This one was very nearly impossible. How do you pick only six songs by Johnny Cash?
I was lucky enough to see Johnny perform live once. I want to say it was the summer of 1977, when a buddy and I drove to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to see Johnny perform in the University of Northern Iowa’s sports dome – the “UNI-Dome.” I remember June being on the stage with him for part of the show, although the details are lost in the mists of time – and a Johnny Cash concert, unlike, say, a Grateful Dead show, wasn’t one where one’s perceptions were altered by alcohol or other, less legal substances.
I remember it was a great show, and that’s about all I remember.
So, how to pick six Johnny Cash tunes to start all y’all’s weekend with? Well, it wasn’t easy. In the end, I picked four songs Johnny was best known for – and two others that were different, for one reason or another. So, without further ado…
Ring of Fire (1963): Originally written by June Carter and Merle Kilgore, Ring of Fire was first recorded by Anita Carter in 1962. But Johnny took it the following year and made it his own, and yes, the June Carter credited (in part) with writing this song is the same one Johnny was married to.
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One Piece at a Time (1976): This is a fun song, originally recorded by Johnny and the Tennessee Three. I remember it being a big country hit when I was in high school, and indeed, this fun romp of a guy working in the Cadillac plant assembling himself a car out of parts did hit number one on the Billboard Hot Country singles chart. It’s a tribute to a working-class guy who just wanted to be able to afford one of the fancy cars he helped build every day.
I Walk the Line (Live, 1976): This live performance is from 1976, and I went with this because I really like this cut; but this, one of Johnny’s most famous songs, was originally recorded in 1956. Johnny wrote this song himself, and it sold over two million copies. It’s a great song, and everyone who hears it thinks “Johnny Cash.”A Boy Named Sue (1969): This one, it should come as little surprise, was written by comedian/songwriter/poet Shel Silverstein, and combined with Johnny’s enthusiasm and light-hearted delivery, the story of a boy who grew up tough and determined because of his father’s unfortunate – or deliberate – choice of names is a Cash classic.One Too Many Mornings (With Bob Dylan, 1967): This is Dylan’s song, one of his greats from his acoustic, folk-music days. I’ve always loved this performance; Johnny Cash’s smooth baritone set against Dylan’s trademarked gravelly voice, performing one of the best works by America’s Songwriter, and they play off each other so well.Read More: Start Your Weekend Right With Five (Six) Great 'Merica Songs
Hurt (2002): This was Johnny’s swan song. Originally recorded by the rock band Nine Inch Nails, Johnny took it and made it his. The video shown here is a masterpiece, featuring the elderly Cash along with scenes of his life, not least of which included photos and video of Johnny with his beloved wife, June Carter. Trent Reznor, the Nine Inch Nails performer who wrote “Hurt,” reportedly heard Johnny’s cover and remarked, “That song isn’t mine anymore.”
Johnny Cash was a performer without peer. He remains, today, the only performer inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.He was, from all accounts I’ve read, also a good man. He struck up friendships not only in country music but in rock & roll, ranging from Bob Dylan to Frank Zappa. People liked Johnny; they liked working with him, and he leaves behind one of the most amazing legacies in show business. And his personal story, the force of his personality, spoke to generations of listeners.
That, in itself, is pretty good.
I’m sure you have some favorites of your own. As always, the comments are all yours.
