# Johnny Cash Dead **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2003, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173 "2003-09-12T10:21:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/21 "2003-09-12T12:20:16Z")
To expand on my last post, this is what I posted in MPSIMS: > [@](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > He went so soon after his wife - funny how often that happens. > > I expected he would die soon, after hearing about June. > > The morning news was well into his obituary when I turned the television on this morning. What a crappy thing to wake up to. And right after that, they said John Ritter died. All I could say was, "What the _f_ck?\* > > IMO Johnny Cash’s version of _Hurt_ is superior to the original. The Nine Inch Nails version sounds like just another commercial-alternative rock song. Johnny’s version had _feeling_. Without Johnny Cash, Wall of Voodoo would not have made their excellent rendition of _Ring of Fire_. And I remember when I was a little kid, thinking that _A Boy Named Sue_ was one of the funniest songs I’d heard. > > I saw a skiing film back in the 1980s called _Spirit_ where a guy in a frock coat and stovepipe hat was “hot dog skiing” (as it was called at the time) while reading a bible. It was filmed MOS, and they laid _The Reverend Mr. Black_ over it. I don’t know if it was Johnny Cash singing it, but it sounded like him; and I liked it. > > I’m not a country music fan. I prefer early punk, old-school New Wave, new alternative, and the commercial-alternative that gets all the airplay. But Johnny Cash’s music crossed the boundary. I like his stuff when I hear it, and even have two of his CDs. > > Most celeb deaths are just like, “Wow. That’s too bad,” or “I thought he was dead already.” But losing Johnny Cash hurts. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/22 "2003-09-12T12:27:22Z")
☹ Tough week! First Warren Zevon and now Johnny Cash. I’ll be listening to “Cry Cry Cry” today. RIP, Johhny. Say hello to June for us. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@El\_Elvis\_Rojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Elvis_Rojo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/23 "2003-09-12T12:31:14Z")
He was 71, which by today’s standards, isn’t that old. But he lived a full and harsh life, so he sure showed his years. And after the death of his wife, well…it’s really no suprise. Still, it’s a damn, damn shame. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/24 "2003-09-12T12:34:27Z")
Crap, I’m actually a little teared up here. I am an enormous J.C. fan, I actually sang Folsom Prison in our rockabilly band for a few years. Although not unexpected, it is still sad. RIP. Our camping trip tonight has officially been turned into Cash Tribute night complete with cd player and lots of beer. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/25 "2003-09-12T12:36:47Z")
“Give my love to Rose, please won’t you mister…” The world will be different without him in it. ---
**Author:** ![corndog\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@corndog\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corndog_man)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/26 "2003-09-12T12:37:14Z")
2003 will be remembered as the year entertainment died. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/27 "2003-09-12T12:40:09Z")
“Ring of Fire” is such a terrific album, and a great album cover as well. And Jim Marshall’s picture of JC flipping the bird in San Quentin is the ultimate rock and roll photograph. “There’ll be peace, peace in the valley for me, sweet Lord I pray…” ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/28 "2003-09-12T12:44:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > **…and given his health he was probably lucky to live as long as he did.** No, **Fiver** , we were lucky. I got the feeling he was saying goodbye to all of his fans with his last album…so many songs about death and sadness and, near the end of the album, hope…and then the whole Cash clan singing “We’ll Meet Again”… Even though I know he was working on a new album, I’ll always feel like _The Man Comes Around_ was a farewell. ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/29 "2003-09-12T12:54:06Z")
I was listening to **Social Distortion** cover _Ring of Fire_ on the way to work this morning. Mike Ness called Johnny Cash ‘the _original_ punk’. I had front row seats at a Highwaymen concert in about 1990 and Johnny didn’t look that healthy back then. I’m glad he lived as long as he did. Music has truly lost a legend. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/30 "2003-09-12T12:59:08Z")
> [@](#): > > I was listening to **Social Distortion** cover Ring of Fire on the way to work this morning. I haven’t heard that one, but **Wall of Voodoo** ’s version was wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/31 "2003-09-12T13:03:13Z")
Jesus he was only 71? I thought he was at least 80 . . . ---
**Author:** ![Spooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Spooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spooky)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/32 "2003-09-12T13:05:49Z")
Another Great One leaves us. Godspeed, Mr. Cash. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/33 "2003-09-12T13:08:00Z")
Very sad. I came to Johnny Cash only in the last five years or so, but man o man, what a musician! At the same time, I imagine it’s a relief to him. He lived a good long life, and left a legacy matched by few artists. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/34 "2003-09-12T13:09:15Z")
He couldn’t live without June. I’m so sad. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/35 "2003-09-12T13:11:55Z")
It’s on the front page of [The Nashville Tennessean](http://www.tennessean.com/entertainment/news/archives/03/09/39200475.shtml?Element_ID=39200475) ---
**Author:** ![lokij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@lokij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lokij)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/36 "2003-09-12T13:18:12Z")
I can’t think of another artist so universally liked and respected. He was truly in a league of his own. We’ll miss you Johnny. “We’ve seen secret things revealed by God And we heard what the angels had to say Should you go first, or if you follow me Will you meet me in heaven some day” ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/37 "2003-09-12T13:25:52Z")
**Dick Dale** also did a cover of _Ring of Fire_ which wasn’t too bad. Not much else I can say that hasn’t already been said… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/38 "2003-09-12T13:29:26Z")
Love you, miss you, Johnny. ---
**Author:** ![moejuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@moejuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejuck)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/39 "2003-09-12T13:31:51Z")
What a sad day. Johnny was incredible, and he had such a long career. I guess we should all be thankful he found his calling in life and blessed us all with his music. I will miss him. Time to go listen to his cover of “Bridge over Troubled Water”. ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173/40 "2003-09-12T13:36:27Z")
How many musicians have still made powerful, intelligent, original, moving music for so long, to that age? To hear him dismantle and reassemble Will Oldham, NIN, or Nick Cave songs on his recent albums proves he was an astonishing talent right up to the end, still engaged with the best of modern music emotionally, artistically, and critically, and able to transcend the original recordings. And what a voice. On hearing this news, I want to leave work, go home, listen to his cover of I See A Darkness, and cry. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-dead/201173.md?page=3)