Johnny Cash: The World of Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash: The World of Johnny Cash

1970

Columbia Records

Format I Own it on: Vinyl

Track Listing: Record 1: 1. I Still Miss Someone  2. Pickin' Time  3. My Shoes keep Walking Back to You  4. I Want to Go Home  5. I Feel Better All Over  6. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry  7. Suppertime  8. In Them Old Cottonfields Back Home   9. Delia's Gone  10. One More Ride

Record 2: 1. Accidentally on Purpose  2. In the Jailhouse Now  3. I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know  4. Casey Jones  5. Frankie's Man Johnny  6. The Legend of John Henry's Hammer  7. When Papa Played the Dobro  8. Busted  9. Sing It Pretty, Sue  10. Waiting for a Train



Like most kids, I spent an absurd amount of my childhood parked in front of a television set, nerves fried with Coca-Cola, and a big ol' bowl of Cap'n Crunch in hand...

Sure, I probably should have been outside, playing with other kids, developing social skills or something, but I honestly wouldn't trade those marathon early 80's TV watching sessions for the world...And one of the most indelible television images was watching Johnny Cash yukking it up with Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street...

I don't know why that moment stuck with me so much...For decades afterwards I still called him "Johnny Trash."

The other television performance of his that always sticks out to me was his appearance on an episode of Columbo they used to always air on Sunday mornings...I usually complained the entire two hours Columbo was on, but on this particular Sunday, I sat riveted watching the Johnny Cash episode...Something about him was so compelling...It felt like an event...Who could forget this performance of "I Saw the Light" in that episode?

But in addition to his TV presence, I also can remember hearing him on country radio from time...He sounded so strange next to the slick dance-pop country that he was often situated next to...The modern country songs seemed like they had all their rough edges buffed out to an iridescent sheen...Homogenous voices, bumper-sticker lyrics...Then suddenly they would play a Johnny Cash song and it sounded so strange and skeletal...It sounded so real...

Look at the cover of this 2-record set...I can't tell if he's supposed to be a stone-faced pilgrim, a fire-and -brimstone preacher or an outlaw on the lam...My guess is all three...

"The World of Johnny Cash" is a two record "greatest hits" album from 1970, but it's cool because it features only minor hits and album cuts...As someone who pretty much only knew Johnny's big hits this was great for me...Turns out his second tier material is just as good as the top shelf stuff...Who knew that he did a version of "Sloop John B'" called "I Want to Go Home"...Hell, according to the song writing credits he wrote it!  

I also had never come across "The Legend of John Henry's Hammer." This song is the man! So ambitious! Eight and a half minutes with music that constantly shifts to match the lyrics...Prog Country?!?!

Well, it's about time for me to go before I turn into a pumpkin...But yea. there's

so many hidden treasures here...I bought this for  two bucks at Revolver Records in Tempe and was totally worth every penny! All 200 of 'em...

Let's check out "Pickin' TIme" by Johnny Cash. Enjoy...

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...

Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison

Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison

1968

Columbia Records

Format I Own it on: Vinyl

Track Listing: 1. Folsom Prison Blues  2. Dark as a Dungeon  3. I Still Miss Someone  4. Cocaine Blues  5. 25 Minutes to Go  6. Orange Blossom Special  7. The Long Black Veil  8. Send a Picture of Mother  9. The Wall  10. Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog  11. Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart  12. Jackson  13. Give My Love to Rose  14. I Got Stripes  15. Green, Green Grass of Home  16. Greystone Chapel





Multiple versions of this album have been released over the years...

 Deluxe CD editions with extended track listings, DVD's, books, etc...But I don't have any of those versions...I just have the old, dusty, 16-song original vinyl version...

So that's the version we'll be discussing today...

Whenever I hear the name Johnny Cash two things immediately jump into my head:

1. "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash..."
2. "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die..."

I'm sure you're the same way...I don't know why those two moments stand out above all others, but for me, they do... I think it's because taken together they kind of summarize the man's appeal...On one hand, his simple introduction seems so humble...This guy was a legend! Michael Buffer should have grandly announced his entrance while fireworks exploded around him and "Also Zach Zarathustra" blared in the background....



But no... Just grave silence, "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash," some applause, and he jumps right into that steady, train-track rhythm ...

On the other hand that "Folsom Prison Blues" lyric is so cold-blooded...Delivered in his tombstone baritone, it comes across as incredibly dangerous and bad-ass sounding...

Humble and Bad-Ass? Now that's an interesting combination!  And both of those moments happen within the first minute of this record, so for that reason alone,  I'm calling this the Johnny Cash record...

