Johnny Cash: Hello, I'm Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash: Hello, I'm Johnny Cash

1970

Columbia Records

Format I Own it on: Vinyl

Track Listing: 1. Southwind  2. Devil to Pay  3. Cause I Love You  4. See Ruby Fall  5. Route No. 1, Box 144  6. Sing a Traveling Song  7. If I Were a Carpenter  8. To Beat the Devil  9. Blistered  10. Wrinkled Crinkled Wadded Dollar Bill  11. I've Got a Thing About Trains  12. Jesus Was a Carpenter


Man, Johnny Cash put out a lot of albums...96 albums is the official count...I only have a few of them, so I'm probably missing a lot of context and I probably shouldn't be discussing Johnny Cash in a public forum with such limited knowledge, but I will anyway...Blah, blah, blabbity blah blah blah...

Man, were the other 95 albums this good or did I just blindly choose one of his best album? Outside of a greatest hits or live record, I can't picture a better introduction to his music... This is deeply American music sung in a deeply American voice...Songs about trains, fallen soldiers, porch-swings, and Lake Michigan winters...

It's a country/folk/rock hybrid that honestly transcends all genres and musical tastes...Go ask that punk guy with the big mohawk and the Celine Dion jacket what he thinks about country music...

 ...I bet he says, "I hate all country music...Except Johnny Cash..."

Let's ask Darkelorde Quorthor to take a few moments out of his early morning nature hike to ask him about his favorite bands...

 "I listen to Blasphemous Existence, Mortuous, Malevolent Fleshwound (only their early brutal stuff, though)  and oh...Johnny Cash..."

And why shouldn't they like Johnny Cash? There's some great music here..."See Ruby Fall" makes me want to order a Sarsaparilla down at the Saloon...

Love that rollicking barroom piano..Make it a double, bartender...Yeee-hawwww!!  He also nails a cover of Kris Kristofferson's "To Beat the Devil." He totally convinces you that although he may not have beaten the devil he drank his beer...and stole his song....Awesome!

(Although the devil doesn't look old enough to drink, if you ask me...)

BTW, "I've Got a Thing About Trains" is the best song title I've heard in awhile...In my mind there's a bit of an apologetic tinge to it...

"

 "I'm sorry I freaked out back there, but...I've got a thing about trains..."

Toss in not one, but two songs about carpenters and you've got a winner...So let's check out  "Blistered" by Johnny Cash...