Johnny Cash humming in song "I Walk the Line"

[Elendil_s_Heir]

Johnny Cash - I Walk the Line

I notice he hums for a few seconds before singing every time here - is it due to the chord changes? Is it musically significant? I’ve never noticed him, or any other singer, doing that.

[Chefguy]

Wiki:

Once while performing the song on his TV show, Cash told the audience, with a smile, “People ask me why I always hum whenever I sing this song. It’s to get my pitch.” The humming was necessary since the song required Cash to change keys several times while singing it.

[Two_Many_Cats]

I suspected as much. But damn, it still sounds good!

[pulykamell]

Johnny Cash could burp and fart his way through a song, and it’d sound cool.

[Chefguy]

@pulykamell

Johnny Cash could burp and fart his way through a song, and it’d sound cool.

That’s pretty much what he did during the worst of his addiction phase.

[Elendil_s_Heir]

@Chefguy

Wiki:

Thanks - should’ve checked there first.

[Oslo_Ostragoth]

@Chefguy

Wiki:

Yeah, I love me some JC, but he wasn’t exactly perfect pitch.