I've had a copy of this album just about as long as I can remember...I can recall looking at the title "Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison"  and thinking "Uh-oh, what'd he do?" Did he really kill someone? Did "Cocaine Blues" hold some sort of clue?

Nah, turns out he was just there to play a concert for the prisoners...Which was a brilliant concept that forever cemented his reputation as the salt-of-the Earth country outlaw. The righteous everyman who never turned his back on those wretched men that society had discarded and left to rot in a  cell...

No matter how jaded you get, that's a pretty powerful concept, and he had the songs to do it, too! I can't think of a better setlist for the occasion...Prison songs of all stripes...You get the hardcore criminal yarns ("Folsom Prison Blues," and "Cocaine Blues"),  execution songs, some serious ("Long Black Veil," "Green, Green Grass of Home") and some humorous ("25 Minutes to Go"), songs written by inmates ("Send a Picture of Mother" and Greystone Chapel")...The whole thing has a perfect ratio of comedy and drama, and the band achieves the ideal balance of loose-yet-tight playing... The rhythm section is precise which allows the guitars and vocals to dance around the  always-steady beat...It gives the music a lot of character...

To me the highlight (besides the legendary opening performance of "Folsom Prison Blues," because...duh...) is "Cocaine Blues," a rollicking murder ballad that makes a first-degree homicide charge sound like so much fun. 

 The duet with June Carter on "Jackson" is also first rate...They honestly sound like they're having a ball and you can't help be swept up by it all...

But really, the whole thing is phenomenal...This is easily one of the best live albums out there;  the right performer in front of the right audience with the right songs and Johnny sells it all with his monumental presence...Enormously entertaining...If for some reason you've missed this, I'd remedy that if I were you..

The "Live in Prison" concept was so successful he even did a sequel!



Johnny Cash at San Quentin...

 Too bad he never got around to "Intensity in Tent City!"

What do you serve your guests at your Friday Night Record Party while you listen to "At Folsom Prison"? Why, what else but...

...Bread...

...and water in a tin cup!

So let's carve a toothbrush into a shiv and check out "Cocaine Blues" by Johnny Cash...Enjoy...

The Cars: Move Like This

The Cars: Move Like This

2011

Hear Music/Concord Music Group

Format I Own it on: Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. Blue Tip  2. Too Late  3. Keep On Knocking  4. Soon  5. Sad Song  6. Free  7. Drag On Forever  8. Take Another Look  9. It's Only  10. Hits


There's been a surprising trend in music lately, where long-defunct bands who seemingly ended their careers with shitty albums reunite to put out a from-out-of-nowhere record that's super representative and cleans up the band's legacy...In this category we find...



Beach Boys: That's Why God Made the Radio...



Devo: Something For Everybody...



Black Sabbath: 13...



...and the Cars: Move Like This...

The only thing surprising about this album is how surprisingly Cars-like it is...As soon as "Blue Tip" starts the sound is instantly recognizable...They've updated their sound but not too much...It's a little thicker but the vintage keyboard lines are there, as well as the almost-clean classic rock guitar tones...

Similarly, "Too Late" and "Sad Song" sound like they could have been outtakes from the "Shake It Up" album, which appears to be their default mode now...The only stylistic break is the heavy metal-ish "Keep On Knocking" which sounds so much like Neil Young's "Keep On Rocking in the Free World" that they might as well have called it "Keep On Knocking in the Free World."  You can sing the words along to it perfectly...Huh, don't know how they could missed that one...

Unfortunately bassist and co-vocalist Benjamin Orr couldn't attend the reunion, being dead and all, and his presence is sorely missed (his smoother vocals were always a good counterpoint to Ric's more idiosyncratic style), but his absence doesn't sink the album (although you can't help but think of how much better the synth ballad "Soon" would have been with Ben singing it...This song was made for his vocal style...)



Sure, "Move Like This" doesn't top "Candy-O" or their 1978 debut, but it sure as hell beats "Door to Door." As a Cars enthusiast this was exactly what I was hoping their reunion album would sound like...If they never put out another album, at least we can say the Cars went out on a high note...

So let's check out "Blue Tip" by the Cars...Enjoy...

The Cars: Anthology: Just What I Needed

The Cars: Anthology: Just What I Needed

1995

Elektra Records

Format I Own it on: Compact Disc

Track Listing: Disc 1: 1. Just What I Needed  2. My Best Friend's Girl  3. Good Times Roll  4. You're All I've Got Tonight  5. Don't Cha Stop  6. Moving in Stereo  7. Take Me Now  8. Cool Fool  9. Let's Go  10. Candy-O  11.Dangerous Type  12. Double Life  13. Got a Lot on My Head  14. It's All I Can Do  15. Nightspots  16. Slipaway  17. That's it  18. Panorama  19. Gimme Some Slack  20. Don't Go to Pieces

Disc 2:  1. Touch and Go  2. Don't Tell Me No  3. Shake It Up  4. Since You're Gone  5. I'm Not the One  6. Cruiser  7. The Little Black Egg  8. Funtime  9. You Might Think  10. Drive  11. Magic  12. Hello Again  13.  Why Can't I Have You  14. Breakaway  15. Tonight She Comes  16. You Are the Girl  17. Strap Me in  18. Door to Door  19. Leave or Stay  20. Ta Ta Wayo Wayo


A big, fat double Cd in one of those thick ass old jewel cases...Before they learned how to make them slimmer...

