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Track Listing (Click to hear sample)
I Walk The Line
Bad News
Folsom Prison Blues
Give My Love To Rose
I Still Miss Someone
Understand Your Man
Wreck Of Old 97
Still In Town
Big River
Goodbye, Little Darlin' Goodbye
Troublesome Waters
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Liner Notes A phenomenon probably unique to the Country and Western and folk song fields is the composer who is also the best singer of his own songs. One of the notably gifted-and most successful -examples in recent years is Johnny Cash, whose hit recordings of original compositions have appeared repeatedly on national best-seller charts. Endowed with a vibrant, virile baritone voice, he is one of the best songwriting talents since the legendary Hank Williams.
The title of Johnny's new collection, I WALK THE LINE, is also the title of the million-seller that catapulted him into the national spotlight only a few years ago. Appropriately, the song leads o.If this album which includes six Cash originals and one collaboration. After he sings Bad News ("I'm bad news, always gettin' into trouble"), the effect of which Johnny heightens by a devilish chuckle, he follows with three other famous Cash originals, the grim Folsom Prison Blues ("I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"), the poignant Give My Love to Rose ("the words a dyin' fella said") and Hey Porter ("tell me the time, how much longer will it be till we cross that Mason-Dixon line?"), a jubilant going home song. I Still Miss Someone is a sentimental song that Johnny wrote to brother Roy's words.
A song with a too-late-now theme, Understand Your Man, shows a lighter side to Johnny's writing and performing talents. A new arrangement of Wreck of the Old 97 concludes with the sobering moral: "Never speak harsh words to your true-lovin' husband, he may leave you and never return." After Still in Town, Johnny sings another of his own songs, Big River ("I taught the weepin' willow how to cry"), Gene Autry's classic Goodbye, Little Darlin' Goodbye and concludes with the inspirational Troublesome Waters. I WALK THE LINE offers Johnny Cash, renowned story-teller-in song, at his creative and performing best. .~ Top Of Page
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Info Personnel
Recorded:
ChartsAlbum - Billboard (North America)
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Info Cash's first album, released on Sun in 1957, was a little more folkloric and traditional in bent than what he put on most of his singles, though not pronouncedly so. In fact, four of the tracks ("I Walk the Line," "Cry! Cry! Cry!," "So Doggone Lonesome," and "Folsom Prison Blues") had already been hit singles. For the rest of the set, Cash drew on some older folk ("Rock Island Line," "The Wreck of the Old '97"), country ("[I Heard That] Lonesome Whistle," "Remember Me [I'm the One Who Loves You]"), prison ("Doin' My Time"), and spiritual ("I Was There When It Happened") songs. Filling out the set was a good, rollicking Cash original, "Country Boy," and a rather sassy tune by the young Jerry Reed, "If the Good Lord's Willing." It's a good, solid record that's very much in the mold of his classic early Sun sound, with spare accompaniment that nevertheless often approaches a rockabilly-country bounce. The 2002 CD reissue on Varese Sarabande adds five bonus tracks: the fine, brisk B-sides "Hey, Porter!" and "Get Rhythm," as well as alternate versions of "I Was There When It Happened," "Folsom Prison Blues," and "I Walk the Line." The album's desirability's a little diminished by the presence of the material on numerous other compilations in the CD era, though it still stands well on its own.
