This month the final chapter of Cash's recording career hit store shelves. "American VI: Ain't No Grave" is a beautifully crafted farewell, but far from a goodbye.
The opening "Ain't No Grave (Gonna Hold This Body Down)" sets the tone for the album. A quiet-yet-powerful accompaniment of acoustic guitar, banjo and stomping add depth to Cash's growling chants of "There ain't no grave can hold my body down."
Many of the songs aren't quite as straightforward in talking about Cash's mindset during the recording sessions, which spanned the final five months of his life.
But the timing gives several tracks a different meaning that originally intended. Kris Kristofferson's "For The Good Times" goes from being a breakup song to Cash's heartfelt farewell to his wife June, who passed away during the recording of the album.
"Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound" is also transformed from a song about a drifter's story to Cash's fears for his soul in the great beyond.
"I Don't Hurt Anymore," originally a song of finally getting over a broken heart, is now interpreted with an upbeat accompaniment with Johnny speaking from the grave. June is by his side and he has escaped from the pain and suffering he endured during his final years.
Cash also ventures into the political realm with the Sheryl Crow penned "Redemption Day," the heavily covered protest song "A Satisfied Mind" and "Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream," with its inspiriting line, "I dreamed that all the world agreed to put an end to war."
But the heart and soul of the album lies in the lone Cash-written tune "I Corinthians 15:55" and the final track, "Aloha Oe."
Cash pours his heart into "I Corinthians 15:55," asking "Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grace, where is thy victory?" Very light piano and guitars flow below Johnny's battered and unrelenting voice.
"Aloha Oe" stays true to it's Hawaiian roots with a slide guitar intro before Cash transitions back and forth between the Hawaiian and English lyrics, capping off with the appropriate culmination "Until we meet again."
As painful as it is to listen to Johnny sound so weak and lacking the fire that made him famous, the hope that remains in his voice and the lyrics he sings make for an inspirational farewell album from the iconic Cash.
The ABC12 Listening Room staff: James Chesna, editor-in-chief; Josh Daunt, managing editor, photographer; LeeAlan Weddel, contributing editor, staff writer, photographer; Beth McEnroe, staff writer, photographer; Gwen Mikolajczak, staff writer; Chris Harris, photographer, staff writer; Eric Fletcher, chief photographer; Randy Cox, photographer; Chris Carr, photographer; Norm Fairhurst, photographer; Jessica Reid, contributing photographer.
