Product Description

With his craggy, flawed voice and songs of craggy, flawed devotion to the Lord, the late Johnny Cash's unique combination of charisma and humility endeared him to both devout and secular audiences. This 24-track compilation harvests the best (arguably) of Cash's country-gospel output, grazing mostly on his mid-career recordings. While he is suitably reverent and low-key on most of the tracks here, a shuffling rendition of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" finds Cash emoting with anuncharacteristically supple, jazzy looseness that reflects the joy of the song. It is infectious, and a consolation forhis absence.

Track Listing

1. Here Was A Man
2. Preacher Said Jesus Said
3. I Was There When It Happened
4. Belshazzar
5. That's Enough
6. It Was Jesus
7. Old Account
8. Swing Low Sweet Chariot
9. Great Speckle Bird
10. He'll Understand And Say Well Done
11. How Great Thou Art
12. It Is No Secret (What God Can Do)
13. He Turned The Water Into Wine
14. Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)
15. Troublesome Waters
16. There'll Be Peace In The Valley (For Me)
17. When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder
18. In The Sweet By And By
19. My Ship Will Sail
20. Fair Side Banks Of Jordan
21. Oh Come Angel Band
22. Amazing Grace
23. Daddy Sang Bass
24. Children Go Where I Send Thee

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10224 in Music
• Released on: 2007-03-05
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Gospel was what Johnny Cash, Luther Perkins, and Marshall Grant originally wanted to record when they auditioned for Sam Phillips in 1954. In 1958, Sun Records' refusal to let Cash record a gospel album--despite his track record of hits--led him to leave for Columbia. This well-chosen package delineates sacred music's ongoing role in Cash's career, beginning with two 1970 performances from his ABC variety show, one featuring longtime Cash friend Rev. Billy Graham. The 1957 Sun tunes include the searing "I Was There When It Happened" and Cash's original "Belshazzar." "He Turned the Water into Wine," "In the Sweet Bye and Bye," "That's Enough," and his 1969 gospel hit "Daddy Sang Bass," all from Columbia, are particularly passionate, as is "Far Side Banks of Jordan" (a duet with June Carter Cash) and three never-before-issued performances, 1974's "My Ship Will Sail" and "How Great Thou Art and "It Is No Secret" from 1981. Given that one can't truly understand Cash without knowing his gospel side, this is a fine introduction. --Rich Kienzle

Customer Reviews

Stirring devotional music
It's almost unbelievable that these tracks were recorded over a timespan of 34 years, from 1957 to 1981, since the music forms such a cohesive, seamless whole. The songs include traditionals, his own compositions and the work of others like Carl Perkins. The album opens with Here Was A Man, a spoken introduction about the life and influence of Messiah Yeshua.

The next, The Preacher Said, is a type of duet with statements by evangelist Billy Graham. The following seven songs all date from the late 1950s, and my personal favorites include Belshazzar (1957), It Was Jesus with its unidentified black gospel backing vocals, Swing Low Sweet Chariot (1959) and The Great Speckle Bird from the same year.

Two of the previously unreleased tracks, How Great Thou Art and It Is No Secret from 1981, are amongst the highlights. The legendary Carter Family provide backing vocals on amongst others: Peace In The Valley (1963), Angel Band (1979) and on Children Go Where I Send Thee (1979) together with the 21st Century Singers, whilst Far Side Banks Of Jordan is a duet with June Carter.

Other great hymns worthy of special mention are In The Sweet By And By and Amazing Grace (both 1974) and Were You There (1962) with Maybelle Carter on autoharp and the family on backing vocals. The full spectrum of the spiritual experience is covered by these beautiful, timeless songs: sombre reflection, joy, melancholy, awe, comfort, devotion and gripping story-telling.

This is my first album of the music of Johnny Cash and I'm hooked! His beautiful baritone is impressive on its own, but even more amazing when framed by the devotional backing vocals. The CD booklet contains one sepia and four black and white pics, information like recording dates and musicians for every song, plus a short bio written by Sylvie Simmons.

This CD puts "contemporary" Christian music to shame...
Excellent CD. The old traditional hymns really hit home. Definitely worth listening to such inspiring music. It is unfortunate that the old time hymns have been forgotten, and so this recording by Johnny Cash reminds one that there was once good Christian oriented music. By contrast, the new contemporary Christian music panders to modern "pop culture" and sounds is if it was sung by some washed up Vegas lounge lizard.