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Hello, I’m Johnny Cash
Textos originais Stephen Thomas Erlewine (AllMusic)
Tradução Daniella Salles
Pesquisa e seleção de imagens Daniella Salles
Projeto gráfico
Daniella Salles
AllMusic
http://www.allmusic.com/
Impresso no Brasil Todos os direitos reservados
The Official Johnny Cash Website http://www.johnnycash.com/
Projeto Editorial Daniella Salles Textos de Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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10. Johnny Cash
BIOGRAFIA Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Johnny Cash foi uma das figuras mais influentes e imponentes na música country após a Segunda Guerra Mundial. Com seu tom barítono profundo e ressonante e sua guitarra percussiva, ele tinha um som básico e distinto. Cash não soava como Nashville, nem mesmo soava como honky tonk ou rock and roll. Ele criou seu próprio subgênero, passeando pela honestidade emocional incisiva do folk, a rebeldia do rock and roll e o mundo desgastado do country. A carreira de Cash coincidiu com o nascimento do rock e suas atitudes rebeldes e ataques musicais diretos e simples compartilhavam diversas semelhanças com o estilo. Entretanto, existe um senso histórico profundo – que o cantor ilustraria posteriormente com suas séries de álbuns históricos – que o mantiveram para sempre amarrado ao country. E ele foi uma das maiores estrelas da música country nas décadas de 50 e 60, emplacando bem mais que 100 hits.
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Cash nasceu e cresceu no Arkansas, tendo mudado para a cidade de Dyess aos três anos de idade. Por volta dos 12 anos, ele começou a escrever suas próprias músicas. Sua inspiração vinha das canções country que ouvia no rádio. Quando estava no ensino médio, ele fez uma apresentação numa estação de rádio do Arkansas chamada KLCN. Cash se formou em 1950, mudando-se para Detroit para trabalhar na indústria automotiva durante um breve período. Com o início da Guerra da Coreia, ele alistou-se à Força Aérea. Durante o serviço militar, Cash comprou seu primeiro violão e aprendeu a tocar sozinho. Ele começou a compor seriamente, incluindo “Folsom Prison Blues”. Cash deixou a Força Aérea em 1954, casou-se com uma mulher chamada Vivian Liberto e mudou-se para Memphis, onde fez um curso para locutor de rádio em uma escola filiada à GI Bill. Durante as noites, ele tocava música country em um trio que se completava com o guitarrista Luther Perkins e o baixista Marshall Grant. O trio tocava de graça ocasionalmente em uma rádio local, KWEM, e tentava garantir shows e uma audição na Sun Records. Cash finalmente marcou uma audição com a Sun Records e com seu fundador, Sam Phillips, em 1955. Inicialmente, Cash se apresentou como um cantor gospel, mas Phillips o rejeitou, pedindo que ele voltasse com algo mais comercial. Cash voltou com “Hey Porter”, que
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cativou os ouvidos de Phillips imediatamente. Em pouco tempo, Cash lançou “Cry Cry Cry”/”Hey Porter” como single de estreia para a Sun. No single, Phillips anunciou Cash como “Johnny”, o que irritou o cantor, pois ele sentiu que o nome parecia jovem demais; o produtor também anunciou Perkins e Grant como “The Tennessee Two”. “Cry Cry Cry” tornou-se um sucesso após seu lançamento em 1955, entrando para a parada de sucessos country na 14ª posição e o levando a um lugar no The Louisiana Hayride, onde ficou por quase um ano. Um segundo single, “Folsom Prison Blues”, atingiu o Top 5 no início de 1956 e o single seguinte, “I Walk the Line”, foi o número 1 durante seis semanas e passou para o Top 20 da música pop. Cash também teve um ano de sucesso em 1957, emplacando vários hits country, incluindo “Give My Love to Rose” no Top 15. Cash também fez sua grande estreia no
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Grand Ole Opry naquele ano, aparecendo todo de preto enquanto os outros artistas vestiam roupas extravagantes com aplicações de strass. Por conta disso, ele ganhou o apelido de “Man in Black” (Homem de Preto). Cash tornou-se o primeiro artista da Sun Records a gravar um LP, em novembro de 1957, época em que o álbum “Johnny Cash with his Hot and Blue Guitar” chegou às lojas. O sucesso de Cash prolongou-se durante o ano de 1958, quando ele emplacou seu maior hit, “Ballad of a Teenage Queen” (primeira posição durante dez semanas), e teve outro single na primeira posição, “Guess Things Happen That Way”. Durante quase todo o ano de 1958, Cash tentou gravar um álbum gospel, mas a gravadora recusou. Além disso, a Sun não queria aumentar o valor dos royalties recebidos por Cash. Esses dois fatores foram decisivos para o cantor assinar um contrato com a Columbia Records em 1958. No fim do ano, ele lançou seu primeiro single pelo novo selo, “All Over Again”, que também tornou-se um sucesso, estando presente entre as Top 5. A Sun continuou lançando singles e álbuns de material inédito de Cash nos anos 60. O segundo single de Cash pela Columbia, “Don’t Take your Guns to Town”, foi um de seus maiores hits, atingindo o topo das paradas de country e fazendo parte também da parada de sucessos pop no início de 1959. Durante aquele ano, os singles da Columbia e da Sun
