That Lonesome Whistle

Johnny Cash is dead. You knew it would not be long after his touchstone and partner June Carter Cash passed in May that the Man in Black would follow. He would not have made it out of the Sixties without her.

My own sparse collection of Cash will be in heavy rotation today. Every recording artist with an ounce of stubborn originality owes Johnny a debt of thanks.

Comments

[Justin]

Though I only have two Johnny Cash CDs, the prison albums, they will be making the rounds on my stereo all day today.

I don’t know why, it always shocks me when a musician I love passes. I’ve never known these people, except through their music, but I always have a profound sense of sadness everytime it happens. Roy Orbison, George Harrison and now Johnny Cash…

-Justin

[amr]

I had been expecting this since the mid 90’s, but somehow I’m crushed. Probably entirely selfish reasons: no more of those wonderful American/Rubin albums. (Which I’ve all bought!)

Rest in Peace, Mr. Cash.

[Franklin Harris]

“You knew it would not be long after his touchstone and partner June Carter Cash passed in May that the Man in Black would follow.”

Yep. I’ve been looking for statistics on male life expectancy following the death of a wife. I’ve seen the numbers before, and I know it’s quite common for husbands to die soon after their wives do. Somehow, given all that’s happened in his life, you just knew Johnny would be another statistic on that score.

[david f]

RIP.

Mr. Cash’s version of the Nick Cave classic, “the mercy seat” is amazing.

drf

[Jesse Walker]

Dammit. Goddammit.

[quaker120]

Sad news, yes, but I’m consoled by the fact that he did more “living” in 71 years than all of us H&R readers combined. RIP.

[Dale]

What jesse said. Just damn.

[Dale]

Like a bird
on a wire
like a drunk
in a midnight choir
I have tried
in my way
to be free

Just damn.

[Justin]

Yeah, me too…damn

[Sean]

Yeah, figured this was coming sooner or later. As david mentioned, his choice of covers he had put out recently was an absolutely amazing jewel on an already impressive crown (Danzig “13” was another). The NIN cover, hurt, for which he got all the VMA nominations, was stunning. Without changing a word he puts an entirely different, reverent religious tone to the song. And the video nearly made me cry with his wife behind him and his shakey hand pouring wine out on the banquet table. He will be missed, but he also managed to have more of an effect than most could ever dream.

Shit, I’m wearing black today.

[Damon W. Root]

Damn. If there is someplace beyond all this, I hope he’s there with June right now.

[trainwreck]

His personality really shines through in his live recordings. There you get to hear him joke around with the band and the crowd. I think that’s why his over-the-top style worked: even the jaded cynics could see he didn’t take himself too seriously. He’s my vote for the greatest entertainer of the 20th century.

[asmie]

Jacob writes: “More fundamentally, raising alcohol prices to deter underage drinking is like raising the cost of tickets for R-rated movies to deter 13-year-olds who sneak in without the requisite parent or guardian. In both cases, the appropriate solution is to enforce the age restriction, not to punish responsible adults for the misbehavior of other people’s kids.

Does that mean you think rating movies and limiting access to them is a legitimate function of government. It’s interesting that further, you suggest that the current age limits on drinking don’t make sense, but you suggest that the “appropriate solution” is still to enforce them.

[Lefty]

The height of irony is that in over 30 states in this country, Johnny Cash couldn’t vote, serve on a jury, own a gun, be a school bus driver or a barber.

Well, I wouldn’t want Johnny driving a school bus. Maybe that one makes sense.

[Lefty]

Damn. Johnny never did time.

Substitute Merle Haggard, then.

[Sean]

Lefty,

Why is that? Despite his songs and concerts in prisons, he never was convicted of a felony or did time.

[Tommy_Grand]

He did shoot a man in reno…

[nm156]

Just to watch him . . . I still remember the first time I heard a JC song: “Hello I’m Johnny Cash,” was the only intro. Perfect. If there was ever a musician who epitomized America for me it was Johnny Cash. You didn’t have to like what your government did, but you loved your country nonetheless. Some angels do wear black, it seems.

[Jon H]

Justin writes: “I don’t know why, it always shocks me when a musician I love passes. I’ve never known these people, except through their music, but I always have a profound sense of sadness everytime it happens. Roy Orbison, George Harrison and now Johnny Cash…”

One of the worst for me was Kirsty Maccoll. It’s a bit easier when they die of old age, or disease, or (stupidly) from an OD – nevermind death due to idiotic gang-related crap.

Kirsty was swimming with her kids at a beach in Mexico, when some asshat went flying by in his flashy boat and hit her.

That sucked.