Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Long Black Veil
2. Flesh And Blood
3. Just The Other Side Of Nowhere
4. If I Give My Soul
5. Understand Your Man
6. Banks Of The Ohio
7. Two Timin' Woman
8. The Caretaker
9. Old Chunk Of Coal
10. I'm Going To Memphis
11. Breaking Bread
12. Waiting For A Train
13. Casey's Last Ride
14. No Earthly Good
15. The Fourth Man In The Fire
16. Dark As A Dungeon
17. Book Review
18. Down There By The Train

Disc 2:

1. Pocahontas
2. I'm A Drifter
3. Trouble In Mind
4. Down The Line
5. I'm Movin' On
6. As Long As The Grass Shall Grow
7. Heart Of Gold
8. The Running Kind - Johnny Cash, Tom Petty
9. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
10. Brown Eyed Handsome Man - Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins
11. "T" For Texas
12. Devil's Right Hand
13. I'm A Drifter
14. Like A Soldier - Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson
15. Drive On
16. Bird On A Wire

Disc 3:

1. A Singer Of Songs
2. The L & N Don't Stop Here Anymore
3. Redemption Song - Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer
4. Father And Son - Johnny Cash, Fiona Apple
5. Chattanooga Sugar Babe
6. He Stopped Loving Her Today
7. Hard Times
8. Wichita Lineman
9. Cindy - Johnny Cash, Nick Cave
10. Big Iron
11. Salty Dog
12. Gentle On My Mind - Johnny Cash, Glen Campbell
13. You Are My Sunshine
14. You'll Never Walk Alone
15. The Man Comes Around

Disc 4:

1. Delia's Gone
2. Bird On A Wire
3. Thirteen
4. Rowboat
5. The One Rose (That's Left In My Heart)
6. Rusty Cage
7. Southern Accents
8. The Mercy Seat
9. Solitary Man
10. Wayfaring Stranger
11. One
12. I Hung My Head
13. The Man Comes Around
14. We'll Meet Again
15. Hurt

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5493 in Music
• Released on: 2004-01-19
• Number of discs: 5
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: 1.13 pounds
• Running time: 202 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Over the course of five mesmerising CDs, Unearthed shows us just how Johnny Cash's now-legendary handful of recordings for American Records came to be. Four discs feature previously unreleased tracks from the famed Rick Rubin-produced sessions. Through their inconsistencies and quirks (and, more often than not, brilliance), they shed light on how Cash's final records were shaped, edited and produced. Here we get some creative pairings: Fiona Apple providing guest vocals on Cat Stevens' "Father & Son" and the late Joe Strummer duetting with Cash on Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". Neither are the definitive statements that some of Cash's covers from this period are (his glorious takes on Nick Lowe and Danzig, to name just two), but they're still very much worth hearing.

Most riveting are the numerous traditional numbers, the songs that were clearly closest to the Man in Black's heart. "Banks of the Ohio", Billy Joe Shaver's "Old Chunk of Coal", Stephen Foster's "Hard Times" and the entire disc of previously unreleased gospel tunes are powerful statements, tunes where you feel privileged to hear Cash--despite declining health and failing voice--sing one more time, the way he wanted. The last disc of this monumental set is a "best-of" compilation of tracks that did make it on the American individual discs, a reminder of just how groundbreaking these sessions were. Perhaps the biggest highlight in this awe-inspiring set is its vast liner note, a loving collection of essays and recollections that highlight the history and stories behind this eclectic array of songs. --Jason Verlinde

CD Description
This five CD set collects together rare and unreleased tracks from Johnny Cash's long career before his death in September 2003. The album features tracks recorded throughout the Rick Rubin 'American' sessions as well as various other unreleased classics. The final single release, a cover of Nine Inch Nails' 'Hurt' is also included.

Customer Reviews

CASH'S LAST STAND
You are reading this review no doubt already aware of Johnny Cash's American series from roughly the last 10 years of his life: If so you can expect the same level of quality throughout the set.