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disputavam o topo das paradas. Geralmente, os lançamentos da Columbia – “Frankie’s Man Johnny”, “I Got Stripes” e “Five Feet High and Rising” – se saiam melhor que os singles da Sun, mas “Luther Played the Boogie” atingiu o Top 10. Naquele mesmo ano, Cash teve a chance de gravar seu álbum gospel – “Hymns by Johnny Cash” – que derrubou uma série de álbuns temáticos lançados na década de 70. O Tennessee Two se transformou em Tennessee Three em 1960 com a entrada do baterista W.S. Holland na banda. Embora continuasse fazendo sucesso, o ritmo acelerado de sua carreira começava a derrubar Cash. Em 1959, ele começou a tomar anfetaminas para conseguir dar conta de sua agenda de quase 300 shows por ano. Por volta de 1961, sua dependência de drogas aumentou dramaticamente e seu trabalho foi afetado, o que resultou em um número decrescente de
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hits e álbuns. Em 1963, ele mudou-se para Nova York, abandonando sua família. Ele estava com problemas com a lei, mais notavelmente por provocar um incêndio florestal. June Carter – que era esposa de um dos companheiros de bebida de Cash, Carl Smith – possibilitou a Cash o retorno ao topo das paradas com a música “Ring of Fire”, escrita por ela em parceria com Merle Kilgore. “Ring of Fire” ficou durante sete semanas no topo das paradas e esteve no Top 20 dos hits pop. Cash continuou fazendo sucesso em 1964 com “Understand Your Man”, que se tornou um hit número 1. Entretanto, o retorno de Cash durou pouco tempo, pois ele se afundou mais no vício e poucos de seus singles chegavam a se tornar hits de sucesso. Cash foi preso em El Paso por tentar entrar nos Estados Unidos com anfetaminas dentro da maleta do violão. No mesmo ano, o Grand Ole Opry se recusou a receber uma apresentação do cantor e ele destruiu um dos holofotes do auditório. Em 1966, sua esposa Vivian pede o divórcio. Depois da separação, Cash mudouse para Nashville. No primeiro momento, ele estava tão destrutivo quanto ele sempre foi, mas ele virou amigo íntimo de June Carter, que havia se divorciado de Carl Smith. Com a ajuda de June, ele conseguiu controlar seu vício; ela também converteu Cash ao Cristianismo fundamentalista. Sua carreira começou a entrar no eixo novamente
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quando “Jackson” e “Rosanna’s Going Wild” entraram para o Top 10. No início de 1968, Cash pediu June em casamento durante um show. Eles casaram-se na primavera daquele ano. Também em 1968, Cash gravou e lançou seu álbum mais popular, “Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison”. Gravado durante um concerto no presídio, o álbum deu origem ao hit número um da música country “Folsom Prison Blues”, que também passou para as paradas pop. Ao fim do ano, o álbum foi premiado com disco de ouro. No ano seguinte, foi lançada uma sequência, “Johnny Cash at San Quentin”, que teve apenas um single no Top 10 da música pop, “A Boy Named Sue”, que atingiu a terceira posição e também chegou ao primeiro lugar na parada country. Em 1969, Cash foi convidado por Bob Dylan para participar de seu álbum de country-rock “Nashville Skyline”. Dylan retribuiu com sua presença no primeiro episódio do “The Johnny Cash Show”, o programa de televisão do cantor para a emissora ABC. O programa esteve no ar durante dois anos, entre 1969 e 1971. Cash estava atingindo seu segundo pico de popularidade em 1970. Além de ter um programa de TV, ele se apresentou para o presidente Richard Nixon na Casa Branca, atuou com o ator Kirk Douglas no filme “The Gunfight”, cantou com John Williams e com a Boston Pops
