By Caleb Harrison, Contributing Writer
A father, a legend, and “the man in black,” Johnny Cash was one of the best country music artists who ever stood on stage. He was able to influence people around the world with his music; in fact, it would be harder to say who he didn’t reach with his music, as the likes of former president John F. Kennedy to country legends such as Dolly Parton, Billy Strings, and Hank Williams have all credited Cash as a major influence in the country scene.
In Cash’s 68 studio albums (with a total of 130 albums overall) and over 1500 songs, he sings about everything from the serious to the downright silly – just some of the topics he covers in his songs are imprisonment, murder, addiction, theft, the needy, and love. He was also a staunch advocate for the downtrodden, impoverished, and imprisoned, making many donations to many different charities.
Doing live shows in prisons was somewhat of a highlight in his career, showing that he truly believed in what he was preaching. One of the few misconceptions of Cash’s career is that he was imprisoned at Folsom Prison; however, he was never imprisoned anywhere except the occasional night in jail.
Though many just see the callous cowboy/renegade image that he built for himself, he was known for being a loving and caring father to his children, although he was sometimes distant due to his long battle with addiction, which he ultimately beat much later in life. Johnny Cash died at the age of 71 due to respiratory failure brought on by complications with diabetes, leaving behind a legacy of musicianship from 1954 to 2003, nearly 50 years in total.
Over those nearly 50 years that Johnny Cash was making music, he consistently made his listeners feel something in every album, from happiness to rebelliousness to heartbreak. Here are my absolute must-listen albums of his.
10. The Johnny Cash Children’s Album (1974)
This one is happy and lighter than his usual somber tone, as Cash still makes an effort to address real-world problems, but in a more kid-friendly fashion – after all, he made this album in partnership with Sesame Street. It feels as though he allowed everyone to have fun and let loose on this one; it showcases how much he truly cared about the happiness of children, potentially using some of his experiences as a father.
9. I Walk The Line (1974)
Released when Cash was finding his image, this LP showcases his iconic train-like rhythm. I Walk The Line has some of Johnny Cash’s most famous and recognizable songs made in the very start of his career; though not as impactful or world-changing as some of his other work, it is still quite fun with a more light-hearted approach.
8. Rockabilly Blues (1989)
If you want something that sounds like Cash’s take on ZZ Top, this is your album; faster pace, same Johnny Cash. This album is the definition of rockabilly rock meeting country twang as shredding electric guitar and belting out country blues at breakneck speed is what it’s all about. It certainly gives the listener a picture of the outlaw Cash was.
7. Blood, Sweat and Tears (1963)
This is an album for those who love rhythm and blues that tells a story. Over the course of the LP, Cash tells the story of John Henry, the railroad worker and his life of struggle, delving deeper into Cash’s storyteller side than most picks on this list.
6. American Recordings (1993)
For those who enjoy dark/sad folk, this is your album. American Recordings is not afraid to show the darker parts of Cash’s mind as he reflects on the duality of the world; singing about the pain, the beauty, the dark, and the light, Cash tackles both sides of life to the tune of his sad guitar.
5. Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of The True West (1965)
This one features Cash’s classic outlaw persona working full force. Donning his black cowboy hat, Cash makes you crave days long passed, full of dust, cowboys, and outlaws. If you want to feel like a cowboy belonging to a byegone era or reflect on Americana history, as is told by someone who lived it, this is your album. Outlaws and cowboys, that is who Cash tells the story of; as the title implies, he writes about his idea of how the West truly was, painting a picture of dust, boots, and six-shooters.
4. Man in Black (1971)
When somebody talks about Johnny Cash, they cannot exclude this album. The Man in Black is one of the most iconic pieces he ever made, earning him the name that would follow him throughout the rest of his life. In one of Cash’s more political albums, he calls for change in the world he sees around him and picks up the renegade persona that he is now remembered for.
