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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Six stars--no, seven..., December 6, 2005
Besides the excellent Dylan covers, the cool thing about this CD is that, without being self-conscious about it, it includes an example of just about everything Cash was famous for. You got your old-timey country (Orange Blossom Special and Wildwood Flower), your contemporary country (Long Black Veil, which sounds old-timey but was written in 1959, and I'm Proud the Baby is Mine, which is very contemporary), a prison song (The Wall, a classic), a train song (Engine 143--actually, Orange Blossom Special is kind of a train song too), a protest song (All God's Children Ain't Free), one of those funny country songs that ends in a kind of punch line based on the catchphrase in the chorus (When It's Springtime in Alaska), a gospel song (Amen, that song from the Sidney Portier movie Lilies of the Field), an unusual choice for a cover song (the old Irish chestnut Danny Boy, which he sings with so much soul you forget how many times you've heard it before), and, foreshadowing the American Recordings that revived his career in the 80s, You Wild Colorado, just Cash and his guitar (actually there are two like that- Engine 143 is also Cash and his guitar, in that case a 12-string). There are two duets with June Carter (It Ain't Me Babe and When It's Springtime in Alaska) and even some spoken word (Danny Boy has a two minute intro where Cash talks about his dad being in the First World War, coming back to Arkansas to be a sharecropper, courting him mom, and the Irish immigrant he worked with who sang the song). It's true what the Amazon guy says, the female choruses are a little dated, and the occasional bit of mariachi horns don't always seem entirely appropriate, but generally the arrangements are tasteful and, at times, beautiful. And once Cash starts singing you can't really hear anything else. What a presence.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Too Big For Country Music to Contain!, July 1, 2003
I've said it before... and I'll have to say it again... Johnny Cash is bigger than country music. He is the type of artist who transcends his genre. He's really a musical icon. A living icon that represents what American Music is all about!
I had the great fortune of growing up in a home where country music was appreciated. I know this would have been a curse to many of you, and believe me at times I felt like it was... but I say it was fortunate now because of the fact that I was exposed to the work of Johnny Cash early. From that early exposure onward I have always felt a connection to his music, even when I didn't really care for country I still felt like I was a Johnny Cash fan. The one album I remember listening to over and over was Orange Blossom Special. My Mom and Dad had the big scratchy record album which I played over and over. I loved it!
Johnny Cash defies being labled, he is a category buster! This 1965 recording, Orange Blossom Special does just that. This particular recording has a distinct folk feel to it.
As a kid I loved the songs, "It Ain't Me Babe" and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" it wasn't until I had grown up to be a teenager that I heard the Bob Dylan versions of these songs. I really like the fact that Johnny was open to all types of music and was so impacted by the work of Dylan that he chose to record some of his tunes.
Johnny has never been afraid to push the edge of the envelope! I bet there were a few country radio stations afraid to play some of these songs back in the '60's. Just like today... I hear most country stations won't play songs from his latest album.
It's a shame that they won't... Johnny Cash is brilliant and it's too bad the closed minded radio industry won't play his work. But as fans of the Man in Black we keep his music going. And I hope Johnny has the strength and years to keep on going a little longer. We love you Johnny Cash!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Cash, February 25, 2003
I stumbled into the world of Johnny Cash partly on accident. I purchased the God CD (from Love, God, Murder box set) because I wanted to get some good gospel music and chanced Cash's readings. I was pretty happy, but this was a niche and didn't know if I'd enjoy everything Cash. I then got "The Man Comes Around" and have begun avidly collecting all things Cash! In the span of about a month, I have gone out and gotten 12 other Cash albums including this one. Some of them I just got and haven't been able to really get into yet, but this one I am now familiar with. Summary: this is an amazing album. I am extremely impressed with the American series, biasing me towards the sound there, but this album really stands up well compared to the most recent work. First off, the Columbia remastering series is done well, with original liner notes on all the albums, plus further insight from todays' prominent music critics. These provide great reading and the liner notes here are superb, setting the stage of the different ideological backgrounds between country and folk music and the breakthrough that Cash provides on merging the two on this album by playing Dylan, the icon of left-wing politic type music. The storytelling of Ervin Rouse's and "Orange Blossom Special's" introduction to Cash is also pretty fascinating, and gives a great intro to the first song, which is among Cash's best songs that I am now familiar with.The first track, Orange Blossom Special, includes some rare instrumental work for Cash's normally minimalist sound, including prominent harmonica and saxophone solos! The drumming is also quite exceptional on this song- and of course Cash's voice. Cash even does some fun train noise sounds that add a great touch to the song. I saw somewhere on the internet that Pops Staples' voice is on this track, but I don't know that for sure. "Long Black Veil" follows and is a slower song that showcases Cash's vocal ability and the way he can captivate you with a song. "It Ain't Me, Babe" is the first Dylan cover, and is truly a great reading of the song, with the deep voice punching home the point. "The Wall" is also a great song about the choices in life, going down the roads to self-destruction or finding a way back no matter how far down you go (juxtapose the narrator of the song verses the suicidal inmate he reflects upon.) "Don't Think Twice it's Alright," the second Dylan cover, is also superb. The Dylan songs might well be anyone's penmanship, as they fit perfectly into the album and become Cash's own with his handling (you'll notice subtle lyric changes that are pretty cool and put Cash's stamp on it.) "You Wild Colorado" is gentle and reflective, captivating with just Cash and a guitar. "Mama You've Been on My Mind" is the best Dylan cover here, great harmonica and saxophone accompaniment and great lyrics with perfect delivery yielding an awesome song. Cash reveals his vulnerability to a woman friend, yet at the same time shows strength and vigor as he says "I Am Not Pleading" as he yearns for a woman he misses! This is classic man in black imagery, strong and stoic despite his weakness and uncertainty. This is one reason why Bono calls him the most male voice in Christendom. "Springtime in Alaska" is a great song just Cash, guitar and June Carter's backup. "All of God's Children.." is a very rousing song and carries quite a punch. Again great harmonica, makes you want to belt out the chorus with the backup vocals. "Danny Boy" is a mix of storytelling and song, and is very gentle and longing in tone. "Wildwood flower" follows and is a little more uptempo, about love and love lost. "Amen" is definitely a great song, probably among Cash's top three Gospel song recordings in my opinion. Similar to "It Was Jesus" it contains anecdotal biblical stories that share facts of the faith while conveying the deep joy of knowing the Christian faith. All of the Columbia remasters I have include bonus tracks, and the best here is Engine 143. Proud the Baby is mine is fun, and the redundant alternate take, Mama you've been on my mind is also included. All in all, a great album. Don't miss it!!
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