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Orchestra e foi tema de um documentário. As vendas de seus álbuns foram satisfatórias e as músicas “Sunday Morning Coming Down” e “Flesh and Blood” se tornaram primeiro lugar nas paradas. Durante 1971, Cash continuou lançando hits, atingindo o Top 3 com “Man in Black”. Tanto Johnny quanto June tornaram-se mais socialmente ativos no início dos anos 70, fazendo campanha pelos direitos civis dos nativos norte-americanos e dos prisioneiros, além de trabalharem frequentemente com Billy Graham. Em meados da década de 70, a presença de Cash nas paradas country começou a declinar, mas ele continuou lançando uma série de pequenos hits e conseguiu atingir o primeiro lugar em1967 com “One Piece at a Time” e o Top 10 com “There Ain’t no Good Chain Gang” em parceria com Waylon Jennings e “(Ghost) Riders in the Sky”. O livro autobiográfico “Man in Black” foi publicado em 1975. Em 1980, Cash tornou-se o mais jovem indicado ao Country Music Hall of Fame. Entretanto, os anos 80 foram difíceis para Cash. As vendas de seus álbuns continuaram diminuindo e ele enfrentou problemas com a Columbia. Em 1982, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins e Jerry Lee Lewis se uniram para gravar “The Survivors”, que obteve um sucesso razoável. A banda “The Highwaymen”, formada por Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson e Kris Kristofferson, lançou seu primeiro
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álbum em 1985, que também obteve sucesso razoável. No ano seguinte, Cash encerrou seu relacionamento com a Columbia e assinou contrato com a Mercury Nashville. O novo selo provou não ser um sucesso, uma vez que o cantor e a gravadora brigavam devido a divergências estilísticas. Além disso, as rádios que tocavam música country passaram a favorecer os artistas contemporâneos e Cash logo se viu fora das paradas. Porém, ele ainda mantinha sua popularidade devido às suas apresentações. “The Highwaymen” gravou um segundo álbum em 1992 que foi mais bem sucedido comercialmente que qualquer álbum de Cash lançado pela Mercury. Naquele período, o contrato de Cash com a Mercury chegou ao fim. Em 1993, ele assinou contrato com a American Records. Seu primeiro álbum pelo selo, “American Recordings”, foi produzido pelo fundador da gravadora, Rick Rubin, e era uma coleção austera de músicas em versão acústica. “American Recordings”, mesmo não sendo um sucesso estrondoso, revisitou criticamente a carreira do cantor e o colocou em contato com um público mais jovem e mais ligado ao rock. Em 1995, “The Highwaymen” lançou seu terceiro álbum, “The Road Goes on Forever”. No ano seguinte, Cash lançou seu segundo álbum pela American Records, “Unchained”, que recebeu apoio de Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. O seu episódio de
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VH1 Storytellers foi lançado em 1998 e, na primavera de 2000, Cash lançou a compilação “Love, God, Murder”, uma retrospectiva em três álbuns focando nos temas de composições mais dominantes durante sua carreira. O novo álbum de estúdio “American III: Solitary Man” apareceu mais tarde naquele ano. Alguns problemas de saúde acometeram Cash durante a década de 90 e no início de 2000, mas ele continuou a gravar com Rubin. O quarto projeto deles, “American IV: The Man Comes Around”, foi lançado no final de 2002. No ano seguinte, o vídeo da música Hurt, cover de Nine Inch Nails, dirigido pelo diretor Mark Romanek recebeu atenção da mídia e foi bem recebido, resultando numa inesperada indicação para vídeo do ano no MTV Video Music Awards. Pouco depois de o vídeo ter provocado o surgimento de inúmeras histórias, sua amada esposa June Carter Cash morreu, em 15 de maio de 2003,
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devido a complicações de uma cirurgia cardíaca. Quatro meses depois, Johnny morreu devido a complicações da diabetes, aos 71 anos, em Nashville, Tennessee. Cinco meses mais tarde, a compilação “Legend of Johnny Cash” atingiu o Top 10. Em 2006, a Lost Highway lançou o penúltimo álbum da lendária série “American Recordings”, “American V: A Hundred Highways”, a partir das últimas sessões de gravação com o colaborador Rick Rubin. O último álbum da série a partir dessas mesmas sessões foi lançado como “American VI: Ain’t no Grave”, no início de 2010, e foi anunciado como o último dos lançamentos da série “American Recordings”.
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DISCO
DISCOGRAFIA Álbuns de Estúdio 1957 » Johnny » 1962 Cash with his hot and blue guitar
» 1958
The sound of Johnny Cash All aboard the blue train
Sings the songs that made him famous
» 1959
The fabulous Johnny Cash Greatest! Songs of our soil
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» 1960
Sing Hank Williams Ride this train Now, there was a song!
