by Ryan J. Nims
KOOP went live on the air in December of 1994, bringing Austin the unique mix of music and public affairs programming for which it’s known. In celebration of KOOP’s 30th anniversary, our writers will be reviewing albums that were released in 1994, some of which may have been heard on this very station.
30 years ago this month (April 26th to be exact) Johnny Cash released the album that would be his return to fame: American Recordings. Released on Rick Rubin’s label American Recordings, the album of the same name would see Cash performing songs written by artists as varied as Glenn Danzig, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, and of course the “Man in Black” himself. For this album, Cash is accompanied only by his guitar.
The album opens with the murder ballad, “Delia’s Gone,” a sinister take on a traditional folk song. Some of the other highlights include “The Beast in Me,” written by former Rockpile member Nick Lowe, “Why Me Lord,” from his fellow Highwayman member Kris Kristofferson, and the live number “Tennessee Stud.” All the songs are great and the album’s sequence makes for a satisfying listen from start to finish. Despite being performed by one man and his guitar, the songs are anything but sparse; the album is full of life, dark humor, and spirituality.
American Recordings came after several years of unsuccessful recordings and waning interest in Johnny Cash. Rubin’s revitalization of Cash’s career brought him to the attention of listeners who might not have normally listened to an aging country singer—namely fans of alternative music. Even after the release of this album, mainstream country radio was still unwilling to support Cash, likely not helped by Rubin taking out a full-page ad in Billboard magazine in 1998 featuring the iconic photo of a younger Cash flipping the bird, with the caption: “American Recordings and Johnny Cash would like to acknowledge the Nashville music establishment and country radio for your support.”
Three more albums for American would be released—featuring songs by bands such as Soundgarden, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, further cementing Cash’s reputation with alternative music fans as a cool, rebellious spirit. His final album for American, 2002s The Man Comes Around, features an emotional remake of the Nine Inch Nails song “Hurt,” a version that led to Trent Reznor proclaiming that “Hurt” was no longer his song.
Cash died on September 12, 2003, four months after the death of his wife, June Carter Cash.
I have to imagine that many others, like myself, became fans of Johnny Cash upon hearing this album, and went back to discover earlier songs like “Ring of Fire,” “Boy Named Sue,” and “The Ballad of Ira Hayes.”