Johnny Cash, that is all
350139
Typical Johnny Cash... Amazing! With the price of the Amazon mp3, made this record a great find.  Buy it now!
2809271
This CD is excellent. Fans of either or both legendary performers will find this CD to be very enjoyable.

Every Johnny Cash song has a story behind it.  We can thank the Irish song "Clancy Lowered the Boom" for Cash's song "Don't Take Your Guns to Town".  Also, the story Cash tells for Folsom Prison Blues is right in line with how the movie "Walk the Line" tells the story. Willie makes it possible for Cash to perform Folsom Prison Blues at this show because he performs the two 25 second guitar arrangements the in the song. Johnny's incredible baritone voice is as rich and full as ever and you will love it here.

We all know Willie Nelson's songs, the unique sound of his guitar and his voice. This CD also tells you how funny he is.  He has a sarcastic humor that will make you laugh.  He is witty and just flat out humorous on this CD.  Like so many other products of his work, this CD shows why he is the real legend that he is.  It shows we can enjoy him with or without a band because he has such a broad ability with his guitar.  Willie is just a joy to listen to no matter what is going on around him.

This CD brings together the music, talent, history and spirit of the two men because there is no band to go along with their talent and ability.  It's just the two legends with guitars, singing to a small audience.  Because of that, this CD helps you appreciate them as well as enjoy them.
2301300
I bought this album about three months ago...listen to it....let it grow on me...and sometimes cried when I heard it. The day Johnny died, I felt like I'd lost part of my childhood. I grew up with my mom and dad playing him in our house, and Johnny is part of the soundtrack of my formative years. I'd grown up hearing his standards like "Ring of Fire", "I Walk The Line", and "Daddy Sang Bass". Years later, relearning how to play guitar, I relearned to play by practising "Daddy Sang Bass" and "Folsom Prison Blues".
I am glad that he left behind such an album like this...for me a single adjective or superlative cannot describe it. When I first heard "Hurt", I was speechless...Trent Reznor's song never sounded so beautiful, now in Johnny's hands. The other songs on the album also stand as testimonies to what Cash can do to an already good song - the gems that stand out on this album are "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "Personal Jesus", and "Danny Boy".
But certainly don't forget Cash's own compositions - the outstanding one on this album was "The Man Comes Around". Lyrically amazing, unique delivery, and nice technical additions (namely his reading of part of Revelation sounding like you're hearing it on an old 45).
Cash may have his shortcomings, but you can't deny that the man is a legend and probably one of the greatest musicians ever. Johnny, may you rest in peace - you've "joined the family circle at the throne." You will never be forgotten.
3429171
Classic Cash. His music defines his life and adds perspective. Doesn't get any better.
1129651
You will laugh and you will cry listening to this album, Cash had a way to connect with your soul. Not a bad song on the whole album.
2109025
Johnny Cash was at the height  of his career when he recorded this album in 1969. It is absolutely his best
recording ever.
4420767
I've been buying nearly everything Amazon has been offering of recent Johnny Cash music release's.

1st, I find the music he made during his final years was better than anything from his early days (IMHO).
2nd, the price Amazon has offered it for has been irresistible.
4084337
I love this song, stop for gas and bought it at a truck stop in 1970. At the time I did not even know who Steve Miller Band was. it was the Steve Miller Band  are Johnny Cash at a truck stop.
3251237
Good ole Johnny for Valentine's Day! Looking for something other than the sappy love songs often heard around this time of the year, I bought this for my husband (an avid Cash fan). It arrived quickly (and when he was at work!), so I'm very pleased.
4759079
This book was written when Johnny Cash reached his 65th birthday.  It was a miracle he was still alive as he had abused his body with drugs and had a very hard life.  He gives a geneology of the Cash family.  His great-grandfather, Reuben, fought for the Confederacy in the American Civil War, and lost his Georgia plantation; subsequently he moved his family to Arkansas.  His grandfathers's life was a lot like my paternal grandfather.  His father's was something like my dad's railroad life.

