Online Feature
Johnny Cash: Chapter & Verse
by Don Garcia
When I think of Johnny Cash, I think about that dude in black – black pants, black shirt, black jacket, black whatever, the Folsom Prison guy – walking the line in Reno while shooting guys just to watch ‘em die. You know, the one Reese Witherspoon hung out with while she took a stab at Country Western. No, wait, that was Joaquin.
I’d like to think the real Johnny Cash got religion when he saw flashing red lights in his rearview as he was being pulled over at 3 a.m. coming home from a late-night gig with Jack Daniels sitting shotgun. This was the guy who made black jeans the coolest thing on earth. So when I heard there was a CD after his passing, I’m thinking, cool, Stone Temple Pilots got a new shot at a remake.
Though not his first, I was blown away to find out this posthumous release is religious. I’m not just talking about gospel songs but Johnny reading the Bible. “Why?” I thought. Religion usually kicks in when mortality is the next step as your day starts with oatmeal and a laxative.
Well, it’s a good thing I’m wrong most of the time, because I was way off base. It wasn’t redemption at the end of life or atonement for crazy rides. It was appreciation, respect and acknowledging that it was crazy, and he wanted to give thanks that he’d made it. So, he did it the best way he knew – with his voice.
Reading the bible can be a chore for anyone. Hearing it usually requires attending certain venues. But hearing it from a man who was once on the wrong side of the tracks, hearing it from someone who found just as many excuses as the rest of us, well, that made a difference. It made sense.
Like on Track 6, “The Greatest Cowboy of Them All.” Now, I’ve heard Jesus referred to in many different scenarios: The Big Guy, Man Upstairs, Chewy. But I never heard Him referred to as a Cowboy. Sheep Herder, yeah; Cowboy, no. Leave it to Johnny Cash to make that reference work. The lyrics describe macho into humility and kindness, which is the intended message. But what really drills my head is the groove, the music. It is signature Johnny with rhythmic guitar picking, seldom-changing chords and spitting out his way of telling it like it is.
“The Miracle Man” on Track 1 is exactly what you’d expect from a first track: a representation of the rest of the CD, and that’s just what Johnny did: old style gospel with piano jamming and straight “don’t think you’re all that” lyrics. Sometimes the message gets lost in fancy recording technology and the postage stamp of accompanying instruments — but not this time. It’s like you’re at church waiting for the preacher to show. Then you realize — Dang! That’s the preacher up there jamming. Yeah, baby!
It’s like that crazy uncle your mom doesn’t like to talk about. You know, he comes over smelling like English Leather, Marlboros and Tecate (hey, I‘m old school). Mom thinks he came to borrow money, but instead he sits down and tells you a story about this Man who is coming around someday. You could tell in his voice he was excited but too cool to show it. You got interested in what he was saying, enlightened. That’s kind of what this CD is, a sort of enlightenment from a legend who took some hits.
Life is hard; you wear black to face it. It’s nice to hear someone who knows tell you that it gets better.
--Don Garcia is an Albuquerque freelance writer.
“Johnny Cash: Chapter & Verse” on the DVD International label, is scheduled for release November 4, 2008. “Johnny Cash: Chapter & Verse” DVD+CD combo will also be available.