No regrets, all my debts will get paid when I get Laid

by slurp Fri Sep 19, 2003 16:20

it's the last interview.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/fridayreview/story/0,12102,1044605,00.html

by Interested Mon Sep 15, 2003 14:47

I was sad to hear of the passing of Johnny Cash. He did have a reputation of being anti-establishment although that in reality that reputation was more manufactured than deserved. Cash was born into a reasonably well off family in Arkansas. He worked for a time as a prison officer and served in the US Air Force (spending some of the time in Germany). He began his music career in 1954 when he left the Air Force. He failed to make an impact in Nashville and whinged about it for the rest of his life. Much of his anti-establishment rethoric stemmed from his feeling of being ostracised by the mainstream music establishment. He never spent anytime in jail despite the impression clearly fostered by Cash and his backroom people. He was addicted to pills and had several relapses in his life. He did receive a suspended sentence for possession of drugs in the late '60's. As Caspian has said, there is no real evidence of him opposing things like the Vietnam War or supporting working class people in struggle.

Despite all this, I enjoyed much of his music and, hey, everything does not have to be about politics.

by ??? Sun Sep 14, 2003 12:21

caspian aged 97? Seems to me you have the maturity of someone born in 1997.

by Caspian Sun Sep 14, 2003 03:20

I must confess in my long life, I am 97, I have never heard Johnny Cash once speak out against any kind of injustice. I believe he spent half an hour in the cells once over a parking ticket.
He's no hero of mine. I didn't see him on any of the anti-war protests. Not even in 1990 at the first Gulf slaughter. Can't remember him speaking out against Vietnam. He pretended to be an ex-jaibird to sell a few records but the only time he had ever spent in prison was when he recorded My Name Is Sue in Folsome prison in front of a captive audience.
Don't kid yourselves, he was never one of us.

by mib Sat Sep 13, 2003 20:58

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.


THE MAN IN BLACK
US country singer Johnny Cash, who has died at the age of 71 in a hospital in Nashville. Cash never missed an opportunity to speak out against injustice and wrongdoing, whether it be racism, the Vietnam War or the poor treatment of retarded children. (AFP/DPA/File)
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.

Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.

by i'm in a movement and a journalist who gets more for a night - than most get for a month's work Sat Sep 13, 2003 17:58

if you want, you can go to MP3 and download the Johnny Cash records for your kids. You really don't have to ___buy___ them.
Or you could "reach out" to your community, go next door:
"knock knock"
U. who is it?
them. it's your nieghbour.
U. do you have any Johnny Cash records?
them. OH why yes I do, valued and esteemed neighbour, come in sit down and we'll listen to them together.
U. oh no, I can't do that, I'm waiting on a phone call from the employment agency.
THem: oh ok, then, can't stand in the way of progress, I'll use that nifty minidisc burner to make you a copy.

%-)
"San Quentin! what good did you ever do?
I hate every inch of you"
(did I get it right?)

by Lone Gunman Sat Sep 13, 2003 00:39

Somthing American is approved on Indymedia!! Bookmark this page :}

Hope the man in Black made that final train OK

by Ciaron - Catholic Worker Fri Sep 12, 2003 15:27

Anti-Death penalty/Anti-cop Killing in Custody. He tried to talk Gary Gilmore out of his execution that kickstarted this latest round of human sacrifice......in the Country & Western scene in the USA not an easy gig. Respect. Johnny.

by Kev Fri Sep 12, 2003 14:59

RIP Johnny.

He will live on through the music.