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Back in the early 1960's the first country records that
I bought as a teenager were Johnny Cash. It is wonderful
to see this icon of country music fighting against constant
illness to bring us...his fans...this recording. Johnny
Cash's poor health has been well publicised for some time;
first being misdiagnosed as suffering from Parkinson's Disease
and then as Shy-Drager Syndrome and now something called
autonomic neuropathy. Johnny Cash has to be saluted for
showing the magnitude of his inner strength in his continued
fight against this ill health.
Over the past four years Johnny Cash has been collaborating
with record producer Rick Rubin (known for working with
the likes of Tom Petty, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and the
Beastie Boys). This is their forth album in the 'American
Recordings' series with some of the recording being done
in Cash's home studios in Tennessee and Jamaica. A host
of musicians join Johnny Cash including his ex-son in-law
Marty Stuart, Laura Cash (possibly one of his granddaughters),
Randy Scruggs, Nick Cave, Jack Clements plus many other
fine musicians, bringing about a basically acoustic album.
There are 15 tracks on The Man Comes
Around; covering
a wide spectrum of country inspired emotional ground. Cash
takes other songwriters compositions and turns them into
his own, with the likes of the traditional song "Danny
Boy" being given a hallowed setting after being cut
at an Episcopal cathedral in L.A. and the skilful use of
a solitary pipe organ played by Benmont Tench. Cash's lonesome
vocals sail over an acoustic guitar on The Eagles' "Desperado"
with the complement of vocals by Randy Scruggs, Jeff Hannah
and Kerry Marx. Cash gives Hank Williams "I'm So Lonesome
I Could Cry" a feel of total desolation and the traditional
"Streets Of Laredo" brings a chill with its story
of a young man who is lead to meet his maker at the hanging
tree.
Johnny Cash says of the opening title track, "I dreamed
I was in Buckingham Palace and the Queen said to me, 'Johnny
Cash, you're just like a thorn in a whirlwind." He
couldn't work out what the meaning was, but years later
he came across the word "whirlwind" in the Bible,
which set him writing dozens of verses finally culminating
in "The Man Comes Around". Other tracks to found
here include the Beatles "In My Life", "The
First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" (Roberta Flack 1972)
and Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
is effectively suited as Cash crosses that bridge himself.
To close this marvellous collection, the "Whole Cash
Gang" is assembled for another song from a time near
60 years past, "We'll Meet Again" giving a feeling
that this is an album that Johnny Cash sees as a testimony
of where he is on road of life.
A prominent icon of country music, Johnny Cash has brought
sheer pleasure to millions of people around the world for
over a half a century. Always willing to put himself out
for those less fortunate than himself, such as the shows
he put on for his "captured" audiences in the
American penal system, he has captured us all and continues
to do so, being held in the highest of esteem by his myriad
of fans worldwide. February 2002 saw Johnny Cash celebrate
his 70th birthday, 50 years of Sun Records where Cash first
stated his recording career in the 50's and also 25 years
of the death of his good friend Elvis Presley. The Man Comes
Around offers compelling listening and a credit to one of
country music's long time troubadours.
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