Recommend me some Johnny Cash

[HyeJinx1984]

Two of my new favorite songs are Cash's "God's Gonna Cut You Down" and his version of "Hurt" ... I absolutely love Johnny Cash when he does really dark, somber songs, but listening through some other songs... a lot of it was really country like which I personally don't like. Are there any songs by Mr. Cash that are more in line with the two songs I mentioned above? Some track recommendations would be appreciated! :D

[rockerbabyy]

while i love both the songs you listed, theres not really a whole lot of more "rock" songs. he did a version of Rusty Cage thats awesome. he also covered Personal Jesus.
my mind is kinda goin blank at the moment, but ill look through my collection later and reply again :)

[afterstasis]

it sounds like you'd enjoy a lot of the "american recordings" material.
additionally, you should check out his "live at folsom prison" album and then the recording from san quentin after that.

[Rockbandfan23467]

You do know this is a history of ROCK board, right?

[afterstasis]

You do know this is a history of ROCK board, right?

i would say johnny cash is totally welcome on a rock forum.

[ShiningIdeal]

Let me echo afterstasis, the American Recordings have the sound you want but Live at Folsom Prison is the recording that I always recommend to people first.

[HyeJinx1984]

Thanks for the suggestions, keep them coming! Also, I never specified it had to be Rock oriented, just darker... he's extremely good at doing really bleak, somber songs like Hurt, considering how much more upbeat and fast his songs usually are.

[Julio_Strikes_Back]

For the record, I'm related to June Carter. She is my great-grandma's first cousin. :)

[afterstasis]

For the record, I'm related to June Carter. She is my great-grandma's first cousin. :)

nice. i used to live down the road from one of johnny's houses in hendersonville.

i also lived four houses down from loretta lynn's ranch in waverly.

[King_Nuthin]

If you want to do it quick and dirty as a sampler I'd pick up the following:
Unearthed (2003) - I put this at the top since you specifically referenced his American Recordings work. This was the box set released soon after his death of un-released American Recordings work plus a best of disc featuring the best cuts off the previous 4 albums. There was a 5th American Recordings disc released later. All are worth checking out, but this box set is great and was Johnny's last project before his death, not a cheap cash in.

At Folsom Prison One of the most important live recordings ever. Most of these tunes are hard luck prison tunes, country death ballads, etc. The 1999 CD reissue is the most complete.

The Essential Johnny Cash (2002) - This was released for his 70th birthday, its a good mix of career spanning tracks. It will get you a flavor of every period.

The Essential Sun Collection (1999) - There are a lot of Sun Records collections, this is probably the best. This was early period Cash, lots of rockabilly and about as close to rock and roll as it gets aside from the American Recordings stuff.

That's a good jumping off point. Love, God, Murder is another box set that explores 3 distinct sets of his recordings. I believe each is also available separately.

[Lord_Mhoram]

From American Recordings - some good tracks that fit your criteria.

Solitary Man
I Hung My Head
I really like his covers of My Own Personal Jesus and Desperado.

[Fatal_T]

I really took an interest in Johnny Cash after watching the movie - I picked up a greatest hits album, and loved it.

"One Piece At A Time" was a uncovered gem for me.

[Sayburr]

Johnny Cash has always been a favorite of mine... Well, he had some albums that were mostly spoken instead of sung, which I didn't care for...

American Recordings was released in '94. Just him and a guitar. IMHO it was the best thing he ever recorded. The stand out song is "Delia's Gone" which was a song about murdering Delia. "Drive On" about the 'nam war is top notch. The Danzig cover Thirtenn is the best cover on this album. "Redemption" is his best religious song ever, very pain stricken and lonely sounding. Other than the cover of the "Cowboy's Prayer" there is not a weak song on the album.

Unchained was the album he did with Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers. Only three orig songs by Cash, but the songs he made his own. There are not many artists who can look at a song and change it to fit themselves. The remake of "Rusty Cage" is a must listen. He also redid his hit "I've Been Everywhere" on this album, I think it was better than the orig version.

