The Mystery of Life
Encyclopedia
The Mystery of Life is an album
by country
singer Johnny Cash
, released in 1991 (see 1991 in music
). It was his last for Mercury
. Included on the album are new recordings of two songs already associated with Cash from his Sun
and Columbia
days, "Hey Porter" and "Wanted Man." "I'll Go Somewhere and Sing My Songs Again" is a duet with Tom T. Hall
. The album's poor performance on the charts - it peaked at No. 70 - and that of "Goin' by the Book", the only single to chart (at No. 69), coupled with Cash's unsteady relationship with his label, ensured his departure from it following the record's release. In 2003 (see 2003 in music
), the album was re-released, with "The Wanderer" from U2
's 1993 album Zooropa
as a bonus track
. In 2006, "I'm an Easy Rider" and "Beans for Breakfast" were used in the soundtrack
to the video game Scarface: The World Is Yours
.
According to Cash's 1997 biography
, Mercury
only pressed 500 copies of the album
.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by country
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...
singer 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...
, released in 1991 (see 1991 in music
1991 in music
See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
). It was his last for Mercury
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
. Included on the album are new recordings of two songs already associated with Cash from his 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...
days, "Hey Porter" and "Wanted Man." "I'll Go Somewhere and Sing My Songs Again" is a duet with Tom T. Hall
Tom T. Hall
Thomas "Tom T." Hall is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has written 11 #1 hit songs, with 26 more that reached the Top 10, including the pop crossover hit "I Love", which reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100...
. The album's poor performance on the charts - it peaked at No. 70 - and that of "Goin' by the Book", the only single to chart (at No. 69), coupled with Cash's unsteady relationship with his label, ensured his departure from it following the record's release. In 2003 (see 2003 in music
2003 in music
-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
), the album was re-released, with "The Wanderer" from U2
U2
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 1993 album Zooropa
Zooropa
Zooropa Based on the pronunciations of "zoo" and "Europa". is the eighth studio album by rock band U2. Produced by Flood, Brian Eno, and The Edge, it was released on 5 July 1993 on Island Records. Inspired by the band's experiences on the Zoo TV Tour, Zooropa expanded on many of the tour's themes...
as a bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
. In 2006, "I'm an Easy Rider" and "Beans for Breakfast" were used in the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the video game Scarface: The World Is Yours
Scarface: The World is Yours
Scarface: The World Is Yours is a video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by Vivendi Universal Games. The game is based on and is a quasi-sequel to the 1983 motion picture Scarface starring Al Pacino reprising his role as Tony Montana, with André Sogliuzzo providing Montana's...
.
According to Cash's 1997 biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
, Mercury
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
only pressed 500 copies of the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Johnny Cash; except where indicated- "The Greatest Cowboy of Them All" – 3:34
- "I'm an Easy Rider" – 2:36
- "The Mystery of Life" (Joe Nixon) – 3:11
- "Hey Porter" – 2:20
- "Beans for Breakfast" – 3:18
- "Goin' by the Book" (Butch "Chester" Lester) – 3:19
- "Wanted Man" (ob Dylan and John R. Cash) – 2:52
- "I'll Go Somewhere and Sing My Songs Again" (Tom T. HallTom T. HallThomas "Tom T." Hall is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has written 11 #1 hit songs, with 26 more that reached the Top 10, including the pop crossover hit "I Love", which reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100...
) – 3:11- With Tom T. Hall
- "The Hobo Song" (John PrineJohn PrineJohn Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
) – 3:32 - "Angel and the Badman" – 2:24
Bonus tracks
- "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...
) – 4:44
Personnel
- Johnny Cash - vocals, acoustic guitar
- 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...
, Mark Howard, Marty StuartMarty StuartJohn Martin "Marty" Stuart is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music...
, Jim Soldi, David R. Ferguson, Kerry Marx - acoustic guitar - Marty Stuart, Kerry Marx, Mark Howard, Jim Soldi - electric guitar
- W.S. "Fluke" Holland, Kenny MaloneKenny MaloneKenny Malone is an American drummer/percussionist from Nashville, Tennessee. He has been, since the 1970s, and continues to be a prominent session musician in folk, country and many other acoustic-based genres.-References:...
