In a college writing course (the uplifting theme of which was 'Death') I wrote an essay on the music of Johnny Cash and his fascination with mortality. This means basically I got high, listened to his albums, and bullshitted my way through ten pages. It was by far the best academic essay I wrote in college.
A part of me can't help but think of this album as simply an attempt to recapture the enthusiastic brilliance of At Folsom Prison. That might be an unfair accusation but I've always found it a bit unremarkable in direct comparison to its predecessor.
That said, when I judge this album (as I should) on its own accord, it's an energetic performance and documentation of a meaningful interaction between a musician and his most devoted fans. The crowd is grateful, cheering throughout the album, laughing every time Johnny makes a joke or takes a vocal jab at the warden. He gives in to shouted requests with a repeat performance of "San Quentin" and entertains his listeners with the amusing, Shel Silverstein-penned "A Boy Named Sue."
The connection Johnny Cash has with the inmates is a testimony to the bond between artist and audience, a point when the music no longer belongs to the musician but is instead a shared experience; one only really felt in the presence of that passing moment.
favorite song: "A Boy Named Sue"
i love this album so much and his witty retorts and comments are what make it so damn good! half of the time he's too far from the mic, so if you don't listen closely, you miss hilarity!
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