Back in August 1970 Johnny Cash came to my small northwest Georgia town to do a fundraiser for a new field house for the high school. A few years earlier he had been arrested for DUI there and the sheriff had given him a talking to about how he was ruining his life and career and needed to straighten up. Supposedly that was a turning point for Cash. Anyway, it was a huge event on the football field that night. Cash sang Ring of Fire, Blue Suede Shoes, A Boy Named Sue, and lots of others I can't remember right now. June Carter Cash was a big hit. She talked about wanting to bring her baby boy to show him where his daddy spent the night in jail, then bragged about her long evening dress and flopped it. When someone in the crowd wolf whistled she said "Sex Maniac!" It was a good long show and lots of fun.
Wow. That is interesting. We are all affected by something. In 1974 I was busted for selling a pound of pot to an undercover cop. That bust changed my life. Much later,I hired the cop to do some investigation for me. More recently, I contacted Leo and told him that him arresting me was the best thing that ever happened to me. I think we both shared a tear on the phone. I then told him that as a singer/songwriter, I wrote a song about that moment and identified Leo in the song. He asked me to send it to him and he got the biggest kick out of it and he told all his retired cop friends and they all opened m YouTube channel and watched it. I was inspired to write “Conviction “ bearing Johnny Cash singing Folsom Prison Blues. I’ll copy it here in a moment.
And much of his career was shrouded in darkness and haunted by demons. Her love eased his hurt but could not cure it. Toward the end of his life he recorded a cover of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails. It begins “I hurt myself today to see if I still feel.” Such is the man that June loved; and such is the love that sustained them both. -Dwight Lee Wolter.
I was going to mention "Hurt" too, Dwight, and had similar thoughts, but you said it better than I could. His rendition is much better than NIN's, in my opinion, and it's my favorite of Johnny's works.
p.s. Here's Johnny's version. I am amazed at its power.
I love the Johnny Cash version and video. I’ve watched it so many times thinking, “I won’t cry this time” but I always do. NIN sang about his struggles in youth, and Cash sang about his mortality. Same song, same words, different meanings. When he closes the piano lid, and runs his hands across it, that’s where it feels like he’s saying goodbye. 😢
Thanks, Dan, for this special "Reason To Smile." I'll make a short story long.
About 18 years ago, our son went to Japan to teach English. While he was there, he befriended and was mentored by an older gentleman thru the Lions Club. He's a very interesting man - an oncologist who ran a couple of hospitals in two big cities. We met him on one of our many trips to Japan (our son lives there now and has a family). One of his favorite pastimes is alcohol-fueled karaoke, to which he invited us one evening. I told my son that there isn't enough alcohol in Japan to make me sing karaoke. Well, there is, and somewhere there's a video of me, singing a duet with this fine gentleman of, you guessed it, "Ring of Fire."
If you're still looking for reasons to smile today, it is worth listening to Sarah Vowell's discussion of this song and why she calls its writing "The Greatest Love Story of the 20th Century." It's a ten-minute segment from This American Life:
Agree with you 100%, Dan, that Johnny and June were magic. I’m especially fond of the Folsom Prison and San Quentin Prison concerts/albums that he made. Wish they could have lived longer…seems like each of them only got 2/3 of a life. What a shame. But their songs live on. God bless radio, records, audio tape, video tape, CDs, movies, digital and who knows what else making it possible to listen forever
IMO, the song that best exemplifies Johnny Cash is Man in Black. He had a special place in his heart for folks who were struggling in life. He insisted on including black singers in his shows when Jim Crow denied them equal rights, especially in the South where Johnny grew. I have tremendous respect for the man.
Such an iconic song with those mariachi trumpets! I read that Johnny Cash claimed the idea for adding them to the song came to him in a dream. And a legendary band for this live performance: Johnny himself, the Carter family singing harmony, and Carl Perkins playing electric rhythm guitar.
Dan, I just love all the music you bring in to this space. And you usually make it relevant to today’s world. It brings me joy! Thanks from a former Texan and UT graduate!
In 1969, I was in Army basic training, at Fort Jackson, SC. Among the drill instructors was a man named Ted Wescott, a country music devotee from Maine, who began our two-mile runs with "Love is a burning thing-left, right, left!" That is now one of my "burning" memories of "Ring of Fire".
Back in August 1970 Johnny Cash came to my small northwest Georgia town to do a fundraiser for a new field house for the high school. A few years earlier he had been arrested for DUI there and the sheriff had given him a talking to about how he was ruining his life and career and needed to straighten up. Supposedly that was a turning point for Cash. Anyway, it was a huge event on the football field that night. Cash sang Ring of Fire, Blue Suede Shoes, A Boy Named Sue, and lots of others I can't remember right now. June Carter Cash was a big hit. She talked about wanting to bring her baby boy to show him where his daddy spent the night in jail, then bragged about her long evening dress and flopped it. When someone in the crowd wolf whistled she said "Sex Maniac!" It was a good long show and lots of fun.
