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.
You Beat All I Ever Saw
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Saw fortunes lost and found
And when your trail failed i walked holes
In both my soles
But i don't expect you back
You're somewhere making tracks
I crossed the burning bridges
And walked through miles of sand
But you beat all i ever saw
I dreamed a million miles
About your eyes and smiles
I tried to love the best
And to turn from all the rest
But i'd scan the skies for you
And i only saw your hue
They drew away your mould
You were made of frozen gold
And your heart would never thaw
You beat all i ever saw
In Johnny Cash's song "You Beat All I Ever Saw", it seems as if the singer is a wanderer who has gone through various towns and seen everything that life has to offer. He has encountered all sorts of characters from the lawless to the law-abiding citizens, but none of them seem as intriguing as the person whom he addresses in the song. The singer has dreams of this person and has tried to love the best that he could, but he always ended up searching the skies for the person he is addressing in the song. Perhaps this person was someone that he lost, or someone that he never had the chance to be with.
The singer has gone through a lot in the pursuit of finding the person he is addressing in the song. He has traveled through burning bridges and miles of sand and even walked holes in both of his shoes. The person he is addressing in the song seems to be someone that is not easily forgettable, as they were carved from frozen gold and their heart will never thaw. It is open to interpretation whether the singer is talking about a romantic relationship that ended badly or a lost friend or family member, but the emotion in the lyrics suggests that it was a significant loss in the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
I've walked though every town
I've wandered around countless cities and places.
Saw fortunes lost and found
I witnessed people experiencing both success and failure.
And when your trail failed i walked holes
But when I lost your trail, I kept searching relentlessly until I wore holes in my shoes.
In both my soles
Referring to the literal soles of the shoes but also serves as a play on words to include the emotional pain he feels from searching for this person without success.
But i don't expect you back
Despite my search, I have come to accept that you may never return.
You're somewhere making tracks
You're out there forging your own path.
I crossed the burning bridges
I have endured great challenges and obstacles in my search for you.
And walked through miles of sand
I've journeyed through many unfavorable terrains and harsh environments.
Met the lawless and the law
I've encountered people who are both outside and within the boundaries of the law.
But you beat all i ever saw
But despite everything I've witnessed and experienced, you still manage to be the most unique and extraordinary person I've known.
I dreamed a million miles
I have thought about you constantly, no matter how distant we are from each other.
About your eyes and smiles
I dwell on the memory of your physical and emotional presence.
I tried to love the best
I attempted to find love and fulfillment in other people, but I still longed for you.
And to turn from all the rest
I tried to move on from you and look elsewhere.
But i'd scan the skies for you
But whenever I looked up, my eyes would reflexively search for you.
And i only saw your hue
And though I saw many colors and many possibilities, only your essence, your unique hue, remained in my mind.
They drew away your mould
Other people have tried to replicate your qualities or compare themselves to you, but they fell short.
You were made of frozen gold
You have an extraordinary and priceless nature that no one can recreate or diminish.
And your heart would never thaw
Your heart is guarded and unyielding.
You beat all i ever saw
Despite everything, you are still the most one-of-a-kind and exceptional person I have ever known.
Contributed by Adeline 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