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 Long Black Veil
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someone was killed, 'neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
That the slayer who ran, looked a lot like me
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
The judge said son, what is your alibi
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die
I spoke not a word, thou it meant my life
I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
Did I hear someone applaud?
Now the scaffold is high and eternity's near
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But sometimes at night, when the north wind moans
In a long black veil, she cries ov're my bones
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me
Can I have a glass of water?
huh? Alright
Lemme have a, have a drink of water. I'm about to choke up
That's cocaine blues.
We got a special surprise for, you fellas
And especially for one fella.
In a few minutes we're going to record a brand new song that
I just sang last night for the first time
It was written by someone here in Folsom prison
Can I have a drink of water?
Last time, last time I was here I had a drink of water
And uh, I don't know what the hell it run off
I think it must have run off Luther's boots or something
Is that water?
You promise that's water, huh
Is that water bob?
That's water
Serve everything in tin cups?
He caught it, didn't he?
I have an announcement here
Sandoval, Sandoval, S-A-N-D-O-V-A-L. Sandoval
Eighty eight four one nine is wanted in reception
The Long Black Veil by Johnny Cash tells the story of a man who is falsely accused of murder. He is unable to provide an alibi and is sentenced to death, while the true murderer remains free. The only person who knows the truth is a woman who walks the hills wearing a long black veil. She visits the singer's grave, crying over his bones at night. The song depicts a sense of sorrow and secrecy, the weight of keeping a painful secret while mourning the loss of a loved one.
The song is considered a classic in Johnny Cash's repertoire, with its mixture of country, folk, and storytelling. Its origins are debatable, with different accounts pointing towards several sources. Some say that the story was based on a murder that happened in Babcock, West Virginia, in the 1930s. Others suggest that the inspiration came from an Irish folk song about a man who is executed for a crime he didn't commit.
Regardless of its origins, The Long Black Veil has been covered by numerous artists, including The Band, Joan Baez, and Bruce Springsteen. The song's haunting melody and evocative lyrics have resonated with listeners for decades, earning it a place in the pantheon of classic country songs.
Line by Line Meaning
Ten years ago, on a cold dark night
The singer describes a cold dark night ten years ago where someone was killed under the town hall light.
Someone was killed, 'neath the town hall light
The singer remembers someone being killed under the town hall light ten years ago.
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
Even though there were few witnesses at the scene of the murder, they all agreed that the person who ran away looked like the singer.
That the slayer who ran, looked a lot like me
The artist notes that the murderer who ran away was often thought to be him for the way he looked.
She walks these hills in a long black veil
The artist talks about a woman who walks around the hills wearing a long black veil.
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
The woman in the long black veil visits the singer's grave when the winds cry out at night.
Nobody knows, nobody sees
No one else knows about the woman in the black veil's actions except the singer.
Nobody knows but me
The artist knows about the woman in the long black veil.
The judge said son, what is your alibi
The judge in the artist's trial asked him for an alibi to defend himself.
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die
The judge says that if the artist wasn't there, he won't have to be executed for the murder.
I spoke not a word, thou it meant my life
The singer didn't say anything in his defense even if it would have saved his life.
I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
The artist reveals that he was with his best friend's wife when the murder happened.
Now the scaffold is high and eternity's near
As the singer is to be executed by hanging, he describes the scaffold being set up high.
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
The woman in the black veil watched from the crowd without shedding a tear as the singer faced his execution.
But sometimes at night, when the north wind moans
The singer thinks of the woman in the black veil, who he suspects loved him.
In a long black veil, she cries ov're my bones
The woman in black veil cries over the artist's bones during lonely and tormented nights.
Can I have a glass of water?
Johnny Cash asks for a glass of water while conversing with the audience during a live recording session.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Danny Dill, Marijohn Wilkin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@caioleonardo8677
Ten years ago, on a cold dark night
Someone was killed, 'neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
That the slayer who ran, looked a lot like me
The judge said son, what is your alibi
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die
I spoke not a word, thou it meant my life
For I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me
Oh, the scaffold is high and eternity's near
She stood in the crowd and shed not a tear
But late at night, when the north wind blows
In a long black veil, she cries ov're my bones
She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me
@elizabethmerriman531
Listen to Johnny Cash singing, "Were you There".... with the Carter family harmonizing in the background. It will take your breath away.
@thebaconblaster2511
Thank you Johnny Cash for posting from heaven
@elviramarronhervas1159
Es divina la voz de Johnny Cash. Me encanta🥰🥰🥰🥰😘😘😘😘😘
@leahharris5
❤. Rest In Peace 🕊️🕊️ Johnny Cash ❤
@michaeld.4289
Best man ever........... i love his bass-barrington voice
@leahharris5
❤. I Love. Johnny Cash ❤
@mufasanatangwe8394
It's so funny, that on the live version someone cheered when he said he was in the arms of his best friend's wife
@el_chief_dannyboy
It was probably at Folsom prison or San Quentin
@idontknowmuch3441
@@el_chief_dannyboy Folsom
@idontknowmuch3441
@@el_chief_dannyboy those are the only prisons he did concerts so good guess