» 1961
Now here’s Johnny Cash
» 1963
Blood, sweat and tears
1964 » The original sun sound of Johnny Cash I walk the line
Bitter tears: Ballads of the American Indian
» 1965
Orange Blossom Special Sings the ballads of True West
1966 »Everybody loves a nut Happiness is you
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1968 » From sea to shining sea Legends and love songs
» 1970
Hello, I’m Johnny Cash
» 1971
Man in black
» 1972
A thing called love America: A 200-year salute in story and song
1973 » Any old wind that blows 1974 » Ragged old flag Junkie and the juicehead minus me
1975 » The Johnny Cash children’s album John R. Cash
1976 » Look at them beans One piece at a time
» 1977
The last gunfighter ballad The rambler
» I1978 would like to see you again Gone girl
» 1979 Silver
1980 » Rockabilly blues
» 1981 The baron
» 1991 The mystery of life
» 1982 The adventures of Johnny Cash
» 1994 American I: American Recordings
» 1983 JOHNNY 99 » 1985 Rainbows » 1987 26. Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash is coming to town
» 1988
Classic Cash: Hall of fame series Water from the wells of home
» 1990 Boom chicka boom
» 1996 American II: Unchained » 2000
AMERICAN III: SOLITARY MAN
2002 » American IV: The man comes around 2003 » Unearthed
» 2006
AMERICAN V: A HUNDRED HIGHWAYS
» 2010
AMERICAN VI: AIN’T NO GRAVE
» 1968 AT FOLSOM PRISON » 1969 AT SAN QUENTIN At Madison Square Garden
» 1970 The Johnny Cash show » 1975 Strawberry Cake » 1983 Koncert V Praze (In Prague-Live) » 2007
Live from Austin, TX The great lost performance: Live at the Paramount Theatre
Álbuns Gospel » 1959 HYMNS BY JOHNNY CASH » 1962 Hymns from the heart » 1969 The Holy Land » 1973 The gospel road » 1979 A believer sings the truth » 1986 I believe in Him
» 1992 Return to the promised land » 2004
MY MOTHER’S HYMN BOOK
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Álbuns Ao vivo
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FOL SOM PRISON
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FOLSOM PR Folsom Prison é um local bastante recorrente no legado de Johnny Cash, fornecendo o cenário para, talvez, sua canção definitiva e o ambiente para seu álbum definitivo, “At Folsom Prison”. A mistura ideal entre a criação de um mito e a realidade áspera, “At Folsom Prison” marca o momento em que Cash se transforma e ergue-se como o Homem de Preto, um trovador assombrado cantando músicas sobre crimes, crises de consciência e presídios. Certamente, esse obscuro lado fora-da-lei não era uma invenção, mas sim um exagero, com Cash construindo sua imagem a partir da amarração de seu setlist ao seu público de presidiários, preenchendo o set com histórias sobre assassinato e prisão – um cumprimento a um cenário familiar aos condenados, mas também uma maneira esperta para sugerir que talvez Cash realmente tenha matado um homem em Reno apenas para vê-lo morrer. Dada a atmosfera de morte que paira sobre as músicas de “At Folsom Prison”, há uma
tendência a pensar nisso como um caso gótico, sombrio ou talvez um depósito para a raiva, mas o que é surpreendente sobre a performance de Cash é que ele nunca romantiza o crime nem os criminosos: de alguma forma, ele minimiza a tensão com suas baladas em prosa e com o jeito com que faz piadas irônicas. Cash está se relacionando com os internos e os entretendo também, cantando “Cocaine Blues” como um bastardo fugitivo, transformando uma sentença de morte em humor negro literal em “25 Minutes to Go”, tocando “I Got Stripes” como se isso fosse um símbolo de orgulho. Nunca antes sua música pareceu tão vigorosa quanto ali, nem ele havia reunido seu humor, sua seriedade e sua espiritualidade em uma mesma gravação. De todas as maneiras, foi um avanço, mais que isso, “At Folsom Prison” é o álbum essencial de Johnny Cash, o lugar onde sua lenda brilha clara e eterna.
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Para colocar a performance de San Quentin em perspectiva: o principal parceiro de Johnny Cash no Tennessee Two, o guitarrista Luther Perkins, morreu em agosto de 1968, apenas sete meses antes dessa gravação, em fevereiro de 1969. Além disso, Cash estava atingindo o pico de sua popularidade – seu álbum ao vivo “At Folsom Prison”, de 1968, obteve um sucesso absurdo – mas ele estava próximo do período mais intenso de sua vida pessoal, que certamente transpareceu em sua performance. Tudo isso cria o contexto para “At San Quentin”, uma sequência nominal ao “At Folsom Prison”, que supera seu antecessor e captura Cash em seu estado mais cru e selvagem. Parte disso deve-se à maneira com que ele sustenta seu público cativo, tocando para os presidiários e se portando como um deles, mas deve-se também às mudanças dinâmicas dentro da banda. Sem Perkins, Cash não estava preso às passagens two-step que definiam sua música naquela fase. Certamente,
ainda estava lá, mas existia um sentimento diferente vindo de um guitarrista diferente, e Cash soa confuso quando se inclina por suas baladas de prisioneiros, velhos hits e canções furiosas em estilo rockabilly, e até mesmo no cover da banda Lovin’ Spoonful (“Darlin’ Companion”). Nenhuma outra gravação de Johnny Cash soa tão selvagem como essa. Ali, ele parece um fora-da-lei, um renegado, o que lhe dá poder – ouça “A Boy Named Sue”, uma composição de Shel Siverstein que poderia ter sido bastante agradável, mas é resgatada por uma performance ensandecida e comprometida de Cash, em que ele realmente parece prestes a matar aquele filho da puta que o batizou com o nome de Sue. Ele soa assim durante toda a gravação.
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MĂšS ICAS
I STILL MISS SOMEONE DARK AS THE DUNGEON
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Oh come all you young fellers so young and so fine Seek not your fortune in a dark dreary mine It’ll form as a habit and seep in your soul ‘Til the stream of your blood runs as black as the coal Where it’s dark as a dungeon damp as the dew danger is double pleasures are few Where the rain never falls the sun never shines It’s a dark as a dungeon way down in the mine Well it’s many a man that I’ve seen in my day Like a fiend with his dope and a drunkard with his wine A man will have lust for the lure of the mine And pray when I’m dead and my ages shall roll That my body would blacken and turn into coal Then I’ll look from the door of my heavenly home and pity the miner digging my bones Where it’s dark as a dungeon...