The Man in Black was asked if he was "going to a funeral" when because he started to wear black outfits when he performed, going back to 1954, was called a troubadour, an English balladeer, like Merle Haggard.  His theme song was 'I Walk The Line,' and he sang many styles in many genres.  In the '70s, his career had reached international proportions.

The first J.C. recording I remember liking was 'A Boy Called Sue' and I did love the song 'Shifting, Whispering Sands,' which he also recorded.  In 1976, he had a #1 'One Piece At A Time' -- I am wondering if that is the one about putting together a car out of junk parts.  His first single recording (not an album) was in 1955.  I was told in 2002 that he had made a good recording of 'The Long Black Veil,' one of my favorite ballads.  I found it on a Cash CD, taped that song several times and gave the CD to the person who alerted me as to its existence.  There is a new movie coming out soon about his life in which he sings 'Ring of Fire.'

In 1982, he made an album produced by Rodney Crowell, one of my favorite non-stars.  I had a tape of some of his road songs, and I loved them all; then, foolishly, I sent it to someone I thought might enjoy it.  I wish I had been selfish and kept it.

He was a reader:  THE ROBE, QUO VADIS, THE SILVER CHALICE, and PILLAR OF IRON influenced him to go to Israel in November, 1971, to make a movie.  It was a semi-documentary and it was magical to film on Mount Arabel, overlooking Galilee and in the Church of Beatitudes.

He tells of a near-death experience after his bypass surgery in 1988, the "essence" of light as he drifted off but the doctors in Nashville worked diligently to save him.  He says he was restored to his "senses."  "I never forgot that light, and it changed me."  Life meant more to him, became very moving just to look at mundane, everyday things.

He felt he'd come "full circle" at a festival in England, back to the "bare bones." pre-stardom, pre-Memphis (SUN records) days.  He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Florence, Alabama, and the Songwriters' Hall of Fame.  He always appeared to be the bad guy, but actually he was very religious despite his long bout with alcoholism.  We miss him and June Carter Cash.
2954756
This record does fit into any one genre.  It's equally country and traditional rock n' roll.  There's gospel music here. If I was forced to put this record into a category, I would simply call it J. R. Cash.  He never fully fit into any one style of music, so I would call it his own personal type.  Of the five ( I think) records that Cash released with the production of Rick Rubin, I would call this one the best.  It's just all over the map, and I can't really call anything on here a "filler" track. It's rare when an album made of mostly covers is this good.  However, this record is an exception to the rule.  With Tom Petty's HEARTBREAKERS as his backing band, Cash makes each song on this album his own.  My personal favorite is Rusty Cage, originally a Soundgarden tune.  Now, they are a great band, and they wrote a great song here.  I have to wonder, though, how often is a cover version better than the original?  Cash OWNS this song, creates his own interpretation. and it is absolutely perfect.  Other tracks like "I've been Everywhere" are nearly equal, and Cash even covers himself with "Mean Eyed Cat".  This was a far superior rendition when compared to the original that had released in the 1950's.  Cash's entire catalog is made up of country, rockabilly, 50's rock n'roll, gospel, and just simple songs made up of Mr. Cash and his acoustic guitar.  I would rate this album up with his San Quentin and Folsom Prison records of the late 1960's.  By the mid to late 1980's, Cash's career seemed to be over, but Rick Rubin sold him on a new approach.  Cash didn't sell out, as he kept his own musical stylings as the core of the Rubin produced records, but he did make some changes to his work, and the two of them became one of the greatest musical pairings in the last hundred years.  Get this album, preferably on vinyl, and listen with some quality headphones.  You will not be disappointed.
3820115
Large size hardcover-160 pages.  ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS EDITION IS A CD (about 38 minutes long from Sony Music) containing 12 tracks-8 previously unreleased.  There's a number of "documents" from Cash's life (handmade Valentine's Day card, high school diploma letters, a sketchbook, of Cash's artwork, lyric sheet, family recipes, etc.), which add depth and interest.  The songs-"Billy Brown" (especially fine), "Ridin' On The Cottonbelt" (a great story about Cash's father), "While I've Got It On My Mind", and others-are well worth hearing (and owning), for they're good examples of Cash's voice and style of music and story telling.  On  a number of tunes Cash speaks and sets the scene by explaining how the songs came to be.  The songs feature just Cash and his guitar, and there's a warmth that comes through, as if he's sitting at home and playing for a friend.  This is no thrown together/money making book.  The attention to detail is on every page-from the embossed cover graphic, to the photo and graphic reproductions throughout the book, to the writing style-this is a high quality book.

