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Johnny Cash Sings The Ballads Of The American Indian: Bitter Tears

Imported ed.

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Johnny Cash Format: Audio CD
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 848 ratings
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Track Listings

1 As Long As The Grass Shall Grow
2 Apache Tears
3 Custer
4 The Talking Leaves
5 The Ballad of Ira Hayes
6 Drums
7 White Girl
8 The Vanishing Race

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

With his highly personal early 1960s work, Johnny Cash had been trying the patience of the Columbia brass, who were less than thrilled with his commercial performance. When "Ring of Fire" topped the country charts in 1963, it allowed him to continue the many ambitious concept albums-history lessons close to his heart. The eight songs on 1964's Bitter Tears are sung from the point of view of the American Indian (still the accepted term in 1964), and together they form a potent work that is both deeply real and highly spiritual. With assistance from co-composer Peter LaFarge, Cash offers an earnest, solemn portrait of Native Americans that examines a variety of issues through a range of viewpoints and contained in unadorned musical settings. Cash actually took out full-page ads daring radio programmers to play "The Ballad of Ira Hayes," but all of the material hits home, from LaFarge's defiant "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow" to Johnny Horton's mournful, spooky "The Vanishing Race." --Marc Greilsamer

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.62 x 4.92 x 0.33 inches; 3.84 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Sony Legacy
  • Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 1994
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 31 minutes
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ October 21, 2006
  • Label ‏ : ‎ Sony Legacy
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000002AU0
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 848 ratings

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
848 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Lemuel Pitkin
5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional interpretation of Peter LaFarge's songs
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2024
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A remarkable CD, one with rememberable, true songs.
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Lightworker
5.0 out of 5 stars As described
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2024
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Fast ddlivery
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Doug Clark
5.0 out of 5 stars CD OK but case broke
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2023
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Just what to expect from Johnny from his greatest era
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Lauren
4.0 out of 5 stars Ira Hayes
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2023
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Full of great songs. But mainly bought for The ballad of Ira Hayes
One person found this helpful
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Trip
5.0 out of 5 stars Mom loves it!
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2021
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While riding one day my mother , after listening to one of the songs on the radio said she wished she could get a CD of her own, 'too bad they don't make them any more'. I thought, "Well, I can check Amazon and see if they have it. You never know." Sure enough, found it in time for her recent birthday. She was so pleased. She listens to it every time she and my step-dad go somewhere.
The songs are well written and have meaning. I may by one for myself, later.
3 people found this helpful
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William E. Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars A unique entry in the Cash canon...
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2006
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Flaws: It is only about 30 minutes long, it was recorded 40 years ago, and some of the "issues" facing Native Americans have changed in the intervening years.

Virtues: It is Johnny Cash at his most passionate. The tragic but talented songwriter Peter LaFarge wrote five of the eight tracks on this record, and died not long after it was issued. (Check out his own work on the Bear Family CD reissues of his old Folkways albums.) This concept LP produced the hit "Ballad of Ira Hayes" and with the upcoming film version of "Flags of Our Fathers" interest in Ira is sure to escalate. However, "Ira" is not the only stirring performance: other gems include "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow" and (my favorite) "Drums" and "White Girl" (all by LaFarge.) After Peter's death, and after "Bitter Tears" showed there was a market for Indian protest ballads, Buffy St. Marie hit it big during the final years of the so-called "Folk Revival". But first was Pete LaFarge, and then Johnny. If the subject interests you at all, owning this CD would be wise.
11 people found this helpful
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Pate edwards
5.0 out of 5 stars brave album
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2014
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Johnny Cash was always more than just a Country Music singer and he proved it with this recording.This was simply one of the bravest albums ever recorded. It was recorded fifty years ago when this country was engaged in the the fight for civil rights for all. The start of this album began in 1962 when Johnny heard an obscure folk singer, Peter La Farge at the Gaslight. Peter was a Native American who sang about his histoy - our histoy. At the time people cared less about the plight of Native Americans then they do now. But that night, Johnny was touched by what he heard and the seeds for this project were sown. Johnny went ahead and recorded an album of his songs and Peter La Farge's. Unlike many albums recorded back then, this one stands the test of time. But back then, Johnny got no support from his record label and the radio stations refused to play it. The album has remained a unheard gem.
21 people found this helpful
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Michelle L. Lyons
5.0 out of 5 stars That they are Ballards of Indigenous peoples
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2022
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I love Johnny Cash, I read somewhere about him doing a Native American Ballards CD
So I get it an it's awesome,
I hear that a Native American sings Johnny Cash songs. Old Johnny Cash
Was one of the best. Grew up with him. Now I'll get it.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Mare
5.0 out of 5 stars Good on ya... Cash ...Thanks!
Reviewed in Canada on March 21, 2023
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Suffering financially due to the bigotry of general public, Cash's determination to record these songs about North Americas original Indigenous Peoples, was not waylaid by the expected backlash. Good tunes, great lyrics, some tongue in cheek lines for sure. It stands plenty tall in his musical history.
Hats off to Cash for making this one.
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A.Arroz
5.0 out of 5 stars Ein unbekanntes Must-have für alle Johnny Cash Fans
Reviewed in Germany on January 6, 2021
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Die Überschrift sagt eigentlich schon alles:
Nicht der übliche Johnny Cash Einheitsbrei, sondern Johnny Cash von (s)einer
ganz anderen, romantischen Seite.

