Silverstein recorded “A Boy Named Sue” on his 1969 album Boy Named Sue (And His Other Country Songs). I was surprised when I learned years later that Silverstein wrote the lyrics, but not shocked. There’s a climax of conflict, a moral resolution, and a punch line at the end. It’s a perfect ballad built on an absurd premise. But when the two overlap on a Venn diagram, what you get in the middle is “A Boy Named Sue.” When I first heard the song on Cash’s 1969 album At San Quentin, I played it over and over because the lyrics are brilliant. In my mind, silly Shel Silverstein and rugged Johnny Cash were far apart on the artistic spectrum. Being a boisterous and rebellious young man, I felt a connection to Cash’s rawness, his dark demeanor, and his reverence for the outlaw. I started listening to his music when I was nineteen, at the insistence of a friend who burned me a copy of At Folsom Prison on CD-R. At the time, the most I knew about him was that his music video for his cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” was nominated for several awards at the VMAs, but didn’t win any. I loved Silverstein’s playful humor, his bizarre illustrations, and his wild imagination. My sixth grade English teacher took a break from the curriculum so our class could read poems Silverstein wrote, because my teacher wanted us to understand just how special of a person the world had lost. The stars of Walk the Line sing their rendition of Johnny Cash and June Carter's famous song.The CHIRP Blog ronharlow writes Take Two: “A Boy Named Sue” (Johnny Cash Vs. "It Ain't Me Babe," Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon The happy couple sing their Grammy-winning track together. Originally by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, Cash made the song his own with this striking cover version. He chose the name Johnny later as a stage name when he signed with Sun.īy Mitch Myers (Shel's nephew and biographer), Hugh Hefner, and Silverstein himself, the three men wax poetic on Shel's contributions to Playboy.Ī look at Johnny Cash, the military man, by Major Van Harl USAF Ret., who remembers him not only for his incredibly songwriting and singing ability, but for his service to the United States Air Force and his country. Cash since neither of his parents could decide on a name, just initials. The man was actually born with the name J.R. Playboy sent Silverstein to the infamous gay haven of New York to report on the alternative lifestyle that flourished there despite the stifling conservatism of the 1950s.Īnother comprehensive biography. Notorious for rarely giving interviews, Silverstein opened up here for one of his most comprehensive and revealing discussions.Īn Impolite Interview with Shel Silverstein realistĪn indie magazine's little-known chat with the great artist. The website celebrating living legends featuring a profile, biography, and interview with Cash.Ī list of his books, poems, songs, and cartoons.Ī great bio from the Country Music Television website.įamous poets and provides a great summary of the poet's life. WebsitesĮverything you ever wanted to know about the man in black. Witherspoon won the Oscar for Best Actress and Phoenix was nominated for Best Actor. The Johnny Cash Show: The Best of Johnny Cash 1969-1971 (2007)Ī compilation of the best performances from Cash's variety show that he hosted from '69-'71 including performances by Kris Kristofferson, Neil Young, and Cash himself.Ī stunning biopic of Johnny Cash's life starring Joaquin Phoenix as Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter. Johnny Cash: The Line, Walking with a Legend (2008)įollowing the success of the movie, Walk the Line, this documentary provides an in-depth look at Cash's successes and failures on the road to stardom. Streissguth explores his early childhood, time in the Air Force, and first record deal in context of how they helped create the man in black who would one day wow a crowd at the highest security prison in California. This book gives an in-depth look at the recording of the live Folsom Prison concert and the subsequent lift it gave Cash's dwindling career. Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison: The Making of a Masterpiece, by Michael Streissguth (2005) A lesson in generosity and appreciating what you have. Shel Silverstein's touching story of a tree who loved a little boy and gave everything she had to make sure he was always happy. The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein (1964) Man In Black: His Own Story in His Own Words, by Johnny Cash (1985)Ĭash's first autobiography, penned in 1985, focuses on his early life, drug addictions, and June Carter. Published in the year of his death, this definitive autobiography begins: "My line comes down from Queen Ada, the sister of Malcolm IV, descended from King Duff, the first king of Scotland" and continues from there. Cash: The Autobiography, by Johnny Cash (2003)
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