At my door the leaves are falling A cold wild wind has come Sweethearts walk by together And I still miss someone I go out on a party And look for a little fun But I find a darkened corner because I still miss someone Oh, no I never got over those blues eyes I see them every where I miss those arms that held me When all the love was there I wonder if she’s sorry For leavin’ what we’d begun There’s someone for me somewhere And I still miss someone
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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 hack that shot your woman down Said yes oh yes my name is Willy Lee If you’ve got the warrant just a’read it to me Shot her down because she made me slow 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 Talked 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 Lordy Lordy have mercy on me The judge smiled as he picked up his pen 99 years in the Folsom pen 99 years underneath that ground I can’t forget the day I shot that bad bitch down Come on you’ve gotta listen unto me Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be!
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25 MINUTES TO GO Well they’re building a gallows outside my cell I’ve got 25 minutes to go And the whole town’s waitin’ just to hear me yell I’ve got 24 minutes to go Well they gave me some beans for my last meal I’ve got 23 minutes to go But nobody asked me how I feel I’ve got 22 minutes to go Well I sent for the governor and the whole dern bunch with 21 minutes to go And I sent for the mayor but he’s out to lunch I’ve got 20 more minutes to go Then the sheriff said boy I gonna watch you die got 19 minutes to go So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye got 18 minutes to go Now hear comes the preacher for to save my soul with 13 minutes to go And he’s talking bout’ burnin’ but I’m so cold I’ve 12 more minutes to go
Now they’re testin’ the trap and it chills my spine 11 more minutes to go And the trap and the rope aw they work just fine got 10 more minutes to go Well I’m waitin’ on the pardon that’ll set me free with 9 more minutes to go But this is for real so forget about me got 8 more minutes to go With my feet on the trap and my head on the noose got 5 more minutes to go Won’t somebody come and cut me loose with 4 more minutes to go I can see the mountains I can see the skies with 3 more minutes to go And it’s to dern pretty for a man that don’t wanna die 2 more minutes to go I can see the buzzards I can hear the crows 1 more minute to go And now I’m swingin’ and here I go-o-o-o-o-o-o!
Look a-yonder comin’ Comin’ down that railroad track Hey, look a-yonder comin’ Comin’ down that railroad track It’s the Orange Blossom Special Bringin’ my baby back Well, I’m going down to Florida And get some sand in my shoes Or maybe Californy And get some sand in my shoes I’ll ride that Orange Blossom Special And lose these New York blues Say man, when you going back to Florida?” “When am I goin’ back to Florida? I don’t know, don’t reckon I ever will.” “Ain’t you worried about getting your nourishment in New York?” “Well, I don’t care if I do-die-do-die-do-die.” Hey talk about a-ramblin’ She’s the fastest train on the line Talk about a-travellin’ She’s the fastest train on the line It’s that Orange Blossom Special Rollin’ down the seaboard line
THE LONG BLACK VEIL Ten years ago on a cold dark night, there was someone killed beneath the town hall lights. There were people at the scene and they all agreed, that the slayer who ran looked a lot like me. She walks these hills, in a long black veil. When the cold winds blow, and the night winds wail. Nobody knows, no body sees. Nobody knows, but me. The Judge said son, what is your aliby, if you were somewhere else, then you won’t have to die. I spoke not a word, though it ment my life, cause I was in the arms, of my best friends wife. She walks these hills, in a long black veil. When the cold winds blow, and the night winds wail. No body knows, no body sees. No body knows, but me. The schaffold was high, and eternity near. She stood in the crowd, and shed not a tear. But some dark nights, when the cold winds wail. She walks these hills, in a long black veil. She walks these hills, in a long black veil. When the cold winds blow, and the night winds wail. No body knows, nobody sees. Nobody knows, but me.
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ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL
SEND A PICTURE OF MOTHER
THE WALL
After seven years behind these bars together I’ll miss you more than a brother when you go If only I had not tried to escape They’d barred me with you I know
There’s A lot of strange men, in cell block ten But the strangest of em’ all Was a friend of mine who speant his time Starin’ at the wall..
Won’t you tell the folks back home I’ll soon be coming And don’t let them know I never will be free Sometimes write and tell me how they’re doing And send a picture of mother back to me
As He looked at the wall So strong and tall You could hear him softley curse Nobody at all ever climbed that wall But I’m gonna be the first..
Say hello to Dad and shake his poor hardworking hand And send a picture of mother if you can
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I’m happy for you that you got your freedom But stay with me just another minute or so After all this sweating blood together Who’ll be my fighting partner when you go The hardest time will be on Sunday morning Church bells will ring on Heaven Hill Please ask Reverend Garrett to pray for me And send a picture of mother if you will Say hello to Dad and shake his poor hardworking hand And send a picture of mother if you can
Well the warden walked by and said son don’t try I’d hate to see you fall For there is no doubt that they’ll carry you out If you ever touch that wall.. Well A Year’s gone by since he made his try But I can still recall How Hard he tried and the way he died But he never made that wall.. Well there was never a man who shook his hand But I know a man who tried The newspapers called that a jailbreak plan But I knew it was suicide..