This book, written by Johnny Cash's son, John Carter Cash (J.C.C.), is a personal look at Johnny Cash's life and what inspired him to live the life he chose.  Using many unpublished photographs and the above mentioned  ephemera, J.C.C. paints a portrait of a man who was both a well known recording artist, and a father/family man.  Filled with first person  writing, the style brings out a different side of Cash-a man concerned with family, life values, and the creative spirit.

Chapters like "Beginnings and Foundations", "Faith & Philosophy", "Married In A Fever", "From Heart To Pen", and others, construct a good picture of Cash as both a family man and an artist.  Throughout the book it's apparent that J.C.C. holds his father in high esteem, and he writes warmly about his father from a unique viewpoint.  The book is also a look at how Cash's music sprang from the way he lived, and how he used his life experiences to write and perform his deeply moving songs of faith and turmoil.

This isn't an autobiography of Cash.  It's a son writing about his family and his father-who also happens to be a songwriter/singer of some of the best country and gospel music of the Twentieth Century.  But it's the many photos, both color and b&w, that really gives insight into Cash and his life.  This book is not so much about Cash the artist, but really about Cash the man and father.  The photos of Cash with his family, both posed and informal (fishing for example) gives this book an edge over the usual books written about Cash.  The perspective that J.C.C. brings to this reflective look at his father is heartwarming, yet both interesting and informative.

If you're a fan of Johnny Cash you'll like this book.  Because it's written from a unique perspective, and has many photographs that are in tandem to the writing, this book deserves to sit alongside other good books about Johnny Cash.
123709
This is a bit of nostalgia for those who grew up in the Jesus movement back in the late 60's early 70's. This is the sound track of the original movie produced by Johnny and June Carter Cash. Many of the songs stuck with me and would often come to mind over the years. I was glad to find a copy as it has never been reproduced.

The movie was subsequently given to the Billy Graham Association which allowed for a larger audience. However, BGA cut out one or two of the scenes and the songs. I always felt they did a disservice to movie.

The music is simple Johnny Cash with rhythm and words that tell a story that originates from the heart. Two or three of the songs are playing in head as I write the review.

If you like Johnny Cash, you will like this.
1146041
It's been a long time since I picked up a Johnny Cash album.  I remember listening to him a lot back in the 1960s, but since then he's kinda faded from my radar.
Then I heard "Hurt".
This single song would make any album worth the price of admission.  Here Cash, well into his 60s, takes a Trent Reznor song and says, "Come here, boy.  Let me show you how it's done."  What had previously been a self-indulgent tune by a twentysomething bemoaning the "unfairness" of life becomes a song of desperate pain by someone who has been there, done that, ate the burger and worn the t-shirt.  In fact this song is so powerfully interpreted it is difficult to listen to more than a couple of times.  Cash is a man who has faced many demons and every single one of them makes a brief appearance in his vocals.
The rest of the album is hit and miss.  "The Man Comes Around" is definitely heartfelt, if not 100% successful.  "Give My Love to Rose" is a true old-school C/W tune, something that is embarrassing the the current crop of Country stars, but truer to the roots of the music.  "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is not bad, but feels a bit overproduced.  "Hung My Head" is another great tune, a cover of a Sting tune, and again I feel it is better than the original.  There is a sadness and power to Cash's vocals that is missing in the original.  "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", while touching, just points out how weak Johnny's voice has grown of the years; you can hear every waver, dropped note, and touch-off-key moment, which detracts from the delivery.  "Personal Jesus", yes the Depeche Mode song, is quite good; my favourite version is still D-M's accoustic version, but this is good and takes an interesting tilt, given Johnny Cash's religious beliefs.  Quite a solid cut.  "In My Life" is, sadly, much like "Saw Your Face" -- Cash's voice is weak and quavering, although there is a lot of soul to it.  "Sam Hall" allows Johnny to have some fun on an old standard.  Well done and easy to join in on!  "Danny Boy".  Woo boy... This old turkey will never go away and this is far from a stellar rendition.  "Desperado" is a touch weak in the vocals, but again there is a feeling to it that can only be acquired by the passing of years; yeah, the original was slicker, but this is far more heart-felt and powerful, despite the quavers.  "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Tear STained Letter", and "Streets of Laredo" feel like a bit of a time-warp -- back to 1950s and 1960s C/W music, unapologetic, nothing electric, full of sentiment and yodels.  Not too bad if you like the style.
The album ends with "We'll Meet Again".  Now I /know/ this is an old big band standard, but I always bring up images of the closing moments of "Dr. Strangelove" when I hear it, with all those mushroom clouds billowing about.  I'm not sure what Cash meant to do with this song, but it has a weirdly chilling effect when I listen to it.
So there you go -- several covers, some nods to Old School Country-Western, and one original tune.  Somehow it feels like a compilation of Johnny Cash's life in one album, if not necessarily his own works.  You could do far worse than to listen to it!
1006997
The basic comments here have been used, used many times, to review other Van Morrison albums from various points in his long and honorable career.