This thing is actually pretty in-depth...Definitely missing a few key tracks that I would have put on here,  but this is probably all the Cars most people would need.  It gives an almost even overview of all their albums and in addition to the hits, it also includes album cuts and 12 unreleased and rare tracks that aren't included on their studio albums...I already went over most of this, so I'm just going to cover the stuff I haven't talked about yet...



From the band's 1977 demo, there's the early soft rock ballad "Take Me Now" and the rocker "Cool Fool."  I can see why they didn't pursue "Take Me Now," but I think with a little work "Cool Fool" could have sounded fine on their debut...It doesn't quite beat you over the head with its hooks like the other songs form their first album did, but I think the easygoing hard pop would have made a nice sleeper track...

We also get an early version of "Nightspots" a  song we all know from "Candy-O" but the version included here is an outtake from their first album...It's hard to believe this was recorded at the same time as "My Best Friend's Girl" or "Just What I Needed." It's a lot darker and ominous than anything on that record...I think it was a good call saving it for "Candy-O." It's weird not hearing keyboards on song, since it's the song's most recognizable feature...So empty...

"That's It" was the B-side from the "Let's Go" single. I like this song, it's nice, catchy 60's style pop.

"Slip Away" was a "Candy-O" outtake that was given to Ian Lloyd who released it as a single in
1979...This is the Ian Lloyd version...

 ..and this is the Cars take...

Hard to believe they gave this away. Out of all the unreleased songs on here, this is probably the highlight. Blends in with all the other hits nicely...

"Don't Go to Pieces" was the b-side of "Don't Tell Me No" single. Pretty catchy b-side with great melodic guitar playing juxtaposed with a choppy riff...Can't really picture it on "Panorama" (too bright and poppy) but it's a good b-side...

 "Little Black Egg" and "Funtime" are cover songs. Ric and Ben's vocals were removed and the backing tracks were used for Bebe Buell's "Covers Girl" ep. They sound really comfortable with "Little Black Egg," which is odd, because the original is such a druggy 60's garage rock song, yet it suits their style... The "Funtime"  cover gives the track a more sleek 80's dance rock backing than the Iggy Pop's thudding horror-show original...This song has always reminded me of  the "Monster Mash" for some reason...Maybe it's the Dracula reference...Iggy comes out on top as the more interesting vocalist, but Benjamin Orr does a pretty decent job actually...

"Breakaway" was the b-side to the "Why Can't I Have You" single. Nothing too outstanding, but it is a solid "Heartbeat City" outtake. I would have gladly traded "It's Not the Night" for this...Might have livened up side two of that album a bit...



"Tonight She Comes" was originally released on "The Cars Greatest Hits" album that was came out in 1985. Not actually a "rare" track per se, since the greatest hits album is still available everywhere, but it never appeared on any of their studio albums. I can remember hearing this on the radio growing up but not so much anymore...Alright song, you kind of get the feeling they're edging into adult contemporary though...

"Leave and Stay" and "Tata Wayo Wayo" are 1977 demos, but they're placed at the end to help represent "Door to Door," since the songs were re-recorded for that album...This is a good call...The "Leave or Stay" smokes the "Door to Door" version, but as far as "Tata Wayo Wayo" goes I actually really like the "Door to Door" version...Don't see why it often gets singled out as a low-point...

So there ya go...Even though others have been released before and since, no other Cars compilation even comes close to topping this one...Listening to it gives you a greater appreciation of the band and almost everything in the two-and-a-half hour running time is great...

...So let's check out "Cruiser" by the Cars...Cruise Away...

The Cars: Door to Door

The Cars: Door to Door

1988

Elektra Records

Format I Own it on: Vinyl

Track Listing: 1. Leave or Stay  2. You Are the Girl  3. Double Trouble  4. Fine Line  5. Everything You Say  6. Ta Ta Wayo Wayo  7. Strap Me In  8. Coming Up You  9. Wound Up on You  10. Go Away  11. Door to Door


Hmm, the Cars winning streak seems to have ended...After five top-notch albums of crisp new wave and classic rock they lose their momentum and stall out on "Door to Door."