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DIRTY OLD EGG SUCKIN’ DOG Well he’s not very handsome to look at Oh he’s shaggy and he eats like a hog And he’s always killin’ my chickens That dirty old egg-suckin’ dog Egg-suckin’ dog I’m gonna stomp your head in the ground If you don’t stay out of my hen house You dirty old egg-suckin’ hound
FLUSHED FROM THE BATHROOM From the backdoor of your life you swept me out dear In the bread line of your dreams I lost my place At the table of your love I got the brush off At the Indianapolis of your heart I lost the race I’ve been washed down the sink of your conscience In the theater of your love I lost my part And now you say you’ve got me out of your conscience I’ve been flushed from the bathroom of your heart
Now if he don’t stop eatin’ my eggs up Though I’m not a real bad guy I’m gonna get my riffle and send him To that great chicken house in the sky
In the garbage disposal of you dreams I’ve been ground up dear On the river of your plans I’m up the creek Up the elevator of your future I’ve been shafted On the calendar of your events I’m last week
Egg-suckin’ dog Your always hangin’ around But you’d better stay out of my hen house You dirty old egg-suckin’ hound
I’ve been washed down the sink of your conscience In the theater of your love I lost my part And now you say you’ve got me out of your conscience I’ve been flushed from the bathroom of your heart
JACKSON We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout, We’ve been talking about Jackson, ever since the fire went out. I’m going to Jackson, I’m gonna mess around, Yeah, I’m going to Jackson, Look out Jackson town.
48. Johnny Cash
Well, go on down to Jackson; go ahead and wreck your health. Go play your hand you big-talkin’ man, make a big fool of yourself, Yeah, go to Jackson; go comb your hair! Honey, I’m gonna snowball Jackson. See if I care. When I breeze into that city, people gonna stoop and bow. All them women gonna make me, teach ‘em what they don’t know how, I’m going to Jackson, you turn-a loose-a my coat. ‘Cos I’m going to Jackson. “Goodbye,” that’s all she wrote.
But they’ll laugh at you in Jackson, and I’ll be dancing on a Pony Keg. They’ll lead you ‘round town like a scalded hound, With your tail tucked between your legs, Yeah, go to Jackson, you big-talking man. And I’ll be waiting in Jackson, behind my Jaypan Fan, Well now, we got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper Sprout, We’ve been talking about Jackson, ever since the fire went out. I’m going to Jackson, and that’s a fact. Yeah, we’re going to Jackson, ain’t never coming back. Well, we got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout’ And we’ve been talking about Jackson, ever since the fire went...
49. At Folsom Prison e San Quentin
GIVE MY LOVE TO ROSE I found him by the railroad track this morning I could see that he was nearly dead I knelt down beside him and I listened Just to hear the words the dying fellow said He said they let me out of prison down in Frisco For ten long years I’ve paid for what I’ve done I was trying to get back to Louisiana To see my Rose and get to know my son Give my love to Rose please won’t you mister Take her all my money, tell her to buy some pretty clothes Tell my boy his daddy’s so proud of him And don’t forget to give my love to Rose Tell them I said thanks for waiting for me Tell my boy to help his mom at home Tell my Rose to try to find another For it ain’t right that she should live alone Mister here’s a bag with all my money It won’t last them long the way it goes God bless you for finding me this morning And don’t forget to give my love to Rose Give my love to Rose please won’t you mister Take her all my money, tell her to buy some pretty clothes Tell my boy his daddy’s so proud of him And don’t forget to give my love to Rose
I GOT STRIPES On a monday I was ar-rested (Uh Huh) On a tuesday they locked me in jail (poor Boy) On a wednesday my trial was at-tested On a thursday they said guilty and the judge’s gavel fell I got stripes --- stripes around my shoulders I got chains --- chains around my feet I got stripes --- stripes around my shoulders And them chains --- them chains they’re about to drag me down On a monday I got my stripe-ed britches On a tuesday I got my ball and chain On a wednesday I’m workin’ diggin’ ditches On a thursday Lord I begged ‘em not to knock me down again On a monday my momma come to see me On a tuesday they caught me with a file On a wednesday I’m down in solitary On a thursday I start on bread and water for a while
GREYSTONE CHAPEL GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME The old home town looks the same, As I step down from the train, And there to meet me is my mama and my papa. Down the road I look, and there comes Mary, Hair of gold and lips like cherries. It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home The old house is still standing, Though the paint is cracked and dry, And there’s the old oak tree that I used to play on. Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary, Hair of gold and lips like cherries. It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home.
50. Johnny Cash
Yes, they’ll all come to see me, Arms reaching, smiling sweetly. It’s good to touch the green, green grass of home. Then I awake and look around me, At the four gray walls that surround me, And I realize that I was only dreaming. For there’s a guard, and there’s a sad old padre, Arm in arm, we’ll walk at daybreak. Again, I’ll touch the green, green grass of home. Yes, they’ll all come to see me In the shade of the old oak tree, As they lay me ‘neath the green, green grass of home.