Apparently just now, although this time rather accidentally, I am on something of an outlaw country moment tear, again. I have mentioned on previously occasions when I have discussed county music, or rather more correctly outlaw country music, that I had a very short, but worthwhile period when I was immersed in this genre in the late 1970s. After tiring somewhat of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and other more well know country outlaws I gravitated toward the music, eerily beautiful and haunting music, of Townes Van Zandt whose Steve Earle tribute album Townes I have recently reviewed in this space. As I noted there, as well, while this outlaw country thing was short-lived and I scrambled back to my first loves, blues, rock and folk music I always had time to listen to Townes and his funny mix of blues, folk rock, rock folk, and just downright outlaw country.

And that brings us to the album under review,  The Best Of Van Morrison, Volume Two l, and another "outlaw" country music man, the Belfast cowboy Van Morrison. Wait a minute, Van Morrison? Belfast cowboy? Okay, let me take a few steps back. I first heard Van Morrison in his 1960s rock period when I flipped out over his Into The Mystic on his Moondance album. And when I later saw him doing some blues stuff highlighted by his appearance in Martin Scorsese PBS History of Blues series several years ago I also flipped out, and said yes, brother blues. But somewhere along the way he turned again on us and has "reinvented" himself as the "son", the legitimate son, of Hank Williams. But Van Morrison is no one-trick pony as his long and hard-bitten career proves.

If you do not believe me then just listen to him ante up on his cover of Bob Dylan's It's All Over now Baby Blue, a classic folk bluesy number; the thoughtful Sense Of Wonder; the pathos of Real Real Goner; the song I'll Tell Ma; and, something out of time,Hymns To The Silence . The Belfast cowboy, indeed, although I always thought cowboys wore their emotions down deep, not on their blues high white note sleeves.
3861524
This five cd set includes everything that Johnny Cash recorded for Sun Records. All of his fifties hits are here "Hey Porter", "I Walk The Line", "Folsom Prison Blues", few Hank Williams' songs "Hey, Good Lookin'", "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With", "Cold, Cold Heart", "I Could Never Be Ashamed of You" and some alternate takes are featured here. Must for Johnny's fans!
3255498
It's true what many have said about this album, that Cash takes the songs and makes them his own.  They don't feel like covers at all, even though the songs are familiar, especially for young people and baby boomers, with songs like "Hurt," "Personal Jesus," and "Bridge Over Troubled Water."  I would definitely share this album with those who appreciate Johnny Cash--young and old alike.  The songs are haunting and introspective.  They seem to convey an underlying awareness of human mortality and vulnerability, yet their power and clarity is derived from this sense. This feeling is what remains with the listener long after the listening.