Whats so great about Johnny Cash?

[Super Cubs 132]

I've listened to counrty music my whole life starting in the early '70 and its my music of choice. But I've never under stood the greatness that is Johnny Cash. IMO he's ok. None of his music really does anything for me or even makes me want to sing along. So my question for all you music masterminds is whats so great about Johnny Cash?

[edjr 5,611]

he's dead

[TAS 2]

Country that is country today is so different then what it was in the Buck Owens, Chet Atkins days. I tend to think that Cash was not unlike Elvis in terms of his style and delivery. Kind of a break from the norm. Only recently have I gained any kind of appreciation for Johnny Cash. But for the most part I agree that his stuff over all either isnt that listener freindly or I just don't care for it that much.

[bostonlager 2,479]

He's no George Jones, but he's still pretty damn good.

[TAS 2]

He's no George Strait, but he's still pretty damn good.

[kutulu 1,555]

To this date, Johnny Cash is the only person ever sued by the government for starting a forest fire.

 

In a career that spanned almost five decades, Cash was the personification of country music to many people around the world, despite his distaste for the Nashville mainstream. Cash was a musician who was not tied to a single genre. He recorded songs that could be considered rock and roll, blues, rockabilly, folk and gospel, and exerted an influence on each of those genres. Moreover, he had the unique distinction among country artists of having "crossed over" late in his career to become popular with an unexpected demographic, young indie and alternative rock fans. His diversity was evidenced by his presence in three major music halls of fame: the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (1977), the Country Music Hall of Fame (1980), and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1992). Only ten performers are in both of the last two, and only Hank Williams Sr. and Jimmie Rodgers share the honor with Cash of being in all three.

[MDC 5,931]

He like, kills people and sh1t.

[davebg 0]

I pretty much hate country music, but I really like Johnny Cash.

 

I think his appeal to people who normally shun country music is likely the #1 thing that makes him so greta.

[kutulu 1,555]

I pretty much hate country music, but I really like Johnny Cash.

 

I think his appeal to people who normally shun country music is likely the #1 thing that makes him so greta.

 

Does your wife let you listen to him in her car?

[naomi 347]

His voice and style.

 

"Cash was known for his deep and distinctive voice, the boom-chick-a-boom or "freight train" sound of his Tennessee Three backing band, and his dark clothing and demeanor, which earned him the nickname "The Man in Black." He started all his concerts with the simple introduction "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash."

 

Much of Cash's music, especially that of his later career, echoed themes of sorrow, moral tribulation and redemption. His signature songs include "I Walk the Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", "Ring of Fire", and "Man in Black". He also recorded several humorous songs, such as "One Piece at a Time", "The One on the Right Is on the Left", and "A Boy Named Sue"; rock-and-roll numbers such as "Get Rhythm"; and various train-related songs, such as "The Rock Island Line"."

 

I don't know music in depth enough to talk about lesser known singers in that genre with distictive voices and lyrics...and why they never recieved the popular praise Cash did, but personally it sounds good enough and different enough that I understand the attention.

[Yer mom 2]

He like, kills people and sh1t.

 

 

I think he was average at best, movie was fockin greattastic though

[Rusty Syringes 478]

Johnny Cash was a badass. The only things he requested in his room back stage was a towel and a glass of water, or something like than.

 

His picking style was distinctive, and he was a very dark figure in American music. I started listening to him back in the 60s. My dad had some of his albums, as well as a few things on eight-track, and I just sucked it all in.

 

His story songs were fantastic, and he managed to stay fresh right up until he died. It's too bad he didn't die on stage.

 

You want to get some chills, just listen to his version of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" or "When The Man Comes Around."

 

If it doesn't make all the hair on your arms stand up, you're either gay, a Communist or both.

[Birdseed 1]

His story songs were fantastic,

 

One of my favorites:

 

Cocaine Blues

 

Early one mornin' while makin' the rounds

I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down

I went right home and I went to bed I stuck that lovin' 44 beneath my head

Got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun took a shot of cocaine and away I run

Made a good run but I run too slow they overtook me down in Juarez Mexico

Late in the hot joints takin' the pills in walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill

He said Willy Lee your name is not Jack Brown

You're the dirty heck that shot your woman down

Said yes oh yes my name is Willy Lee if you've got the warrant just aread it to me

Shot her down because she made me sore

I thought I was her daddy but she had five more

When I was arrested I was dressed in black

They put me on a train and they took me back

Had no friend for to go my bail they slapped my dried up carcass in that country jail

Early next mornin' bout a half past nine I spied the sheriff coming down the line

Ah and he coughed as he cleared his throat

He said come on you dirty heck into that district court

Into the courtroom my trial began where I was handled by twelve honest men

Just before the jury started out I saw the little judge commence to look about

In about five minutes in walked the man holding the verdict in his right hand

The verdict read in the first degree I hollered Lowdy Lowdy have a mercy on me

The judge he smiled as he picked up his ben 99 years in the Folsom pen

99 years underneath that ground I can't forget the day I shot that bad ###### down

Come on you've gotta listen unto me lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be

She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie; cocaine.

 

[Rusty Syringes 478]

Rusty Cage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47Co3YRSX7g

 

Delia's Gone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXYUcbxDmck&NR

 

When The Man Comes Around

[Rusty Syringes 478]

Boy Named Sue

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W1w1FnQuvs

 

Hurt

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwcxf55fzHE&NR

[torridjoe 0]

to quote Reese W. in the movie, "sharp like a razor, steady like a train." That's an excellent description of the sound, but it was more than that. Cash spoke from the soul, and infused his songs with an affinity for the real country life as he saw it. It was simple, direct, and about real things and feelings. He was a champion of those who did not live the glamour of Nashville--listen to "The Man in Black" to hear where he was coming from.

