Music Monday—Hello, I’m Johnny Cash

Debra offered such kind words about my Billy Stewart post

that now I am comfortably inspired to share more about music I enjoy.  I know my taste is probably quite different from yours, but maybe you will find some entertainment, enlightenment, or hopefully enjoyment from my point of view?  If not, skip GillsAGoGo on Mondays.  : )  Well, as long as this Monday Music whim-thing keeps going. 

My Grandma Lois was a HUGE Johnny Cash fan.  He was her all-time favorite, I am sure.  I remember once, when I was about 10 years old, being at her house while a very persistent insurance agent spent a good part of a summer afternoon trying to sell her on something.  Finally, after the tape had looped I-don’t-even-know-how-many times in the 8-track player, he said, “Ma’am, I believe you like Johnny Cash?”

I wasn’t really a fan of Johnny’s until adulthood since I sorta blanket-approach disliked anything to do with country music. As a kid, country was all that seemed to be  available in Clay County, and I craved the cool music like pop and rock. 

That outlook seemed to change once I wised up  opened up  grew up (although I will say that I still don’t care for much of country music), and I found I definitely had some favorites of my own amongst the country oldies. 

While we were dating in 1996, Gary impressed me with his own rendition of Ring of Fire, substituting his own harmonica-out-of-a-comb-and-waxed paper-minus-the-comb-and-waxed paper mouth sounds for the horns.  The big goof totally won me over, as evidenced by the short-term engagement, marriage, and four kiddos soon following.  If we were to hear this song today, he would grin at me and spontaneously do his horn part, and on that, I am willing to bet you a million bucks.

As those who know me well can attest, I am a huge fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and there is actually a down-right impressive connection between the Chilis and Mr. Cash. 

Rick Rubin has significant history with the Chilis, as their record producer from their sensational fifth album in 1991, BloodSugarSMagic (keeping it kid-friendly here) through their latest, their ninth album in 2006, Stadium Arcadium. 

Rubin also produced a career-reviving series of albums for Johnny Cash, known as the American albums, in the 1990’s through early 2000’s, after Johnny had been dropped by big-name labels Columbia and Mercury.  Rubin arranged for/asked? Chili members John, Flea, and Chad to play on some of these covers by Johnny Cash.  Check ‘em out!

Heart of Gold—I am sure you know the Neil Young original from 1972.  I just heard it on the radio today, in fact. Here’s Johnny’s version with great excellent guitar sounds from the former Chili, John Frusciante, my favorite guitarist of all time.  This song was released on the box set Unearthed two months after Johnny’s death in 2003. 

Personal Jesus--It’s Johnny’s remake of an artsy song I enjoyed in my 80’s college hey-days.  I guess Johnny’s interpretation really isn’t one I find that special, even though John’s guitar work is there, but the fact that a 70+ year old Johnny covers Depeche Mode is just highly interesting. 

 

Wow is about the only word I can say for this one, Hurt; so moving and sad, this, his final video. It’s a remake of Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails song from the mid-90’s that I don’t think anyone could have envisioned Johnny covering, well, except I guess mastermind Rick Rubin himself.  It was filmed at Johnny’s home, very spur of the moment with no makeup, just Johnny raw, real, and so somber.  While you listen and especially while you watch, you cannot help but absorb his haunting heartache of regret, as much a man in black then as he’d ever been.  Watch his beloved June watching him.  

I hear this song as powerfully fragile, if that makes any sense.  Johnny died less than four months after June.  I think, maybe, in part of a broken heart.

-----------------------------

Hurt

Written by Trent Reznor

Released 1994 by Nine Inch Nails

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that’s real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns (as sung in the Johnny version, original was the non-kid friendly: sh word)
Upon my liar’s chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here

[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way