You know there's a problem right away with opener "Leave or Stay," it doesn't sound bad or anything,   there's actually some energy in the verses, but where is the chorus?  Once you drop all semblance of experimentation and give yourself over 100% to slick pop it usually helps to have a hook or something...Turns out this was actually a re-recording of an decade demo (which was later released on the 1995 "Cars Anthology: Just What I Needed" compilation)...And comparing the lean rock of the demo just highlights the problem with "Door to Door's" overly slick, yet murky production...

 "You Are the Girl" comes along and you think things are going to turn around...It has a bit of an overly-comfortable adult contemporary vibe, but it redeems itself with a catchy chorus and interestingly subdued instrumentation.

"I might have gotten a bad impression form the first song,  but this might turn out to be another good Cars album, " you start thinking to yourself, but then the big, bloated heavy metal song "Double Trouble" comes along and dashes all your dreams...

From there on out it's very hit or miss..."Ta Ta Wayo Wayo" is alright...It's got some energy at least and a fun rocking feel...I very much like the keyboards on this track, and "Strap Me In" is able to summon up a little of the dense, mysterious atmosphere that "Heartbeat City" excelled at. I also find the chorus of "Go Away" to be very lovely. On the other hand there's so many slow mushy track like "Coming Up You" and "Wound Up On You" sequenced one after another, that it's hard to keep my eyes open...

 By the end of the album you've kind of resigned yourself to the blandness when suddenly the title track comes along and it's about 60 bpm's faster than everything else! The record finally creates some spark, spirit and heat! I wish they would have explored this speedy, punk-influenced direction a bit more, but unfortunately the album ends here...

I bought this out of the used records bin at FYE for about three bucks, which I'd say is a fair price for this...I really only hold onto it for the two or three tracks I like and for the sake of completeness...I hardly ever spin this, and listening to it again today doesn't change my opinion much...It's okay as far as generic 80's shoulder-pad music goes, but for the Cars this is subpar...Even the album cover is ugly...They always had great album covers! Something was wrong and the band broke up shortly after this album...Too bad...

Let's check out "Door to Door" by the Cars...

The Cars: Heartbeat City

The Cars: Heartbeat City

1984

Elektra Records

Format I Own it on: Vinyl and Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. Hello Again  2. Looking for Love  3. Magic  4. Drive  5. Stranger Eyes  6. You Might Think  7. It's Not the Night  8. Why Can't I Have You  9. I Refuse  10. Heartbeat City




This album was huuuuge at the time...I remember driving around listening to this a few years back and my wife asked me if it was a greatest hits album... And it's true, like the debut album a large number of these songs were top 40 hits...If you were around in '84 there's a good chance that at least half of this album is permanently imbedded in your conscience, and  that "You Might Think" video absolutely ruled the airwaves that year...

 Here's a video of them winning the MTV Video award in 1984...They were up some stiff-ass competition..."Thriller"?!?!?!

Hey! This is supposed to be the MTV Video Awards!! Why isn't Bette Midler twerking?!?!?!  Twerk, dammit! Twerk!!!

 From their 1978 debut to 1981's "Shake It Up," the band had released an album every single year, but there was actually a bit of a gap between this and "Shake It Up." The big change here was the band switched producers for the first time...All their previous albums had been helmed by Roy Thomas Baker, but "Heartbeat City" was done by Mutt Lange, and his glossy fingerprints are all over this one...The minute you turn it on and hear those "Hello Again" gang vocals you know it's one of his productions...It has those same airy "Shouted-whisper" backing vocals from the Def Leppard and AC/DC albums he did...

 The sound is very different, the guitars are still there but they're turned way down in favor of the keyboards and a big echoing drum machine, making it much more synth-pop than New Wave/Rock...It sounds like a ton of time was spent on the small details, every keyboard fill, every sound effect, every backing vocal is in perfect place...I mean, the Cars had always been a slick operation, but this thing takes perfectionism to a whole new level...

The album does seem awfully heavy on ballads though...On one hand I kind of miss the more rocking sound (especially on the couple of songs that actually do rock out a bit, like "Magic" or "You Might Think") on the other hand it's hard to fault the immaculate atmospheric pop of "Drive" and the title track...I think it works because the band never seems to be trolling for airplay...It all seems sophisticated, smart and innovative. 

So yea, this was the Cars at their peak...few albums sum up their era as vividly as "Heartbeat City." It's as quintessentially 1984 as Mr. T Cereal...

...or "Where's the Beef?" ads...

When I listen to this it's hard not to revisit those distant summer vacations spent playing Atari and taping "Magic" off the radio...

So let's bust out that old cassette again and check out "Magic" by the Cars...