Wow. That is interesting. We are all affected by something. In 1974 I was busted for selling a pound of pot to an undercover cop. That bust changed my life. Much later,I hired the cop to do some investigation for me. More recently, I contacted Leo and told him that him arresting me was the best thing that ever happened to me. I think we both shared a tear on the phone. I then told him that as a singer/songwriter, I wrote a song about that moment and identified Leo in the song. He asked me to send it to him and he got the biggest kick out of it and he told all his retired cop friends and they all opened m YouTube channel and watched it. I was inspired to write “Conviction “ bearing Johnny Cash singing Folsom Prison Blues. I’ll copy it here in a moment.
This one's for you, Dan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0kdMkgTMgc
Fabulous memory!
And much of his career was shrouded in darkness and haunted by demons. Her love eased his hurt but could not cure it. Toward the end of his life he recorded a cover of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails. It begins “I hurt myself today to see if I still feel.” Such is the man that June loved; and such is the love that sustained them both. -Dwight Lee Wolter.
I was going to mention "Hurt" too, Dwight, and had similar thoughts, but you said it better than I could. His rendition is much better than NIN's, in my opinion, and it's my favorite of Johnny's works.
p.s. Here's Johnny's version. I am amazed at its power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI
WOW!
I love the Johnny Cash version and video. I’ve watched it so many times thinking, “I won’t cry this time” but I always do. NIN sang about his struggles in youth, and Cash sang about his mortality. Same song, same words, different meanings. When he closes the piano lid, and runs his hands across it, that’s where it feels like he’s saying goodbye. 😢
I just posted it in another response. Damn powerful!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI
Damn. Thanks for that recommendation. Heartbreaking though it was. 💔
Johnny Cash was a complex man.
Thanks, Dan, for this special "Reason To Smile." I'll make a short story long.
About 18 years ago, our son went to Japan to teach English. While he was there, he befriended and was mentored by an older gentleman thru the Lions Club. He's a very interesting man - an oncologist who ran a couple of hospitals in two big cities. We met him on one of our many trips to Japan (our son lives there now and has a family). One of his favorite pastimes is alcohol-fueled karaoke, to which he invited us one evening. I told my son that there isn't enough alcohol in Japan to make me sing karaoke. Well, there is, and somewhere there's a video of me, singing a duet with this fine gentleman of, you guessed it, "Ring of Fire."
Awesome. 👏🏻 Just awesome. 😎
The BEST! Thanks Dan. Thanks Johnny. Happy Birthday June!
If you're still looking for reasons to smile today, it is worth listening to Sarah Vowell's discussion of this song and why she calls its writing "The Greatest Love Story of the 20th Century." It's a ten-minute segment from This American Life:
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/247/what-is-this-thing/act-three
That was great! Thanks for the link to Sarah Vowell’s “This American Life” piece.
Thanks. I listened and I’m glad I did.
Agree with you 100%, Dan, that Johnny and June were magic. I’m especially fond of the Folsom Prison and San Quentin Prison concerts/albums that he made. Wish they could have lived longer…seems like each of them only got 2/3 of a life. What a shame. But their songs live on. God bless radio, records, audio tape, video tape, CDs, movies, digital and who knows what else making it possible to listen forever
IMO, the song that best exemplifies Johnny Cash is Man in Black. He had a special place in his heart for folks who were struggling in life. He insisted on including black singers in his shows when Jim Crow denied them equal rights, especially in the South where Johnny grew. I have tremendous respect for the man.
Thanks, Dan. Had to listen to song before I commented. Enjoyed very much. Oldies but goodies aren’t we!
Thanks Dan! I did not know June Carter wrote that song. Great talent.
Such an iconic song with those mariachi trumpets! I read that Johnny Cash claimed the idea for adding them to the song came to him in a dream. And a legendary band for this live performance: Johnny himself, the Carter family singing harmony, and Carl Perkins playing electric rhythm guitar.
Dan, I just love all the music you bring in to this space. And you usually make it relevant to today’s world. It brings me joy! Thanks from a former Texan and UT graduate!
I fell in love with country music while watching Ken Burns' PBS series. I love this song and the story behind it. Thanks Dan and Happy Sunday!
My favorite of all was Nashville, June was awesome on that and Cash was brilliant with that deep voice. They sang it to each other WOW.
Super selection
In 1969, I was in Army basic training, at Fort Jackson, SC. Among the drill instructors was a man named Ted Wescott, a country music devotee from Maine, who began our two-mile runs with "Love is a burning thing-left, right, left!" That is now one of my "burning" memories of "Ring of Fire".
Oh yeah! Smiling big time here!! Thanks June! Thanks Johnny! Thanks Dan!!