Inside the walls of prison my body may be, but my Lord has set my soul free. There’s a grey stone chapel here at Folsom, a house of worship in this den of sin. You wouldn’t think that God had a place here at Folsom, but he saved the soul of many lost men. Now this grey stone chapel here at Folsom, stands a hundred years old made of granite rock. It takes a ring of keys to move here at Folsom, but the door to the house of God is never locked. Inside the walls of prison my body may be but the Lord has set my soul free. There are men here that don’t ever worship. There are men here who scoff at the ones who pray. But I’ve got down on my knees in that grey stone chapel, and I’ve thanked the Lord for helping me each day. Now this grey stone chapel here at Folsom, it has a touch of God’s hand on every stone. It’s a flower of light in a field of darkness, and it’s given me the stregth to carry on. Inside the walls of prison my body may be, but my Lord has set my soul free.
51. At Folsom Prison e San Quentin
WANTED MAN Wanted man in California, Wanted man in Buffalo Wanted man in Kansas City, Wanted man in Ohio Wanted man in Mississippi, Wanted man in ol’ Cheyenne Wherever you might look tonight you might see this wanted man I might be in Colorado, Or Georgia by the sea Working for some man who may not know at all who I might be
I’ve had all that I wanted of a lot of things I’ve had And a lot more than I needed of some things that turned out bad I got sidetracked in El Paso, Stopped to get myself a map Went the wrong way in Pleura with Juanita on my back Went to sleep in Shreveport, Woke up in Abilene Wonderin’ why I’m wanted at some town half way in between
If you ever see me coming and if you know who I am Don’t you breathe it to nobody ‘cause you know I’m on the lamb
Wanted man in Albuquerque, Wanted man in Syracuse Wanted man in Tallahassee, Wanted man in Baton Rouge
Wanted man by Lucy Watson, Wanted man by Jeannie Brown Wanted man by Nellie Johnson, Wanted man in this next town
There’s somebody set to grab me Anywhere that I might be And wherever you might look tonight You might get a glimpse of me
WRECK OF THE OLD 97 Well they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia, Said: “Steve, you’re way behind time, “This is not 38, this is Ol’ 97, “Put her into Spencer on time.” Then he turned around and said to his black, greasy fireman, “Shovel on a little more coal. “And when we cross that White Oak mountain, “Watch Ol’ ‘97 roll.”
52. Johnny Cash
And then a telegram come from Washington station, This is how it read: “Oh that brave engineer that run ol 97, “Is lyin in old Danville dead.” ‘Cos he was going down a grade making 90 miles an hour, The whistle broke into a scream. He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle, Scalded to death by the steam. Oh, now all you ladies you’d better take a warning, From this time on and learn. Never speak hard words to your true-lovin’ husband. He may leave you and never return. Poor Boy.
I WALK THE LINE I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I keep my eyes wide open all the time I keep the ends out for the tie that binds Because you’re mine, I walk the line I find it very, very easy to be true I find myself alone when each day is through Yes, I’ll admit that I’m a fool for you Because you’re mine, I walk the line As sure as night is dark and day is light I keep you on my mind both day and night And happiness I’ve known proves that it’s right Because you’re mine, I walk the line You’ve got a way to keep me on your side You give me cause for love that I can’t hide For you I know I’d even try to turn the tide Because you’re mine, I walk the line I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I keep my eyes wide open all the time I keep the ends out for the tie that binds Because you’re mine, I walk the line
DARLIN’ COMPANION Darlin’ companion, come on and give me understandin’. And let me be your champion: a hand to hold your pretty hand in. Darlin’ companion, now you know you’ll never be abandoned. Love will always light our landin’: I can depend on you Oh, a little saucy mare like you should have a steed. Oh, a little bridlin’ down from you is what I need. Darlin’ companion, now you know you’ll never be abandoned. Love will always light our landin’: I can depend on you Darlin’ companion, come on and give me understandin’. As long as we keep laughin’, bear in mind just what could happen. Darlin’ companion, I tell the mountains and the canyons, Long as I got legs to stand on, I’m gonna stick by you. Oh, a little saucy mare like you should have a steed. Oh, a little bridlin’ down from you is what I need. Darlin’ companion, I tell the mountains and the canyons, Long as I got legs to stand on, I’m gonna stick by you.
Well, I left my motel room, down at the Starkville Motel, The town had gone to sleep and I was feelin’ fairly well. I strolled along the sidewalk ‘neath the sweet magnolia trees; I was whistlin’, pickin’ flowers, swayin’ in the southern breeze. I found myself surrounded; one policeman said: “That’s him. Come along, wild flower child. Don’t you know that it’s two a.m.” They’re bound to get you. ‘Cause they got a curfew. And you go to the Starkville City jail. Well, they threw me in the car and started driving into town; I said: “What the hell did I do?” He said: “Shut up and sit down.” Well, they emptied out my pockets, took my pills and guitar picks. I said: “Wait, my name is...” “Awe shut up.” Well, I sure was in a fix. I started pacin’ back and forth, and now and then I’d yell, And kick my forty dollar shoes against the steel floor of my cell. I’d walk awhile and kick awhile, and all night nobody came.