 

Some of the best work he did in his life came after Rick Rubin got a hold of him in his old age.

[Greedo 13]

you beat me to it torrid - listen to "Man in Black" or "Hurt" - 2 incredible songs. I hate country, and though people call it country, his music almost shouldn't be confined to a genre.

[Big Blue 06 195]

One of my favorites:

 

Cocaine Blues

 

Probably my favorite Johnny Cash song. He has a great voice, and a unique singing style that, IMO, still has not been duplicated. Even late into his life, he was recording great music, as evidenced by his remake of NIN's "Hurt".

[vuduchile 1,941]

you beat me to it torrid - listen to "Man in Black" or "Hurt" - 2 incredible songs. I hate country, and though people call it country, his music almost shouldn't be confined to a genre.

 

Agreed. His musical legacy shouldn't be confined to the country genre.

 

His style and delivery were certainly unique. That, and his make-believe badass persona account for much of his popularity.

 

Either way, he was still just pretty average IMO.

[mo lester 0]

He was also the first American to find out that Stalin had died. He was a code breaker in the Army, and was the first to break the code from the russians.

 

Served in Germany for a few years.

[ArnieBragg 1]

Got American IV and V for Xmas

[naomi 347]

He was also the first American to find out that Stalin had died. He was a code breaker in the Army, and was the first to break the code from the russians.

 

Served in Germany for a few years.

 

never knew that, interesting.

[hoffdaddy 1]

Agreed. His musical legacy shouldn't be confined to the country genre.

 

His style and delivery were certainly unique. That, and his make-believe badass persona account for much of his popularity.

 

Either way, he was still just pretty average IMO.

 

Average compared to what? Cash shouldn't be viewed or compared to country musicians. Someone in this thread mentioned George Jones. I love George Jones, but he's not even close to Cash as a musician.

 

Others have nailed this already, but the one thing you really get from Cash is his soul. If you've seen the movie, the scene where Sam Phillips tells him that no one will believe him when he sang a typical gospel song, and to sing somethign he feels. Cash then sang Folsum Prison Blues.

 

And it's easy to forget just how new and different he was, mostly because he outlived most of his peers. For instance, he headlined tours with Eliv, Jerry Lee, and Carl Perkins. That should tell you something about Cash right there.

[Concrete Charlie 0]

I know little about him and his music but i've recently listened to the CD of his performance at Folsom(?) prison, i liked that a lot.

[parshall2marshall 0]

Johnny Cash was a badass. The only things he requested in his room back stage was a towel and a glass of water, or something like than.

 

Sheesh, that's the opposite of most of today's riders. Today's artists could learn a lesson.

 

 

And whoever said that his music shouldn't be confined to a single genre was absolutely right. He was so much more than country.

 

"But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die."

 

Ya gotta love a lyric like that.

[Quickolas1 80]

damn, you people are old

[lambert58 56]

Another thing that distingueshed Johnny Cash from others is that he wrote many of his songs. The Man in Black, Big River, I Walk the Line, Folsem Prison, etc... I rank him at the top followed by Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. George Jones has a great voice but I rank him far below those three.

[cmh6476 766]

well i woke up sunday mornin, with no way to hang my head, that didn't hurt...

[Mile High Drunk 13]

he's dead

good observation

[yojimbo81 0]

Johnny Cash has produced some great music. Listen to At Folsom Prison and At San Quentin. Great stuff if you ask me. Someone eluded in a previous post that he's like the Elvis of country music. I believe that to be true. Cash is a listed influence of many. Mike Ness of Social Distortion fame was a fan.

 

But his death and biopic have brought Johnny Cash to the teenage masses along with Cash covering a NIN song. To me that is sad because many of these kids only know "Hurt" and "Folsom Prinson Blues". Hell even the alternative station in Chicago (Q101) plays these songs. I always have the urge to call and ask why those are the only Cash songs they will play. He has music that is better than both songs.

 

It's also amazing to see that Hot Topic began to sell Cash t-shirts either after he died or after Walk the Line came out. Now kids can buy a Cash shirt when they go and buy their CBGB's shirt. I hate Hot Topic with a passion.

[vuduchile 1,941]

Average compared to what? Cash shouldn't be viewed or compared to country musicians. Someone in this thread mentioned George Jones. I love George Jones, but he's not even close to Cash as a musician.

 

Others have nailed this already, but the one thing you really get from Cash is his soul. If you've seen the movie, the scene where Sam Phillips tells him that no one will believe him when he sang a typical gospel song, and to sing somethign he feels. Cash then sang Folsum Prison Blues.

 

And it's easy to forget just how new and different he was, mostly because he outlived most of his peers. For instance, he headlined tours with Eliv, Jerry Lee, and Carl Perkins. That should tell you something about Cash right there.

 

I like some of his stuff, but his music doesn't really move me.

 

He was a pretty good song writer, he developed a unigue style and image, but his vocal range was non-existent. Many of his songs were just sorta boring.

 

Conclusion: Average

[Rusty Syringes 478]

damn, you people are old

 

 

Point me in the direction of something new that's worth a sh!t to listen to, and I'll listen to it.

 

Outside of a handful of bands doing some interesting things, there hasn't been a significant development in music since Grunge.

[JT 137]

 

Hurt

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwcxf55fzHE&NR

 

What a focking brilliant song. Not just Cash' performance (which is outstanding), but the song itself.