But for owners of the other CDs the 5th disc, a best of, is unecessary - Surely a £50 box set is only for the fans that presumably have most of Cash's recent output?

Otherwise though the collection is one of Cash's best, including re-worked versions of his older songs ('Flesh & Blood') and a wealth of top covers like Neil Young's 'Heart of Gold'. Cash himself declared the 4th disc, 'My Mother's Hymn Book', a collection of spirituals as a career favourite. For me though it is the 2nd & 3rd discs that show more fully realised songs that could easily have made it to one of the four studio albums. The much-discussed duet with Joe Strummer on Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song' is sublime as are many of the unreleased tracks recorded with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

Likewise the packaging and accompanying book with commentary on every track by Cash / Rubin act as a fitting tribute to the Man in Black . Given that American Recordings 5 is still meant to be released in '04 Rick Rubin must have some absolute gems in his library of songs - as its hard to fault the quality of this collection.

The Legacy of a Great Artist and a Powerful Partnership
Unearthed is a treasure chest of Cash's movingly sung, austerely rich marvels of American music. Although a handful were written by Cash himself, his artistic weight and keen capacity to interpret the songs of others, makes this 5-CD set the stunning legacy of a man who is an icon the history of Earth's music -to call it "country," "contemporary" or "American," although accurate would not do justice to the universal power of his work. What is still more astonishing to me is that these five CDs never fall into the common, tired batch of outakes and discarded mishaps that we are so used to seeing record companies put out, on behalf of other musical legends, nor is it the "sure-thing" approach of gathering classics and re-selling them with the excuse of having being remastered -which so often is impossible to justify or hardly an improvement. No, this is five CDs of authentic greatness, the late work of a man who was beginning to say goodbye to life but was not done with honoring his craft or searching his soul. The fact that three out of five units are entirely dedicated to material recorded but not previously chosen for the American Recordings series, says something about Cash's productivity, but even more about the endless creativity he found partnering with Rick Rubin and the trove of great material they conceived together. Practically every song -including the CD devoted to old hymns and gospel songs- is treated with a consistent austerity of arrangements and focus on Cash's voice; it is amazing how rich they are, without an endless parade of star-guests or elaborate strings, or other witless and predictable avenues often followed by aging stars joining forces with ambitious producers. Here, none of that is indulged on, here Cash and Rubin breathe into life an amazing musical document. Even the fifth CD which gather a cross-section of what already came out in the original four American Recordings is fitting, and will be particularly appreciated by those who do not own such CDs. As far as the specifics of the songs covered, other people before me have already done a great job of describing them. As to the argument on who should buy such expensive and extended set by one artist, I would have a hard time not recommending it to anyone who appreciates great artists in any genre. You can learn more about America listening to this box-set than driving throughout the country over and over. And that's ultimately the legacy of Cash and Rubin's partnership: to have captured the essence of art, transforming an individual experience into a universal message.

unearthed unequalled
After the passing of Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley, the death of the incomparable J.C. so soon after that of his beloved June, means there is one hell of a choir of Sam Phillips' boys assembling behind the Ol'Pearly Gates.This body of work featuring some breathtaking covers of contemporary songs in addition to John's own compositions is a mighty legacy and tribute to both the Man in Black and the vision of Rick Rubin, who sympathetically captured the true essense of the artist, as his producer.Few artists can boast a catalogue as diverse, memorable and remarkable as Johnny Cash and this collection of unreleased and inspirational material is as vital as the myriad albums and compilations which preceded it. John enjoyed a much deserved critical renaissance in latter years being courted by the likes of Bono and Nick Cave, and this fusion of modern songwriting influences and the true Country story-teller roots of JC's work make this a five star box set. With each track being essential listening, there is refreshingly no filler material to pad out the collection.In addition to the 4 other albums of American Recordings and the many fine collections of his earlier material, Unearthed is a treasure trove for devotees and new acolytes alike.
RIP Genius...........