, Jody Maphis - drums & percussion - Roy Huskey, Jr.Roy Huskey, Jr.Roy Milton Huskey was a prominent American upright bass player in country music from Nashville, Tennessee. Huskey performed alongside musicians such as Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, George Jones, Steve Earle, Doc Watson and many others...
, Steve Logan - acoustic bass - Jimmy Tittle - electric bass
- Mark Howard, Marty Stuart, Jamie Hartford - mandolin
- Jack Clement - dobro, ukelele
- Jack Hale Jr., Bob Lewin, Irv Kane - horns
- Earl Poole Ball, Joey MiskulinJoey MiskulinJoseph M. Miskulin is a hall of fame accordionist and producer of Grammy Award-winning music albums. In a music career spanning more than four decades, Joey Miskulin has collaborated with a range of artists including Paul McCartney, John Denver, Ricky Skaggs, Andy Williams, Ricky Van Shelton,...
- piano - Joey Mikulin - electric keyboards, accordion
- Mark O'ConnorMark O'ConnorMark O'Connor is an American bluegrass, jazz, country and classical violinist fiddler, composer and music teacher. O'Connor's music is wide-ranging, critically acclaimed, and he has received numerous awards for both his playing and his composition...
- fiddle - Lloyd GreenLloyd GreenLloyd Green is an American steel guitarist. Green is most notable for his session work, having played on records with artists such as Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, Lynn Anderson, Don Williams, Paul McCartney, Charley Pride and many others.-Early life:Lloyd Green was born on October 4, 1937 in Leaf,...
- steel guitar - Marty Stuart, Jimmy Tittle, Jim Soldi - Background vocals on "Wanted Man & "The Mystery of Life"
- Anita CarterAnita CarterIna Anita Carter , the youngest daughter of Ezra and Mother Maybelle Carter, was a versatile American singer who experimented with several different types of music and played stand-up bass with her sisters Helen Carter and June Carter Cash as The Carter Sisters...
- Background vocals on "The Greatest Cowboy of Them All" - John PrineJohn PrineJohn Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
, Anita Carter, Debra Deklaita, Johnny Cash, Claude L. Hill, Jack Clement, J. Niles Clement, David R. Ferguson, Pat McLaughlin, Bill Maresh, Jam Dant, Cousin Bill Clement, Jay Patten, Jamie Hartford, Irv Kane, Suzanne Sherwin, Roberto Bianco - Background vocals on "The Hobo Song"
Additional Personnel
- Produced by: Jack Clement
- "The Wanderer" produced by: Flood, Brian EnoBrian EnoBrian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
& 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... - Assistant Producer: David R. Ferguson
- Executive in Charge of Production: Harold Shedd
- Executive Producers: Claudia Mize & Reba Hancock
- Recording Engineers: David R. Ferguson (Chief Engineer), Richard Adler, Jack "Stack-A-Track" Grochmal, Mark Howard, J. Niles Clement, Cousin Bob Clement
- Mixed By: David R. Ferguson
- Assistant Mixer: Mark Howard
- Recorded * Mixed at the Cowboy Arms Hotel and Recording Spa in Nashville, Tennessee
- Music Arrangements: Joey Miskulin
- "Wanted Man" Arranged by: Marty Stuart
- Mastered by: Benny Quinn at Masterfonics, INC. in Nashville, Tennessee
- Album Design: Marlene Cohen
- Photography Serigraph: Alan Messer
- Executive Art Director: Kim Markovchick
- Linear Notes: June Carter Cash
- Reissue Credits:
- Produced by: Andy McKaie
- Digitally Remastered by: Suha Gur, UNiversal Mastering-East
- Art Direction: Vartan
- Design: Mike Fink @ilevel
- Photo Research: Ryan Null
- Photos: Alan Messer
- Production Coordination: Beth Stempel
Album
| Chart (1991) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 70 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
||
| 1990 | "Goin' by the Book" | 69 |
| 1991 | "The Mystery of Life" | — |