Zum hören und genießen, aber auch zum Cruisen auf der Autobahn. Man wähnt
sich auf dem Highway 1 oder auf der Route 66 und verliert alle seine Aggressivität.
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cvg
5.0 out of 5 stars brave johnny
Reviewed in Spain on April 13, 2015
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last year's joe henry's fine tribute album(look again to the wind) brought this "forgotten" johnny cash record to my attention.
the album was a very brave statement for an american artist in that period!
one of the first concept albums of its time.
some wonderful involved songs,by this great artist.
songs about the misfortune of the american indian.
why is there so little social protest and involvement in music nowadays?
too busy making "selfless"?
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Stefy
4.0 out of 5 stars Dépouillement et recueillement
Reviewed in France on February 13, 2013
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Johnny Cash pouvait se permettre cela: soit un album résolument non commercial sous titré "Ballads of the American Indian" sur les dommages subis par les Indiens d'Amérique. Le ton est résolument grave, l'instrumentation dépouillée voire spartiate tandis que la voix très male de Cash est mise en avant pour que le message, résolument le truc important ici, passe bien. Coup de bol, Cash a une bonne voix et le disque est résolument superbe, chaque morceau comme un petit sketch étant très différent des autres et formant à l'arrivée un album très cohérent. Court également (un peu plus de 31 minutes). Le message n'en est que plus fort. L'un des meilleurs albums de son auteur.
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デタコイズ
5.0 out of 5 stars インディアンへの情を歌い語った64年作
Reviewed in Japan on December 15, 2015
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　ジョニー・キャッシュのベスト盤などに時折インディアンについて歌ったものを見かけます。硫黄島の戦いで生き残って星条旗を掲げた写真に載ったのを機に人生が転がってしまった実在の人物を歌った「アイラ・ヘイズのバラッド」がそれです。ほかのヒット曲に比べるとあまりにも色が違いすぎるこの曲と共にアメリカン・インディアンの物語を収めたのが64年作のこのアルバムです。（ネイティヴ・アメリカンの表記は必ずしも当人方に歓迎されているわけでもないそうなので、インディアン表記にしています。）

　最初の曲の歌い始めの地の底から響くような低音からして、全体のトーンは重く暗く覆いかぶさっていく感じで、インディアンの虐げられた歴史や後を引く現在が歌われ語られます。歌詞は検索すれば英語詞ですが出てきます。まさにインディアンの視点から描かれたもので、のちに公民権運動と相まってインディアンの地位や権利を訴えたレッド・パワーを先取りするかのような先鋭的なものが大手レコード会社所属の売れっ子歌手から出されたというのが驚きです。ジョニー・キャッシュ自身の生い立ちや薬物問題もあってか、罪を負った人や虐げられた人への共感というか悔悟というか懺悔というか、深く沈んだところから出てくる情がこのコンセプトアルバムやほかのゴスペルのアルバムや刑務所でのライブアルバムなどに顕われるのだなと感じずにはいられません。

　このアルバムから50年後に全曲をカバーしたLook Again To The Wind: Johnny Cash's Bitter Tears Revisitedが出たのがきっかけでこのアルバムを手にしました。曲のアレンジなどは当時のカントリーのアルバムの制約を抜けきらないところはありますが、当時にこれを出したということ自体が今では考えられない衝撃があります。
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