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Setlist: The Very Best of Johnny Cash Live

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The Legacy division of Sony continues to explore new ways to keep the CD relevant. Their Playlist series was the first out of the gate with eco-friendly packaging that used 100% recycled cardboard, no plastic, and on-disc PDFs in place of paper booklets. Their new Setlist series follows the same path of a single disc that provide an aficionado's snapshot of an artist's catalog. In this case the anthologies turn from the studio to the stage, pulling together tracks from an artist's live repertoire, generally all previously released, but in a few cases adding previously unreleased items. As with the Playlist collections, the Setlist discs aren't greatest hits packages; instead, they forgo some obvious catalog highlights to give listeners a chance to hear great, lesser-known songs from the artist's stage act.

Johnny Cash's volume of Setlist features fourteen tracks drawn from only five years of performing, 1968-72, yet the range of venues and audiences shows off the breadth of Cash as a performer and entertainer. In addition to his two iconic live albums recorded at Folsom and San Quentin Prison, Cash also performed for down home audiences at the Ryman Auditorium and uptown city slickers at Madison Square Garden. He sang for Swedish prisoners and American presidents, and hosted a national television show that bridged hippies and squares. Everything here has been issued before, but unlike the full-concert albums and videos, this collection gives a sense of Cash's universality, rather than the depth with which he connected to each specific audience.

The Folsom and San Quentin tracks ("Folsom Prison Blues," "I Got a Woman," "Wreck of the Old 97," "I Walk the Line" and "Big River") are the most familiar - and if they're not, you're recommended to the full albums and videos [1 2]. Less famous is Cash's performance of his original "What is Truth" at the White House in 1970. He shook off Nixon's request for "Okie From Muskogee" and "Welfare Cadillac," and challenged the sitting president with songs of the underclass. Cash seems nearly exhausted by the cultural conflicts of the times as he asks for understanding of the young people who would soon inherit the country. Cash's humor and his chemistry with wife June are shown in a warm 1969 medley of "Darlin' Companion," "If I Were a Carpenter," and "Jackson" recorded at the home of the Grand Ol' Opry for his television show.

Cash sings his Christian faith in a pair of gospel songs, but it's the firmness with which he stands by the world's underdogs that really shows his beliefs in practice; every time he steps onto the stage he earns his Man in Black nickname. Cash's best-known live song, "A Boy Named Sue," which he debuted at his 1969 San Quentin concert, is heard here in a 1972 performance at Sweden's Österåker Prison. By this point the song had been a big hit, and so the audience doesn't have the hysterical reaction of the earlier recording, but Cash still sings it with the same sly smile as the single. The collection's tracks are thoughtfully selected and sequenced, with tracks from different concerts flowing impressively. This is no substitute for the full concert recordings, but it's a terrific single-disc introduction to Johnny Cash in his performing prime. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]

What more can be said about the greatness of this man, Johnny Cash? Anytime you see the name Cash, you know it is top quality, the very best.

Johnny Cash's music was such a personal thing with him, it was who he was and was a representation of his personal beliefs. The quality of his music and uniqueness of his voice made every recording a standout.

And then there is this offering, Setlist:The Very Best of Johnny Cash Live. What makes this even better is this is live performances which adds even more of a personal touch. These selections are top-notch, the Best of the best. It is such a pleasure to again listen to the Man in Black telling stories of the comman man, the down-trodden and the lives of those for whom life has been a struggle.

For those who have somehow never heard his music, you have to check this one out to experience what made Johnny Cash such a unique personality. And for his fans, this is another amazing adventure and celebration of the life of this man, The Man in Black!

Johnny Cash
"Setlist: The Very Best Of Johnny Cash"
(Columbia Legacy, 2010)
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A potpourri of live performances from the late, great Man In Black, Johnny Cash. Of course, Cash released so many iconic concert albums -- San Quentin, Folsom Prison, etc. -- that much of this collection may seem redundant, although there are still some surprises. For example, this disc leans heavily on his lesser-known album from Osteraker prison in Sweden, as well as the recently released, totally magnificent Madison Square Garden record, and a Nixon-era White House performance (of "What Is Truth," no less!) It's a nice compilation of his live gigs from 1968-72, certainly worth checking out if you don't already have a lot of his stuff. (DJ Joe Sixpack, Slipcue Guide To Country Music)

I haven't bought the cd yet, but tell me- could the package design look any worse? It looks cheaper than the dollar-bin cassettes at the truck stop and makes me think that the music inside is slapped together as well. Which is sad, because I love JC and am pretty sure whatever's on here sounds good.