The Legend of Johnny Cash
Encyclopedia
The Legend of Johnny Cash is a single-disc compilation album
of country music
legend Johnny Cash
's career. It is the first such album to contain material from Cash’s American Recordings era in addition to songs from his time at Sun
and Columbia
. It was released on October 25, 2005 on the Island/American/Columbia/Legacy record labels and tied to the release of the Cash biopic Walk the Line
. In the wake of that film's success its sales made the compilation an overwhelming success. The album was certified Gold on 12/7/2005, Platinum on 12/14/2005 and 2x Platinum on
5/19/2006 by the R.I.A.A.
's "One
" and Depeche Mode
's "Personal Jesus
", included in their place. http://www.gracenote.com/music/album.html/tradcountry/33a304785515def111ce1a97184f4c7c.html
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
legend Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
's career. It is the first such album to contain material from Cash’s American Recordings era in addition to songs from his time at Sun
Sun Records
Sun Records is a record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, starting operations on March 27, 1952.Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash...
and Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. It was released on October 25, 2005 on the Island/American/Columbia/Legacy record labels and tied to the release of the Cash biopic Walk the Line
Walk the Line
Walk the Line is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold and based on the early life and career of country music artist Johnny Cash...
. In the wake of that film's success its sales made the compilation an overwhelming success. The album was certified Gold on 12/7/2005, Platinum on 12/14/2005 and 2x Platinum on
5/19/2006 by the R.I.A.A.
Track listing
- Cry! Cry! Cry! (Cash) – 2:24
- Hey, PorterHey, Porter"Hey, Porter" is a song by Johnny Cash. It was recorded in September 1, 1954 and released as a single in July the following year.-Origins:Cash wrote the song while on his way home from a four year stint in the United States Air Force. He was stationed in Landsberg, Germany, and as such felt elated...
(Cash) – 2:13 - Folsom Prison BluesFolsom Prison Blues"Folsom Prison Blues" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music artist Johnny Cash. The song combines elements from two popular folk genres, the train song and the prison song, both of which Cash would continue to use for the rest of his career...
(Cash) – 2:49 - I Walk the LineI Walk the Line"I Walk the Line" is a song written by Johnny Cash and recorded in 1956. It was performed with the help of Marshall Grant and Luther Perkins, two mechanics that his brother introduced him to following his discharge from the Air Force. Cash and his wife, Vivian, were living in Memphis, Tennessee,...
(Cash) – 2:45 - Get RhythmGet Rhythm"Get Rhythm" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. It was released in September 1969 as a single.-Content:...
(Cash) – 2:14 - Big RiverBig River (Johnny Cash song)"Big River" is a song written and originally recorded by Johnny Cash. Released as a single by Sun Records in 1958, it went as high as #4 on the Billboard country music charts and stayed on the charts for 14 weeks...
(Cash) – 2:32 - Guess Things Happen That WayGuess Things Happen That Way"Guess Things Happen That Way" is a 1958 cross over single by Johnny Cash, which was written by Jack Clement. The single, a song about "a man struggling .....
(Jack ClementJack ClementJack Henderson Clement is an American singer, songwriter, and a record and film producer.Raised and educated in Memphis, Jack Clement was performing at an early age...
) -1:51 - Ring of FireRing of Fire (song)"Ring of Fire" or "The Ring of Fire" is a country music song popularized by Johnny Cash and co-written by June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore. The single appears on Cash's 1963 compilation album, Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash...
(June Carter CashJune Carter CashValerie June Carter Cash was an American singer, dancer, songwriter, actress, comedienne and author who was a member of the Carter Family and the second wife of singer Johnny Cash...
, Merle KilgoreMerle KilgoreWyatt Merle Kilgore was an American singer, songwriter, and manager.-Early life:Although born in Chickasha, Oklahoma, Merle Kilgore was raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was the son of Wyatt and Gladys B. Kilgore...
) - 2:37 - JacksonJackson (song)"Jackson" is a song, written in 1963 by Jerry Leiber and Billy Edd Wheeler, about a married couple who find that the "fire" has gone out of their relationship...
(Jerry Lieber, Wheeler) – 2:46 - A Boy Named SueA Boy Named Sue"A Boy Named Sue" is a song written by Shel Silverstein and performed by Johnny Cash. Cash was at the height of his popularity when he recorded the song live at California's San Quentin State Prison at a concert on 24 February 1969. The concert was filmed by Granada Television for later...
(live) (Shel SilversteinShel SilversteinSheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein , was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in his children's books...
