The Essential Johnny Cash

This version of "The Essential Johnny Cash" focuses on the early years, with the vast majority of tracks coming from the 1950s and 1960s. Actually, there is only one track after 1986, which would be "The Wanderer," recorded with U2 in 1993. However, it is hard to argue with covering the first two major peaks in Cash's career like this and to leave the single album assessment of the final renaissance he enjoyed in recent years, exemplified by his cover of Nine Inch Nail's "Hurt," for down the road. The main thing is that you get his signature tunes, "I Walk the Line," Man in Black," and the live version of "A Boy Named Sue" that officially marked his crossover from country to the popular consciousness of American music, as well as his celebrated covers of "If I Were a Carpenter" and his duets with his wife, June Carter Cash, such as "Jackson." There are also a few choice gospel songs as well along with a surprisingly good duet of "Girl from the North Country" with Bob Dylan.

Several American icons have died this year and unlike what happened with Bob Hope, where the current younger generation was rather clueless as to why this old guy had been so popular for so long, the MTV generation understood Johnny Cash. The music video for "Hurt" received a lot of acclaim, even earning a nomination for video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. I am not particularly surprised by this, since Cash's music career began at the same time as the birth of rock `n' roll and his rebellious attitude made him at least a kindred spirit. He might not have sounded like a rocker, but he was never what Nashville would have considered to be country either. Johnny Cash was unique, with his deep, resonant baritone and spare, percussive guitar, which is why his death deserved the cover of "Time" magazine. You can quibble over whether or not these are truly THE essential three dozen tracks from the Man in Black's music career, but there is no doubt about Johnny Cash's place in the musical pantheon.

This chronological collection begins with eights hits from his tenure at Sun Records (1955-1958). Each of these great recordings, such as his double-sided hit debut "Cry, Cry, Cry"/"Hey Porter," "I Guess Things Happen That Way," "I Walk The Line," and his biggest chart hit "Ballad Of A Teenage Queen" (ten weeks at number one!) features a "boom-chicka-boom" rhythm and sparse instrumental backing by Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant (also known as the Tennessee Two). If you are looking for more music from this period, I suggest Varese's double-disc, forty track Complete Sun Singles.

Cash left Sun in late 1958 and signed with Columbia in hopes of occasionally recording his first love, gospel music, which Sun owner Sam Phillips would not allow. Cash's productive Columbia tenure (which ended in 1986) makes up 26 of the remaining 28 recordings. The remainder of disc one takes us through 1965 and shows Cash branching out far beyond rockabilly, with the old west cautionary tale "Don't Take Your Guns To Town," the yearn-filled ballad "I Still Miss Someone," the mariachi-flavored "Ring Of Fire" (June Carter's composition detailing her then turbulent relationship with Cash), the folky "Ballad Of Ira Hayes," the bluegrass toetapper "Orange Blossom Special," and fittingly, a stark, religious number for the closer, "Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)."

The first half of disc two highlights Cash's work in the mid-to-late '60s, leading off with hit collaborations with wife to be June Carter ("It Ain't Me Babe," "Jackson," "If I Were A Carpenter") as well as megahits from his successful live prison albums ("Folsom Prison Blues," "A Boy Named Sue"). Interspersed is the less known acoustic "Girl From The North Country" duet with Bob Dylan (not a hit, but a superfine recording by two legendary artists) as well as the gospel-oriented "Daddy Sang Bass" which prominently features June Carter and the Statler Brothers (both members of Cash's late '60s/early '70s stage show, which was one of the best of its time).

As the '70s began, Cash was still making a strong impact with the weary Kristofferson ode "Sunday Morning Coming Down," the matter of fact "Flesh And Blood," and the biographical ditty "Man In Black." As the decade wore on, though, big hits became harder to come by, limited to humorous chart-topper "One Piece At A Time" and haunting chestnut "(Ghost) Riders In The Sky" (both found here) as well as "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang" (unfortunately omitted). This Essential collection concludes with four diverse collaborations: "Song Of The Patriot" with Marty Robbins (1980), "Highwayman" with Kristofferson, Nelson, and Jennings (1985 - Cash's last number one single), the reflective "Night Hank Williams Came To Town" with Jennings (1987, from his otherwise unmemorable two-album Mercury Records stint), and "The Wanderer" with U2 (1993, from U2's Zooropa album, a hint of the adventurous material Cash would explore on his American Records albums, such as his recent reworking of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt").

For more material, you can go with the three-disc box set (confusingly, also titled Essential Johnny Cash), but track for track, this set is the more enjoyable listen.

Personally, I'd pay good money to listen to Johnny recite the alphabet, but this collection, an eclectic and affordable Cash primer, is money more wisely spent. Released in 2002 to coincide with The Man in Black's 70th birthday, 'Essential' contains a booklet full of hosannas from his famous admirers and does a nice job of portraying Cash as the musical chameleon of uncompromising integrity that he's always been. Every phase of Cash's career is represented, from his rocking sides for Sun Records in the mid-Fifties to those nothing-left-to-prove 'vocal events' with his heavyweight Outlaw buddies in the Eighties. In between, you witness the transformation of Johnny Cash from rockabilly to poet, from hellion to repentant sinner, and from Star to Legend. It's a helluva fascinating journey.

On Disc One, eavesdrop as the Tennessee Two polish Cash's signature syncopated sound on stark and intimate Sun cuts like 'I Walk the Line,' which still inspires chills. Then, follow Cash to Columbia for his coming of age on classics penned by himself ('Five Feet High and Rising,' 'Don't Take Your Guns to Town') and others ('Ring of Fire,' a smitten June Carter's oblique declaration of love for her future husband). My favorite song from this era - and my favorite Johnny Cash song, period, since I was a kid - is 'Tennessee Flat-top Box,' a clever metaphor for Cash's rise to fame with a killer Tex-Mex guitar riff that took this middling guitarist twenty years to figure out. Cash's rebel take on 'Orange Blossom Special' - he sounds positively gassed - has always knocked me out, too.

Disc Two showcases Cash's mastery in concert and his willingness to share the spotlight with musicians he admires, with somewhat mixed results. Cash's duets with June Carter, especially the red-hot 'Jackson,' are magical, like the beatific communion of soul mates. On the other hand, the rough-hewn curio 'Girl from the North Country' finds Cash and country dabbler Bob Dylan just getting in each other's way. Two of Cash's best live prison performances are here: the incendiary 'Folsom Prison Blues' and his boisterous, off-the-cuff rendition of 'A Boy Named Sue' for an equally pumped San Quentin crowd. 'One Piece at a Time,' a funny tune from 1976, brings Cash full circle with a faithful recreation of his old Sun sound. Finally, Cash reinvents himself yet again as an Elder Statesman/Guru ministering to adoring disciples on 1993's 'The Wanderer,' a surprisingly moving electronica/gospel collaboration with U2.

An artist as prolific and important as Johnny Cash can't be boiled down to just two CDs, but this is a great place to start an appreciation that, I promise you, will enrich your life.