Johnny Cash's former home in Henderson, Tennessee, featured in this video that was shot only a few months before his death, burned down today.
Also see: The Johnny Cash rules. I especially like the one about how Rick Rubin's producing Johnny Cash's last albums meant he could even be forgiven for anything, even if he put together a supergroup consisting of Britney Speares, John Ashcroft, and the William twins (Shatner and Hung) singing the collected works of Wayne Newton. Ouch, my ears hurt just thinking about that supergroup (heh!).
-- Badtux the Music Penguin
Thanks, hadn't seen this one. Love the allusion to an aged Bacchus whose revelers have long since moved on and left him alone with the taste of ash in his mouth. The song itself seems to be very much a reflection of his life and his desire to throw off the mortal coil; to get out of this "empire of dirt". I wonder if this was shot before or after June died? Could be the imagery or the directing, but I would guess the answer is after. I think her death irrevocably broke something in him considering that he followed her not six months later.
ReplyDeleteThe video was shot in February, June died in May, Johnny died in November. June actually appears in the video, where she is standing on the stairwell staring down on Johnny as he sings "What have I become/my dearest friend". Johnny did know he didn't have long to live at this point, indeed upon releasing the album that this song is on at the end of the previous year, he told producer Rick Rubin "I think this is it, I think this is the end." At which point Rubin did what any producer working with a dying legend would do, said "No it isn't, let's go back in the studio and do another album." Which was released last year.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the effect of June's death upon Johnny: Someone asked in the comments of that video, "What did Johnny die of?" and someone else replied, "Heartbreak." Indeed. While the list of ailments that afflicted Johnny was long -- nerve damage that caused breathing problems, lung damage, constant pain from a broken jaw that refused to heal right, etc. -- I don't think it was an accident that he died only a few months after June did.
- Badtux the Music Penguin