) – 3:46 - Sunday Mornin' Comin' DownSunday Mornin' Comin' Down"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" is a song written by Kris Kristofferson and first recorded by Ray Stevens in 1969; it became Steven's first chart hit, reaching #55 on the country charts and #81 on the pop Top 100. Kristofferson released his own version the following year, on his debut album,...
(Kris KristoffersonKris KristoffersonKristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
) – 4:07 - Man in BlackMan in Black (song)"Man in Black" is a protest song written and sung by and about Johnny Cash, originally released on his 1971 album of the same name. Cash himself was known as "The Man in Black" for his distinctive style of on-stage costuming...
(Cash) – 2:52 - One Piece at a TimeOne Piece at a Time"One Piece at a Time" is a humorous rockabilly song written by Wayne Kemp and recorded by Johnny Cash in 1976. It would be the last song performed by Cash to reach number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.-Chart performance:-Plot:...
(Kemp) – 4:02 - HighwaymanHighwayman (song)"Highwayman" is the title of a song written by American songwriter Jimmy Webb, about a soul with incarnations in four different places in time and history, a highwayman, a sailor, a construction worker on the Hoover Dam, and finally as a star ship captain....
(Webb) – 3:03 (With Willie Nelson / Waylon Jennings / Kris Kristofferson) - The Wanderer (BonoBonoPaul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, Adam ClaytonAdam ClaytonAdam Charles Clayton is a musician, best known as the bassist of the Irish rock band U2. Clayton has resided in County Dublin since the time his family moved to Malahide when he was five years old in 1965...
, The EdgeThe EdgeDavid Howell Evans , more widely known by his stage name The Edge , is a musician best known as the guitarist, backing vocalist, and keyboardist of the Irish rock band U2. A member of the group since its inception, he has recorded 12 studio albums with the band and has released one solo record...
, Larry Mullen Jr.Larry Mullen Jr.Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Mullen, Jr. is an Irish musician best known as the drummer for the Irish rock band U2. He is the founder of U2, which he later described as "'The Larry Mullen Band' for about ten minutes, then Bono walked in and blew any chance I had of being in charge." He has worked on...
) – 4:45 - Delia's Gone (Cash, Silbersdorf, Toops) – 2:19
- Rusty CageRusty Cage"Rusty Cage" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "Rusty Cage" was released in 1992 as the third single from the band's third studio album, Badmotorfinger . The song became an instant hit and was released as a single in several different formats...
(Chris CornellChris CornellChris Cornell is an American rock musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and as the former lead vocalist for Audioslave. He is also known for his numerous solo works and soundtrack contributions since 1998...
) – 2:49 - I've Been EverywhereI've Been EverywhereThe song "I've Been Everywhere" was written by Geoff Mack in 1959 and made popular by the singer Lucky Starr in 1962.The song listed Australian towns...
” (Geoff MackGeoff MackAlbert Geoffrey McElhinney OAM , also known as Geoff Mack, is a country music singer and songwriter. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia on 13 June 2005 with the citation, For service to country music and to the community, particularly through support for senior citizens' groups...
) – 3:16 - Give My Love to Rose (Cash) – 3:27
- The Man Comes AroundThe Man Comes Around (song)"The Man Comes Around" is the title track from Johnny Cash's American IV: The Man Comes Around, released in 2002. It is one of the last songs Cash wrote in his life....
(Early Take) (Cash) – 3:50 - Hurt (Trent ReznorTrent ReznorMichael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
) – 3:38
Alternate track listing
A version released in the UK entitled Ring of Fire: The Legend of Johnny Cash has a slightly altered track listing, with some of the above songs absent and others, such as covers of U2U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
's "One
One (U2 song)
"One" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, and it was released as the record's third single in March 1992. It was recorded at three recording studios, Hansa Ton Studios, Elsinore, and Windmill Lane Studios...
" and Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
's "Personal Jesus
Personal Jesus
"Personal Jesus" is Depeche Mode's 23rd UK single, released on August 29, 1989, and the first single from the album Violator. The single reached No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100...
", included in their place. http://www.gracenote.com/music/album.html/tradcountry/33a304785515def111ce1a97184f4c7c.html
Additional personnel
- Rick Rubin, Steven Berkowitz, Charlie Bragg, Gregg Geller, Bob Johnston, Frank Jones, Don Law, Andy McKaie, Chips Moman - producers
- Gavin Lurssen, Dana Smart - remastering
- Adam Abrams - production coordination
- Meire Murakami - design
- David Gahr, Don Hunstein, Les Leverett, Jim Marshall, Alan Messer - photography
- Ryan Null - photo coordination
- Adam Starr - product manager
- Rich Kienzle - liner notes
Chart performance
| Chart (2005) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 5 |