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Lyrics 1.I WALK THE LINE(Johnny Cash) « © '56 House Of Cash, BMI »Mhm I keep a close watch on this heart of mine I keep my eyes wide open all the time I keep the ends out for the tie that binds Because you're mine I walk the line Mhm I find it very very easy to be true I find myself alone when each day is through Yes I'll admit that I'm a fool for you Because you're mine I walk the line Mhm as sure as night is dark and day is light I keep you on my mind both day and night And happiness I've known proves that it's right Because you're mine I walk the line Mhm you've got a way to keep me on your side You give me cause for love that I can't hide For you I know I'd even try to turn the tide Because you're mine I walk the line Mhm I keep a close watch... ********** 2.BAD NEWS(John D. Loudermilk) « © '63 Acuff-Rose Music, BMI »Ha ha ha come on bad news ha ha Well bad news travels like wild fire goodnews travels slow They all call me Wildfire ha ha cause everybody knows I'm bad news everywhere I go Always gettin' in a trouble and leaving little girls that hate to see me go They tried to hang me in Oakland and the did in Francisco But I wouldn't choke I broke their rope and they had to let me go Cause I'm bad news everywhere I go Always gettin' in a trouble and leaving little girls that hate to see me go Now from north to south east to west the story is the same From one state to another I have to change my name Cause I'm bad news everywhere I go Always gettin' in a trouble and leaving little girls that hate to see me go [ dobro ] Well now I've picked peaches in Georgia I lumberjacked in Maine I've been hired fired and jailed in any town you can name Cause I'm bad news everywhere I go Always gettin' in a trouble and leaving little girls that hate to see me go ********** 3.FOLSOM PRISON BLUES(Johnny Cash) « © '56 House Of Cash, BMI »I hear the train a comin' it's rollin' round the bend And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when I'm stuck in Folsom Prison and time keeps draggin' on But that train keeps a rollin' on down to San Antone When I was just a baby my mama told me son Always be a good boy don't ever play with guns But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die When I hear that whistle blowin' I hang my head and I cry [ guitar ] I bet there's rich folks eatin' in a fancy dining car They're prob'ly drinkin' coffee and smokin' big cigars Well I know I had it comin' I know I can't be free But those people keep a movin' and that's what tortures me [ guitar ] Well if they freed me from this prison if that railroad train was mine I'd move it on a little farther down the line Far from Folsom Prison that's where I want to stay And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away ********** 4.GIVE MY LOVE TO ROSE(Johnny Cash) « © '57 House Of Cash, BMI »I found him by the railroad track this morning I could see that he was nearly dead I knelt down beside him and I listened Just to hear the words the dyin' fellow said He said they let me out of prison out in Frisco For ten long years I paid for what I done I was trying to get back to Louisiana To see my Rose and get to know my son Give my love to Rose please won't you Mister Take her all my money tell her buy some pretty clothes Tell my boy that daddy's so proud of him And don't forget to give my love to Rose [ guitar ] Won't you tell 'em I said thanks for waitin' for me Tell my boy to help his mom at home Tell my Rose to try to find another Cause it ain't right that she should live alone Mister here's the bag with all my money It won't last them long the way it goes God bless you for findin' me this morning Now don't forget to give my love to Rose Give my love to Rose... ********** 5.HEY PORTER(Johnny Cash) « © '55 House Of Cash, BMI »Hey porter hey porter would you tell me the time How much longer will it be till we cross that Mason Dixon Line At daylight would you tell that engineer to slow it down Or better still just stop the train cause I want to look around Hey porter hey porter what time did you say How much longer will it be till I can see the light of day When we hit Dixie would you tell that engineer to ring his bell And ask everybody that ain't asleep to stand right up and yell [ guitar ] Hey porter hey porter it's gettin' light outside This old train is puffin' smoke and I have to strain my eyes But ask that engineer if he will blow his whistle please Cause I smell frost on cotton leaves and I feel that southern breeze Hey porter hey porter please get my bags from me I need nobody to tell me now that we're in Tennessee Go tell that engineer to make that lonesome whistle scream We're not so far from home so take it easy on the steam [ guitar ] Hey porter hey porter please open up the door When they stop this train I'm gonna get off first cause I can't wait no more Tell that engineer I say thanks a lot I didn't mind the fare I'm gonna set my feet on southern soil and breathe that southern air ********** 6.I STILL MISS SOMEONE(Johnny Cash - Ray Cash Jr) « © '58 House Of Cash, BMI / Unichappell Music, BMI »At my door the leaves are falling a cold wild wind will come Sweethearts walk by together and I still miss someone Although I never got over those blue eyes I see them everywehere I miss those arms that held me when all of the love was there I wonder if