53. At Folsom Prison e San Quentin
STARKVILLE CITY JAIL
A BOY NAMED SUE Well, my daddy left home when I was three, and he didn’t leave much to ma and me, Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze.
Well I knew that snake was my own sweet dad, from a worn out picture that my mother had, & I knew that scar on his cheek & his evil eye.
Now I don’t blame him ‘cause he run and hid, But the meanest thing that he ever did, Was before he left he went and named me Sue.
He was big and bent and grey and old, And I looked at him and my blood ran cold, and I said, “My name is Sue! how do you do! Now you gonna die!” Yeah that’s what I told him.
Well, he musta thought that it was quite a joke, An’ it got a lot of laughs from lots a folks, Seems I had to fight my whole life through.
58. Johnny Cash
Some gal would giggle and I’d get red, And some guy’d laugh and I’d bust his head, I’ll tell ya, life ain’t easy for a boy named Sue.
Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes, And he went down but to my surprise, Come up with a knife a cut off a piece o’ my ear.
I grew up fast and I grew up mean, My fist got hard and my wis got keen, I roamed from town to town to hid my shame.
I busted a chair right across his teeth, And we crashed through the wall and into the street, Kickin’ and a gougin’ in the the mud and the blood and thebeer.
But I made me a vow to the moon and stars, I’d search the honky-tonks and bars, And kill that man that gave me that awful name.
I tell you I’ve fought tougher men, but I really can’t remember when, he kicked like a mule & bit like a crocodile.
Well, it was Gatlandburg in mid-July, I’d just hit town and my throat was dry, thought I’d stop and have myself a brew.
Well I heard him laugh and then I heard him cuss, He went for his gun but I pulled mine first, He stood there lookin’ at me and I saw him smile.
In and old saloon on a street of mud, There at a table dealin’ stud, Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me Sue.
And he said, “Son, this world is rough, And if a man’s gonna make it he’s gotta be tough, And I know I wouldn’t be there to help you along.
59. At Folsom Prison e San Quentin
So I gave that name and I said goodbye, I knew you’d have to get tough or die, And it’s that name what helped to make you strong. Now you just fought one hell of a fight, And I know you hate me and ya got the right, To kill me now and I wouldn’t blame you if you do. But you oughtta thank me before I die, For the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye, ‘Cause I’m the son of a bitch that named you Sue.” Well, what could I do, what COULD I do? Well I got a choked up and threw down my gun, Called him a pa and he called me a son, And I come away with a different point of view. I think about him now and then, Every time I try and every time I win, And if I ever have a son, I think I’m gonna name him, Bill or George anything but Sue! I still hate that name!
(THERE’LL BE) PEACE IN THE VALLEY Well I’m tired and so weary but I must go along Till the Lord comes and calls calls me away oh yes Well the morning’s so bright and the lamb is the light And the night night is as black as the sea oh yes (There will be peace in the valley for me some day) There will be peace in the valley for me dear Lord I pray (There’ll be no sadness no sorrow no trouble I see) There will be peace in the valley for me (for me) Well the bear will be gentle and the wolf will be tame And the lion shall lay down with the lamb oh yes And the beast from the wild will be lead by a child And I’ll be changed changed from this creature that I am oh yes (There will be peace in the valley...)
FICHA TÉCNICA
At Folsom Prison
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
June Carter
June Carter
Marshall Grant
Carter Family
W.S. Holland
Marshall Grant
Carl Perkins
W.S. Holland
Luther Perkins
Carl Perkins
The Statler Brothers
Bob Wootton
Bob Johnston
The Statler Brothers
Vocais, violão e gaita Vocais Baixo
Bateria
Guitarra elétrica Guitarra elétrica Vocais
Produtor
Bob Breault e Bill Britain
Engenheiros
Jim Marshall
Fotografia
Vocais, violão Vocais
Vocais, auto-harpa, violão Baixo
Bateria
Guitarra elétrica Guitarra elétrica Vocais
As familias tipográficas utilizadas neste livro são: a Bodoni, projetada por Giambattista Bodoni (anos 1790); a ChunkFive, da The League of Moveable Type (2007); e a Tangerine, de Toshi Omagari (2007). A impressão do miolo foi feita em papel AP 120g/m2 e a capa em papel Evenglow Opalina Diamond 220g/m2.
Cash era uma figura bastante contraditória, portando-se, ao mesmo tempo, como o rebelde e o patriota, o viciado e o religioso, o engraçado e o depressivo, características que se apresentam também nas letras de suas músicas. Esse temperamento peculiar o colocou no patamar de representante da identidade norte-americana além de torná-lo bastante popular entre os presidiários, o que demonstra sua importância não só como músico, mas como ícone da cultura de um país.