This may be mainly for you older westerners, but here goes...

What are your top 5 Johnny Cash songs? I would have asked for top one or top three, but found myself unable to winnow them down that far.

Mine, not necessarily in order, are

- Daddy Sang Bass
- A Boy Named Sue
-Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down
Ring of Fire
-Ghost Riders in the Sky

But I had a heck of a time not picking The One the Right is On the Left, or Folsom Prison Blues

So what are yours?

I'd list them but they were all Marty Robbins songs.

The man comes around!

Folsom Prison Blues X 3 and Ring of Fire X 2 = 5

On a slight high-jack - Ray Price died in December, in Texas. His version of Danny Boy is as good as it gets, and he caught crap from the country establishment at the time for "betraying" his roots. The man had quite a voice.

I liked Willie Nelson's comment. "There never would have been a Willie Nelson if there hadn't been a Ray Price."

I like the legends, particularly the ladies; Loretta, Tammy, Patsy, and Dotty. (I didn't like Dolly for a good while; a little too garish for my blood, but she can write a kill-shot lyrics that hits the heart/lung area every time.)

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
I'd list them but they were all Marty Robbins songs.

I agree completely. I like Johnny Cash as well, but Marty Robbins will always top my list.

I am right there with ya' AC

Johnny Cash was great!


.

For a yankee dollar, identify this phrase in context: "take it away Leon...".

That man and his band were my heroes growing up; along with Hank Sr.

..Bob Wills...but I'd rather have a Confederate dollar..

Btw, a good friend of mine saw him play for the soldiers out in Oklahoma. 1945ish I guess.

"San Antonio Rose" and "Faded Love" are maybe my favorites.

..not that it matters, but I'm told a relative of mine had something to do with managing Hank Sr.

IN context. You have to ID Leon and tell us what he is "taking away..."

Oh, I'm tempted, but let's give someone else a chance...I don't want to hog it..

Bob Wills was another good one. I had a older friend years ago that used to always say, "if you don't believe I'm leaving (big momma) just count the days I'm gone." from Milk Cow Blues.

The reference you make is to Leon McAuliffe. I'm not sure the first time Wills used it. I believe it was when Wills turned Leon loose on his solo; maybe Steel Guitar Rag.

Country music just grows on you. The first song I ever went nuts for was Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette, by Tex Williams.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWXbVsMkz1U

It was from 1947. I was born in 1947. I remember finding the record in my grandparents house in Oakland City, Indiana in the mid 50s. I used to lie there in the living room at night and wear that record out until they would take it away from me.

I'm surprised I didn't end-up smoking.

The grandparents are gone, the house is gone, the farm is gone. The church and cemetery are still there, and I've got the memories.

I'm not surprised I ended-up liking Commander Cody and Asleep At The Wheel.

While Johnny Cash's voice left me a little cold, I liked George Jones, and he had the same beat-up, run-over, bottom of a bottle type voice. To me it is usually the lyrics to those songs. Some good story telling there.

I've got a grown daughter, born and raised in Venezuela. She never heard country music until I started going with her mother. She couldn't stand it when I would pop a cassette in my Cherokee on a long ride. Now she gets it, and can tear-up as easily as I can.

...wading through the shallow water, reaching for your hand...

Well y'all, I hesitate to really get into naming favorite country songs. Saeed might not have enough band width herebouts for that.

But if we're sticking mainly with Cash -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd0EmkQUGqY

I've seen those South Memphis IC yards Casey "took on the fly". And I can well imagine CJ or JC highballin' out the yard.

.."with a hand on the whistle and a hand on the brake all Mississippi was wide awake"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBeZPJ03lW0

From childhood on I've always liked that old song. There're lots more verses but he didn't have time to get them in.

"..it's cloudy in the West and it look like rain, and around the curve come a passenger train, northbound train in the southbound track, he's alright a leavin' but he won't be back..."

And of course this 'un - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wG0fS4DoGUc - that was '69, the summer of which I first heard it. Saw him do it in person at the Ryman, about '71.

Now, if'n we're talking non JC special favorites as in modern favorites, here're a couple -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sco_eBvXGTQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWVdKv4-CEg - this is the best country duet ever...it says so much about us...

And if you want to go all the way back to the beginnings of country songs, here's probably my favorite - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMqcF_mCW0Q

quote:

Originally posted by Kensco:
Country music just grows on you. The grandparents are gone, the house is gone, the farm is gone. The church and cemetery are still there, and I've got the memories.


While Johnny Cash's voice left me a little cold, I liked George Jones, and he had the same beat-up, run-over, bottom of a bottle type voice. To me it is usually the lyrics to those songs. Some good story telling there.

Yeh, I like all kinds of music (except rap), from Bird to opera to the military hymns, and to even a little bit of acappela to a smidge of pop and Gregorian chants, space music, and the Incan flute.

But best of all, I like R&B, and as a very wise old black woman once said "Sho, I like country & western music...that's the white boys R&B".

One Piece at a Time.

Grizz

AC hit the best ones, altough Folsom prison is a close runner up.

Hurt

Folsom Prison Blues

Hickman County Saturday Night

He actually had a place in Hickman County so he knew of that he which sung!!!

Tough to pick 5 but here goes...

1. How High's the Water, Mama?
2. Frankie & Johnny
3. The Wall
4. Jackson ( Loooove Junebug)
5. Waiting on the Far Side of the Jordan

Ballad of Ira Hayes

"I keep my pants held up with a piece of twine,
Because you're mine please pull the line."