she's sorry for leaving what we'd begun There's someone for me somewhere and I still miss someone [ dobro ] Although I never got over those blue eyes... I wonder if she's sorry... I still miss someone ********** 7.UNDERSTAND YOUR MAN(Johnny Cash) « © '64 Anne Rachel Music, ASCAP / Song Of Cash Music, ASCAP »Don't call my name out your window I'm leavin' I won't even turn my head Don't send your kinfolks to give me no talkin' I'll be gone like I said You'd say the same old things that you been saying all along Lay there in your bed keep your mouth shot till I'm gone Don't give me that old familiar cryin' cussin' moan understand your man Tidy your bad mouth and understand your man [ dobro + trumpets ] You can give my other suits to the Salvation Army And everything else I leave behind I ain't takin' nothin' that'll slow down my travelin' while I'm untanglin' my mind I ain't gonna repeat what I said anymore While I'm breathin' air that ain't been breathed before I'll be as gone as a wild goose in winter then you'll understand your man Understand your man You hear me talkin' honey understand your man Remember what I told you understand your man ********** 8.WRECK OF THE OLD 97(Johnny Cash - Bob Johnson - Norman Blake) « © '57 Unichappell Music, BMI / Slapich Music, BMI »Well they gave him his orders at Monroe Virginia Sayin' Steve you're way behind time This is not 38 this is old 97 you must put her into Spencer on time Then he turned around and said to his black greasy fireman Shovel on a little more coal And when we cross that White Oak Mountain watch old 97 roll [ guitar ] But it's a mighty rough road from Lynchburg to Danville With a line on a three mile grade It was on that grade that he lost his air brakes see what a jump he made He was goin' down the grade makin' ninety miles an hour His whistle broke into a scream He was found in the wreck with his hand on the throttle A scalded to death by the steam [ dobro ] Then the telegram come to Washington station and this is how it read Oh that brave engineer that run old 97 he's a layin' in old Danville dead So now all you ladies you better take a warnin' from this time on and learn Never speak harsh words to your true lovin' husband He may leave you and never return ********** 9.STILL IN TOWN(Harlan Howard - Hank Cochran) « © '62 Tree Publishing, BMI »To love you so and still not have you will destroy me in time So I'm goin' away where nobody knows me and get you off of my mind I've packed my things a dozen times but unpack is all I do Yes I'm still in town still around and still in love with you I made it to the edge of town and turned around I made it to the bridge downtown but my nerve let me down I tried to go but how can I leave when all roads lead to you Yes I'm still in town still around and still in love with you [ piano - steel ] I made it to the edge of town... ********** 10.BIG RIVER(Johnny Cash) « © '57 House Of Cash, BMI »Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die I met her accidentaly in St Paul Minnesota And it tore me up every time I heard her drawl southern drawl Then I heard my dream was back downstream cavortin' in Davenport And I followed you Big River when you called [ guitar ] Then you took me to St Louis later on down the river A freighter said she's been here but she's gone boy she's gone I found her trail in Memphis but she just walked up the block She raised a few eyebrows and then went on down alone Now won't you batter down by Boton Rouge River Queen roll it on Take that woman on down to New Orleans New Orleans Go on I've had enough dump my blues down in the gulf She loves you Big River more than me [ guitar ] Now I taught the weeping willow how to cry cry cry And I showed the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky And the tears that I cried for that woman are gonna flood you Big River Then I'm gonna sit right here until I die ********** 11.GOODBYE LITTLE DARLIN' GOODBYE(Gene Autry - Johnny Marvin)« © '40 Western Music, ASCAP » Goodbye little darlin' we're parting Parting don't always mean goodbye Although we had to part you're always in my heart Goodbye little darlin' goodbye [ dobro ] Goodbye little darlin' I'll miss you miss you Like the stars would miss the sky I hate to see you go I'm gonna miss you So goodbye little darlin' goodbye [ guitar ] Goodbye little darlin' I love you Love you until the day I die Would you dream a dream of me wherever you may be Goodbye little darlin' goodbye ********** 12.TROUBLESOME WATERS(Maybelle Carter - Dixie Dean) « © '64 Scruggs Music, BMI »Troublesome waters much blacker than night Are hiding from view of the harbor's bright lights Tossed in the turmoil of life's stormy sea I cry to my Saviour have mercy on me Then gently I'm feeling the touch of his hands Guiding my boat in safely to land Leading the way to heaven's bright shore Troublesome waters I'm fearing no more [ ac.guitar ] Troublesome waters around me do roll They're rocking my boat and racking my soul Loved ones are drifting and living in sin The treacherous whirlpools are pulling them in Then gently I'm feeling... [ ac.guitar ] When troublesome waters are rolling so high I'll lift up my voice and to heaven I'll cry My Lord I am trusting give guidance to me And steady my boat on life's troubled sea Then gently I'm feeling... **********
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