3. With His Hot and Blue Guitar (1956)
This is right when Cash finally got his big break and smashed it out of the park; With His Hot and Blue Guitar is his first album and undeniably one of his best. You can hear how young and almost brash Cash sings – fast, loud, and impactful was the name of the game. Cash was trying to make a name for himself and prove that he deserved to be heard as much as anyone else. This was only the beginning of a long, rough road for Cash, but it would help make him the legend that he is today.
2. American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002)
In one of Cash’s most emotional pieces, the fourth installment in his American series comes to us from a man who knows his time on earth is not long, but still does not want to leave us without speaking his piece. Although this is not his last album, you can feel the soul in what he was trying to convey as he begins to say goodbye to the world. He knew his life and his music were coming to an end, and accepted that sad fact. Although sad, it shows the very real perspective of a dying man knowing what he should have done and trying to convey that lesson to a younger generation before it was too late.
1. At Folsom Prison (1968)
This live album is one of his all-time best. You can hear how he treated the inmates at Folsom with a kind and just attitude; no matter what they had done, he put on a show for them just like any other, treating them as humans in a time when that was not quite so common. He tried to give a voice to the voiceless, as on the album, you can hear him joking and laughing with the inmates, immortalizing their contributions to the night in one of the greatest albums of all time.
If you’re not in the mood for a full-length album, Johnny Cash’s single tracks are just as powerful on their own; here’s my top 10.
10. “Cocaine Blues” (1968)
This song has a “do as I say, not as I do” feel. A faster-paced song about the unfortunate tale of a man addicted to cocaine, Cash uses his rebel persona as a life lesson in this track to warn against such substances. The song was most likely inspired by Cash’s battle with addiction, adding deeper weight to the already sad lyrics.
9. “Nasty Dan” (1974)
In this track, Cash sings about a nasty man who’s a bully, reflecting on the fact that sometimes bad people stay the same and attract the same kind of people to surround themselves with.
8. “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (2002)
Cash wants the listener to have someone to rely on through rough water and hard or dark times, most likely pulling from his own experiences. This song describes how important it is to have a loved one near you during a time of grief. Cash shows that grief and death affect us all, from the biggest stars to the average listener of their music.
7. “Big River” (1964)
In this track, Cash tells the story of a man trying to find a woman whom he met in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and all the misery he went through in the process. This song shows what obsession looks like, state to state, as the man follows.
6. “One Piece at a Time” (1976)
One of Cash’s more funny/silly songs, he describes his experience stealing parts from the Cadillac assembly line one piece at a time over many years. “One Piece at a Time” has almost a bounce melody that fits with the fun and mischievous tone of the song, as all seriousness is thrown straight out the window.
5. “Give My Love To Rose” (1968)
A ballad about the last wishes of a dying man who had spent 10 years in prison paying for an unspecified crime, this song shows the sorrow and regret of one who knows that they have wasted their life, which they now know is coming to an end.
4. “Committed To Park View” (1976)
This song is about Johnny Cash’s alleged time in Park View Hospital and some people whom he might have met. It is a beautiful example that everyone deals with mental health issues. Cash experienced being mentally unwell at a time when mental health was not talked about and treated as a shunned topic, and it really shows through in this song.
3. “The Ballad of Boot Hill” (1965)
A somber ballad that tells of a town in the Old West and some of its former inhabitants, Cash speaks about Tombstone, whose events were also depicted in a famous 1993 movie of the same name. This song makes you feel like you’re walking in a ghost town full of wood buildings and dusty streets, reading tombstones and visiting places people lived and worked a long, long time ago.
2. “ Tennessee Stud” (1994)
Possibly inspired by the love that Johnny Cash had for his wife, June Carter Cash, this love story follows a man, his horse, and his love.
1. “Folsom Prison Blues” (1957)
This is one of Johnny Cash’s most famous songs, and it more than earns its fame. The live recording of this song is particularly memorable because you can hear how much fun he and the crowd of prisoners were having with it.
