose of woman
Kind Just keep on doin' what you're doin' what
You're doin' suits me just fine And love I tell
You somethin' else you blow my mind
Well I used to think the color of love would be a
Soft green like a pea in a pod And I thought love
Would strike like a light flashin' down a big old
Lightnin' rod And I thought love was spelled
W-E-double L well that would never run dry Stead
Of choke choke I'm so broke and dry I can't afford
A little bitty tear to cry
Oh you money turnin' egg churnin' butter burnin'
Baby of mine You half crazy lean and lazy pretty
As a wilted daisy man of mine Just keep on
Doin'... You blow my mind you blow my mind you
Blow my mind you blow my mind
The Color of Love by Johnny Cash talks about the various perceptions that people hold about love. At first, the singer thought that love would be represented by the color pink or red, and he associated love with passion in the form of thirst that can be quenched with a big glass of drink. He used to think love would be expressed by a bell, but instead, he meets a woman who uses a different approach. This woman uses physical actions such as hitting a man on his head and making birdies sing. Although it seems rough, it suits the singer just fine, and she blows his mind.
The singer goes on to describe another color of love, which he thought would be green like a pea in a pod. He thought love would hit him like a lightning rod, but instead, he meets someone who uses another language of love. She spells love as W-E-double L as something that would never run dry. She does not choke him with empty promises but consistently shows him love as opposed to just telling him that she loves him.
In essence, the song is talking about the various shades and colors of love and how they can take different forms. People express and receive love in different ways, and for the singer, the person who suits him just fine was not his initial idea of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I used think the color of love would be a Rosy red or a pretty pink
I used to associate love with colors that are traditionally feminine and soft, such as pink or red.
And I thought it would Be a thirsty man crawlin' home to get a big old Drink
I used to think that being in love meant needing someone to quench my thirst, like a man who's crawling home after being out all night.
And I thought love was spelled like a bell B-E-double L bell that you ring Stead of wham bam Hit your man with a pan Hit him on the head hear The birdies sing
I used to think love was like a pleasant ringing bell, but now I realize that it can sometimes be violent and cause pain.
Oh you heart breakin' love makin' cut Me-a-piece-of-bacon man of mine
My man is a heartbreaker and a skilled lover, but he's also rough around the edges like a piece of bacon.
And you money Shiftin' flour siftin' nose liftin' rose of woman Kind
My woman is a shrewd businesswoman who knows how to handle money, yet she's still delicate and elegant like a rose.
Just keep on doin' what you're doin' what You're doin' suits me just fine
I'm happy with the way things are, so keep doing what you're doing.
And love I tell You somethin' else you blow my mind
Love is amazing and it blows my mind with how wonderful it can be.
Well I used to think the color of love would be a Soft green like a pea in a pod
I used to associate love with the color green, like the soft hue of a pea in its pod.
And I thought love Would strike like a light flashin' down a big old Lightnin' rod
I thought being in love would be like a bolt of lightning, a sudden and intense experience.
And I thought love was spelled W-E-double L well that would never run dry
I thought love would never run out, like a well that is always full of water.
Instead of choke choke I'm so broke and dry I can't afford A little bitty tear to cry
But sometimes love can leave you feeling broke and dry, unable to even cry because of your emptiness.
Oh you money turnin' egg churnin' butter burnin' Baby of mine
My lover is multitasking and skilled in many areas like turning money, churning eggs, and burning butter.
You half crazy lean and lazy pretty As a wilted daisy man of mine
My man is half-crazy, lazy, and not perfect, but still beautiful and lovable like a wilted daisy.
Just keep on Doin'... You blow my mind you blow my mind you Blow my mind you blow my mind
I don't want anything to change, just keep doing what you're doing because my mind is blown by how much I love you.
Contributed by Jack L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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