Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Letter Edged In Black
2. There's A Mother Always Waiting At Home
3. Engineer's Dying Child
4. My Mother Was A Lady
5. Winding Stream
6. Far Away Places
7. Galway Bay
8. When I Stop Dreaming
9. Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes
10. I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen
11. Missouri Waltz
12. Louisiana Man
13. Paradise
14. I Don't Believe You Wanted To Leave
15. Jim I Wore A Tie Today
16. Saginaw Michigan
17. When It's Springtime In Alaska (It's Forty Below)
18. Girl In Saskatoon
19. Cremation Of Sam McGee
20. Tiger Whitehead
21. It's All Over
22. Fast Song
23. Virgie
24. I Wanted So
25. It Takes One To Know Me

Disc 2:

1. Seal It In My Heart And Mind
2. Wildwood In The Pines
3. Who At My Door Is Standing
4. Have Thine Own Way Lord
5. Lights Of Magdala
6. If Jesus Ever Loved A Woman
7. Lily Of The Valley
8. Have A Drink Of Water
9. Way Worn Traveler
10. Look Unto The East
11. Matthew 24 (Is Knocking At The Door)
12. House Is Falling Down
13. One Of These Days I'm Gonna Sit Down And Talk To Paul
14. What On Earth (Will You Do For Heaven's Sake)
15. My Children Walk In Truth
16. No Earthly Good
17. Sanctified
18. Lord Lord Lord
19. What Is Man
20. Over The Next Hill (We'll Be Home)
21. Half A Mile A Day
22. Farther Along
23. Life's Railway To Heaven
24. In The Sweet Bye And Bye

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #39989 in Music
• Released on: 2006-05-22
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .32 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
The recordings Johnny Cash started making for Rick Rubin's American label in 1993 launched a journey through the Great American Songbook--from traditional tunes to alt-rock--that continued until, literally, the end of his life. What wasn't known at the time was that Cash had anticipated the American Recordings concept 20 years earlier. A series of informal private sessions he recorded in 1973 featuring just voice and guitar--with a few numbers added between then and 1982--were left untouched at his House of Cash studio, unearthed only after his death in 2003. These 49 songs, labeled "Personal File," show him exploring 19th-century parlor tunes, Tin Pan Alley pop, gospel, little-known Cash originals, classic and contemporary country, and even a recitation of Robert Service's poem "The Cremation of Sam McGee." On many, his spoken introductions reveal personal ties to a given number. Cash reprises early country fare like Jimmie Rodgers's "My Mother Was a Lady" and "The Letter Edged in Black." He also revisits later country classics like the Louvin Brothers' "When I Stop Dreaming," close friend Johnny Horton's hit "When It's Springtime in Alaska (It's Forty Below)," John Prine's "Paradise," and stepdaughter Carlene Carter's "It Takes One to Know Me." The second disc is a virtual hymnbook, blending traditional gospel and A.P. Carter tunes with a sacred composition by Rodney Crowell and Cash gospel originals. For those enchanted by the illness-ravaged soulfulness of Cash's later American recordings, hearing him in his prime is not only breathtaking--it underscores the depth of his still-remarkable musical vision. --Rich Kienzle

CD Description
The Man In Black's first posthumous collection of previously unreleased material is a two-disc set compiled from tapes of self-produced, solo acoustic recordings discovered after his death in a cardboard box in his home studio marked 'Personal File'. Raw and intimate, the album is a trip through Cash's influences and favourites, featuring gospel and traditional songs and covers of pop and country standards.

Customer Reviews

Essential
Indeed this is a superb double cd. It's just Johnny and an acoustic guitar mainly recorded in the Summer of '73 when JC was 41 years old. It is even better (although quite similar) to the American recordings from the 90's. The songs are very old but JC's voice is better than it was when he reached his 60's which is quite understandable. Johnny also does quite a bit of narration which adds flavour to the album and the packaging is first rate. I only hope there is lots more to come out of that House of Cash vault.

Treasure Trove
This double album is an essential purchase for any Cash fan. The tracks were recorded privately in the early seventies and John's voice never sounded better. The first CD is a gift to any fan who has ever thought "I wish he'd recorded that!" and the second CD gets more and more interesting on each play. The price and excellent packaging are additional reasons for buying; "American V" is great but this is even better.

Cash Lives
For all the people who saw Cash live this is a must, I remember the times when he sat on a stoll or amplifier alone with his guitar & picked out a tune from his childhood & narrated a story around this particular song. At these moments his talking voice was hypnotic & you felt as though you were sitting alone at his feet. With the great man in great voice you'll not be dis-appointed. Hopefully for tose who never saw him this will give you an insight into his magical personality.