The last album he put out while living was "American IV: The Man Comes Around". Mostly this album is covers again, but his new song "The Man Comes Around" ranks up there with his best. The cover of "Hurt" takes the song Trent Reznor created and stole it right from him. I remember reading Trent saying he will never play the song the same way again because it was now Cash's song not his. There are some covers on this album that simply just don't work. Like "Bridge over troubled Water" and then there is "Personal Jesus" which is a great cover.

Then in 2006 we get Johnny's final recordings. "American V: A Hunderd Highways". These songs were recording after June's passing and while bound in a wheelchair. This is a dark album whereas he gives us his farewell. This cuts deeper than Warren Zevon's final goodbye and its is sad and hard to listen to. "Like the 309" is the last song Cash wrote and you have to listen to. Its about a train carrying his coffin off. "It should be awhile/Before I see Doctor Death/So it would sure be nice/If I could get my breath."
The Hank Williams cover "On the Evening Train" is a sad song. Then the final song "I'm Free from the Chain Gang Now". The song is about a man being set free, but Cash makes it sound like a song about death. That whole album is about death and dying, but its a must buy album.

For the older stuff, get the prision albums and pick up a best of or two. Its the American Recordings that I like the best.

[idiotec]

He has so many albums, I have not come close to hearing them all, but some that I have that I really enjoy (besides the American Recordings which are very good):

Orange Blossom Special
At Folsom Prison
Hello, I'm Johnny Cash
Man in Black

[thrdeye]

Buy the three disc set - "The Essential Johnny Cash", proceed directly to disc 3 and listen to "Cocaine Blues".

And get all of the American Recordings - be aware that if you are a Cash fan, American V is very hard to listen to.

[culturedog]

If you like the darker stuff you're going to love his cover of Nick Cave's "The Mercy Seat" from American III. It's some real haunting s***! Then again, grab all of the American Recordings anyway!

And I echo the recommendations for "Live At Folsom Prison" - it's probably the best way to get hooked on his peppier country material.

[supersickie]

Johnny Cash has always been a favorite of mine... Well, he had some albums that were mostly spoken instead of sung, which I didn't care for...

American Recordings was released in '94. Just him and a guitar. IMHO it was the best thing he ever recorded. The stand out song is "Delia's Gone" which was a song about murdering Delia. "Drive On" about the 'nam war is top notch. The Danzig cover Thirtenn is the best cover on this album. "Redemption" is his best religious song ever, very pain stricken and lonely sounding. Other than the cover of the "Cowboy's Prayer" there is not a weak song on the album.

Unchained was the album he did with Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers. Only three orig songs by Cash, but the songs he made his own. There are not many artists who can look at a song and change it to fit themselves. The remake of "Rusty Cage" is a must listen. He also redid his hit "I've Been Everywhere" on this album, I think it was better than the orig version.

The last album he put out while living was "American IV: The Man Comes Around". Mostly this album is covers again, but his new song "The Man Comes Around" ranks up there with his best. The cover of "Hurt" takes the song Trent Reznor created and stole it right from him. I remember reading Trent saying he will never play the song the same way again because it was now Cash's song not his. There are some covers on this album that simply just don't work. Like "Bridge over troubled Water" and then there is "Personal Jesus" which is a great cover.

Then in 2006 we get Johnny's final recordings. "American V: A Hunderd Highways". These songs were recording after June's passing and while bound in a wheelchair. This is a dark album whereas he gives us his farewell. This cuts deeper than Warren Zevon's final goodbye and its is sad and hard to listen to. "Like the 309" is the last song Cash wrote and you have to listen to. Its about a train carrying his coffin off. "It should be awhile/Before I see Doctor Death/So it would sure be nice/If I could get my breath."
The Hank Williams cover "On the Evening Train" is a sad song. Then the final song "I'm Free from the Chain Gang Now". The song is about a man being set free, but Cash makes it sound like a song about death. That whole album is about death and dying, but its a must buy album.

For the older stuff, get the prision albums and pick up a best of or two. Its the American Recordings that I like the best.

I agree with everything you said.

I'm a fan of all of his music and am really looking forward to American VI.

[Julio_Strikes_Back]

What was the Johnny Cash song at the end of Generation Kill? It was about the apocalypse and four horsemen and whatnot.