Johnny Cash

Two of my birthday presents were Johnny Cash CDs. American V. A Hundred Highways and Johnny Cash at San Quentin. I have two other of his American Recordings series, American IV - Man Comes Around and Johnny Cash - American Recordings. I also have several other earlier period/prime years albums.

His American Recording series affect me greatly, touching my soul.

He is singing them in the last 12 years of his life. His voice not quite the same as his youth, but it makes the songs more emotional.


"The Man Comes Around

And I heard as it were the noise of thunder
One of the four beasts saying come and see and I saw
And behold a white horse

There's a man going around taking names and he decides
Who to free and who to blame every body won't be treated
Quite the same there will be a golden ladder reaching down
When the man comes around

The hairs on your arm will stand up at the terror in each
Sip and each sup will you partake of that last offered cup
Or disappear into the potter's ground
When the man comes around

CHORUS

Hear the trumpets hear the pipers one hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to a big kettledrum
Voices calling and voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
Its alpha and omegas kingdom come
And the whirlwind is in the thorn trees
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn trees
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks
Till Armageddon no shalom no shalom

Then the father hen will call his chicken's home
The wise man will bow down before the thorn and at his feet
They will cast the golden crowns
When the man comes around

Whoever is unjust let him be unjust still
Whoever is righteous let him be righteous still
Whoever is filthy let him be filthy still
Listen to the words long written down
When the man comes around

CHORUS

Hear the trumpets hear the pipers one hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to a big kettledrum
Voices calling and voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
Its alpha and omegas kingdom come
And the whirlwind is in the thorn trees
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn trees
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks
In measured hundred weight and penny pound
When the man comes around

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts
And I looked and behold, a pale horse
And it's name it said on him was Death
And Hell followed with him.


WHY ME, LORD

Why me Lord, what have I ever done To deserve even one Of the pleasures I've known Tell me Lord, what did I ever do That was worth loving you Or the kindness you've shown.

Lord help me Jesus, I've wasted it so Help me Jesus I know what I am Now that I know that I've need you so Help me Jesus, my soul's in your hand.

Tell me Lord, if you think there's a way I can try to repay All I've taken from you Maybe Lord, I can show someone else What I've been through myself On my way back to you.

Lord help me Jesus, I've wasted it so Help me Jesus I know what I am Now that I know that I've need you so Help me Jesus, my soul's in your hand.


DRIVE ON

I got a friend named Whiskey Sam He was my boonierat buddy for a year in Nam He said is my country just a little off track Took 'em twenty-five years to welcome me back But, it's better than not coming back at all Many a good man I saw fall And even now, every time I dream I hear the men and the monkeys in the jungle scream

Drive on, don't mean nothin' My children love me , but they don't understand And I got a woman who knows her man Drive on, don't mean nothin', drive on

I remember one night, Tex and me Rappelled in on a hot L.Z. We had our 16's on rock and roll But, with all that fire, I was scared and cold We were crazy, we were wild And I have seen the tiger smile I spit in a bamboo viper's face And I'd be dead , but by God's grace

Drive on, don't mean nothin' My children love me, but they don't understand And I got a woman who knows her man Drive on, don't mean nothin', drive on

It was a real slow walk in a real sad rain And nobody tried to be John Wayne I came home, but Tex did not And I can't talk about the hit he got I got a little limp now when I walk Got a little tremolo when I talk But my letter read from Whiskey Sam You're a walkin' talkin' miracle from Vietnam

Drive on, don't mean nothin' My children love me, but they don't understand And I got a woman who knows her man Drive on, don't mean nothin', drive on


REDEMPTION

From the hands it came down From the side it came down From the feet it came down And ran to the ground Between heaven and hell A teardrop fell In the deep crimson dew The tree of life grew

And the blood gave life To the branches of the tree And the blood was the price That set the captives free And the numbers that came Through the fire and the flood Clung to the tree And were redeemed by the blood

From the tree streamed a light That started the fight 'Round the tree grew a vine On whose fruit I could dine My old friend Lucifer came Fought to keep me in chains But I saw through the tricks Of six-sixty-six

And the blood gave life To the branches of the tree And the blood was the price That set the captives free And the numbers that came Through the fire and the flood Clung to the tree And were redeemed by the blood

From his hands it came down From his side it came down From his feet it came down And ran to the ground And a small inner voice Said "You do have a choice." The vine engrafted me And I clung to the tree