Songs of Our Soul [Original recording remastered]

Johnny Cash | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 27, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 1959
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00006GO9B
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #296,392 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving, early album of folk ballads, August 30, 2002

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs of Our Soul (Audio CD)

Cash's third album for Columbia (all three released in 1959!), isn't a concept album in the thematic sense of 1960's "Ride This Train," but like the preceding "Hymns," it stakes out a singular musical ground, in this case, folk ballads. Cash writes and sings songs of the American landscape (quite literally, in some cases), including tales of floods, family and the mythical West.

Though the gospel-influenced "It Could Be You (Instead of Him)" and traditional "The Great Speckle Bird" wear their faith on their sleeves, the folk songs of "Songs of Our Soil" treat religion as a fact-of-life, as heard in the temperance of "Drink to Me" and belief of "The Man on the Hill." Cash draws this set of songs more from the land more than the Lord, echoing his early life of family sharecropping ("Five Feet High and Rising" "The Man on the Hill"), along with adventures in the old West ("Clementine" "Hank and Joe and Me"), and songs of mortal end ("The Caretaker" "Don't Step on Mother's Roses" "My Grandfather's Clock").

Cash penned nine of the original twelve tunes, not including the "J. Cash" credited "I Want to Go Home," which is actually the traditional "Sloop John B.". Eleven of the original tracks were recorded in a single day, along with a pair of singles, "I Got Stripes" and "You Dreamer You," both included as bonus tracks on this reissue.

The original album cover art and liner notes are augmented with an informative new essay from Billy Altman, and though the entire disc clocks in at a shade under 30-minutes, the richness of the material (much like the richness of the soil) makes this a must-have for Cash fans.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic album from 1959, December 15, 2002

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Songs of Our Soul (Audio CD)

In those days, Johnny kept the backing music simple, but his style was very effective. This particular album was inspired by the folk revival, including as it did, several traditional songs as well as original songs written by Johnny, mainly based on experiences of growing up in a farming community.

Five feet high and rising was written about some floods in 1937 when Johnny, only five, was too young to appreciate the gravity of the situation, but old enough to retain a deep and lasting impression of wonderment.

Clementine, while based loosely on the traditional song My darling Clementine, is given new lyrics and sounds like a completely different song - it's very amusing. I wanna go home is a cover of a song better known these days as Sloop John B, the title that the Beach boys used when they recorded it.

Old Apache squaw is one of many songs that Johnny has recorded about the people who inhabited America before Columbus discovered it - understandably, given that he has Native American blood in him.

The great speckled bird is a cover of Roy Acuff's classic gospel song. As many of you will know, the tune has also been used for I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes, Wild side of life and It wasn't God who made honky tonk angels.

Although not part of the original album, the inclusion of two of Johnny's country hits from around that time - I got stripes and You dreamer you - is most welcome.

There are many other fine songs on this fascinating album. If you enjoy Johnny's early music, you will love this.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soil Songs, October 18, 2005

By 

Jimbob "Hog Farmer" (Missouri) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Songs of Our Soul (Audio CD)

"Songs of Our Soil" is a typical concept album from Cash - fairly short and packed with great songs. My favorites are "Great Speckle Bird," "Drink to Me," and "Five Feet High and Rising." He did a really good job picking these particular songs - they deal with death, family, problems, and caring for the land..thus, "Songs of Our Soil." The bonus tracks are also great, even though "You Dreamer You" is almost exactly the same song as "Oh, What a Dream!" on a different album. But I love all the tracks included, and they are very unusual and interesting. SOOS is a little longer than some of his themed albums, which is good news. So if you like Johnny Cash, or if you like old-fashioned songs about the good ol' days, get "Songs of Our Soil." It will be dollars well spent.