Up front, I must admit that his signature style of rockabilly/folk isn't really my cup of tea. So rather than being a competent execution of a style I enjoy, every song on the (impressively long) list of "Favourite Songs" below has worked hard to earn my its place.
Recording quality? Well, don't set your hopes too high for these very old recordings. It's got a similar lack of highs, lows and dynamics as Buddy Holly Greatest Hits album, which ended up with a "low-fi" grade from me recently. But Johnny Cash's style is more dominated by the vocals and acoustic guitars, so it's more forgiving on the recording quality (also it lacks some of the obvious flaws of the Buddy Holly record). One thing that stands out is that the female vocals are lacking any top-end, but another standout it that Johnny Cash's vocals are wonderfully powerful and full of emotion.
The album has 38 songs, so to avoid another TLDR post, I'll just focus on the ones I like...
I Walk The Line is pretty generic musically, for me it is carried by the fantastic lyrics. The more sorrowful There You Go also uses this recipe to good effect. Man in Black (a later song- released in 1979) is a similar style, but with more musical sophistication thanks to the chord progressions and build-ups within the song. And the lyrics remain just as insightful and poetic as the earlier hits.
The oddball inclusion of the mariachi trumpet on Ring of Fire is a masterstroke, and combines with Cash's other strength to create a standout song. Guess Things Happen That Way reminds me of Bob Dylan, as is well executed. All Over Again provides some great contrast with its upbeat feel. Fulsom Prison Blues is, of course, a classic. However I'm not a fan of this live recording- much of the power is missing from his vocals. Sunday Morning Coming Down gives a wonderfully vivid view of the world through a hangover.
Duets don't normally appeal to me, but again Cash breaks the rules! The melancholy It Ain't Me Babe and Jackson both work a treat, with the irony of a duelling couple combining to produce beautiful art a highlight in itself. On the other hand, even the lovesong duet If I Were a Carpenter manages to feel heartfelt, rather than the saccharine tackiness that often afflicts duets.
Another style that rarely appeals to me is spoken word. But The Ballad of Ira Hayes and Ragged Old Flag are both highly emotive. In particular, Ragged Old Flag is incredibly inspiring, give me the shivers down my spine. Similarly,
Song of the Patriot tugs at the heartstrings, with brilliant phrases such as
I don't believe in violence, I'm a God-fearing man.
But I'd stand up for my country just as long as I could stand.
Musically, I also enjoy Song of the Patriot, thanks to the more sophisticated composition of this later recording. The extra instruments aren't a distration, they perfectly complement the inspiring lyrics.
On a lighter note, The One on the Right is on the Left, A Boy Named Sue and One Piece at a Time are great little comedy interludes.
Finally, the more modern recordings show a wonderful evolution of Cash's style. Slightly more sophisticated musically, they also add an army of backing instruments without the usual result of feeling like a tacky addon. (Ghost) Riders in the Sky is brilliantly moody and illustrative. Similarly, The Wanderer is a winning combination of (carefully restrained use of) modern electronics and Cash's haunting yet powerful voice.
This incredible voice earned Cash a highly successful career covering 58 years. This compilation proves the lifelong success is thoroughly deserved.
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