The One And Only Johnny Cash
Mike B. | 11/08/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Much attention has been given to Johnny Cash's years with Sun Records, his long stint with Columbia, and the Rick Rubin-produced "American" series. All but forgotten are the five albums he made for Mercury from 1987 to 1991, when he was in-between his Columbia and American contracts.
I began collecting Cash in 1979, when he issued his album "Silver" - which I still think is the best record he ever made. Sales were good, but Columbia failed to promote such great follow-up releases as "Johnny 99" (1983) and "Rainbow" (1985). When "Rainbow" didn't sell, Columbia let him go and he signed with Mercury. Over the next 5 years he recorded 4 albums of new material for them, and one album of re-recordings of old hits ("Classic Cash '88"). Of the five, these two were the best. Some of the finest work he ever did is contained herein, and it's nice to have them together on one compact disc.
"Johnny Cash Is Coming To Town" (1987) was his label debut, and found him paired up with producer Jack Clement, who had produced many of his earliest hit singles. Cash sings Elvis Costello's "The Big Light", and two by Guy Clark ("Let Him Roll" and "Heavy Metal"). Johnny himself wrote "The Ballad Of Barbara", and I think it's one of the 10 best songs he's ever written. Other tracks are wonderfully descriptive story songs: "The Night Hank Williams Came To Town", and a tribute to Western swing pioneers "W. Lee O'Daniel (And The Light Crust Doughboys)". "Letters From Home" is absolutely beautiful. "My Ship Will Sail" concludes the album with rousing Carter Family backing choruses.
"Water From The Wells Of Home" (1988) is a record of all duets, and begins with a remake of his old hit "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen" (with parts of it sung by his daughter Rosanne Cash and the Everly Brothers). "As Long As I Live" (with Emmylou Harris) and "Sweeter Than The Flowers" (with Waylon Jennings) are both exceptionally moving and beautiful. "The Last Of The Drifters" (with Tom T. Hall) and "That Old Wheel" (with Hank Williams,Jr.) are both rollicking rockers. "Where Did We Go Right" (with wife June Carter) is one of their most touching duets. "New Moon Over Jamaica" (with Paul McCartney) was co-written by Paul, Cash, and Tom T. Hall. It glorifies the beauty of Cash's favorite island getaway, where he maintained an estate for many years. For more on that, check out his excellent memoir "Cash: The Autobiography" (1997).
I'm saving the best for last. "A Croft In Clachan" (with Glen Campbell) is fantastic, and would also make my list of the best songs Cash ever wrote. It's about young Scottish soldier Rob MacDunn returning home from war, and is superb. This album is another Jack Clement production, with the notable exception of "New Moon Over Jamaica" (produced by Paul McCartney).
Regrettably, Mercury didn't give these albums the promotional push they deserved, and his career temporarily stalled. But that doesn't make them any less great. Trust me, these are every bit as good as his more successful efforts for other labels. The other albums of new material for Mercury ("Boom Chicka Boom" and "The Mystery Of Life") are good, but not as consistent as these two. "Classic Cash '88" isn't really necessary if you've got the originals.
Collecting an artist like Johnny Cash can be intimidating. After all, there's so much product out there. With his distinctive baritone voice and commanding presence, he towered over the international music scene for nearly 50 years in a way that few others have done (Frank Sinatra comes to mind). For me, Cash was the all-time greatest American artist. His songs about Native Americans, trains, the working man, the insanity of war, etc. - helped to define the way we see ourselves and our country, and they continue to resonate meaningfully. He was a giant among men and an all-around cool guy. Only Dylan and Springsteen are on track to catch up to him, and they've still got some years to go.
If you'd like to collect Cash's most vital work, I'd suggest the 3-disc box set "The Essential Johnny Cash 1955-1983", which features all his original Sun hit singles, plus many major Columbia tracks. "At San Quentin" is great (I like it even better than "At Folsom Prison"). His records with The Highwaymen (Kris, Waylon, and Willie) were good, especially the first one. "Silver" and "Johnny 99" are excellent, as is "Rainbow" (if you can find it). All the others I've recommended are easily available on CD. The Rick Rubin productions are worth having ("Unchained" is my favorite).
But this outstanding two-fer truly ranks among his best. If you buy it, you'll be glad you did!"
Track Listings (20) - Disc #1