Are there any nice, slow-dancable Johnny Cash songs? I am looking for a father-daughter dance for my upcoming wedding. We used to always listen to Johnny and Kenny Rogers while we were in the cellar making stuff out of wood, and I thought it would be nice to have a Man in Black song for this occasion. Unfortunately, ‘Ring of Fire’ and ‘Farmer’s Almanac’ don’t really do it. I am not too concerned with lyrics, as long as they aren’t about shooting a man in Reno. Just something we can dance to that isn’t of the romantic type.
Any thoughts?
Well if you aren’t concerned about lyrics…
on his (I think last) album, American IV, a collection of standards not penned by Cash himself, there’s a beautiful rendition (imo) of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. The initial lyrics would be perfect for a father-daughter dance:
*The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the night and the empty skies my love
To the night and the empty skies *
Unfortunately from there it gets into a more romantic feel (The first time ever I lay with you being the most notable), but if you could just keep it to that first part it’d be ideal.
I was going to say the same song… Lyrics-wise it is kind of suspect for a parent dance, but it’s a beautiful cover.
You’d have to look at late Johnny Cash I think. Early Cash was unique because of the energy behind all the songs.
“Deliah’s Gone” maybe? “I Still Miss someone” might be a little too quick for slow dancing. Same with “Flesh and Blood”
Probably not. Delia’s dead.
“Delia, oh, Delia Delia all my life
If I hadn’t have shot poor Delia I’d have had her for my wife
Delia’s gone, one more round, Delia’s gone”
How about “Ballad of a Teenage Queen”? Or “Daddy Sang Bass”?
How about You Are My Sunshine? It’s in the Unearthed box set.
From the excellent live at Folsom and San Quentin sets, I offer the following:
Dark as the Dungeon
I Still Miss Someone
The Long Black Veil
Send a Picture of Mother
Give My Love to Rose
Starkville City Jail
Green Green Grass of Home
Peace in the Valley
…all mellow songs, though not necessarily so lyrically, but that’s just Johnny Cash for you.
I love this song! Great slow dance but i am not sure for a father daughter dance but if you two are cool with it then go fot it!
How about “Sunday Morning Coming Down”?
Just kidding.
Well there’s “Memories are Made of This” which is a definite wedding song. Check out the [url=http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/memories-are-made-of-this-lyrics-johnny-cash/b993baf60647ef8548256db90007700f]lyrics[/url;] and see what you think. I think it would be pretty good one, it is a beautiful song.
Memories Are Made Of This - from the “Unchained” CD.
I was about to say the same thing, because it is a beautiful song. Perhaps not the kind of beauty you’d like on a occasion like this, but it is … man, it’s good.
Thanks for your thoughts, everyone.
Ghanima and dbygawdcapn , Memories are Made of This seems like it would be a great husband/wife dance, but I’m not sure about a father/daughter one. It’s really romantic.
I wonder if I can pare down The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face…
An Arky, I looked up the lyrics for each of those songs, and I was reminded why Johnny Cash was so popular in the prisons. He really sang about how badly things can go. Peace on the Mountain is such a beautiful song, I get chills. Actually, I get chills from most of his American Recordings. It’s making it hard to make an objective decision.
Walter Windchill, Daddy Sang Bass is too fast for our clumsy selves, or at least the version of it that I heard is.
AuntiePam, that sounds good. I’ll have to give it a listen.
Again, thanks to everyone for their ideas. Like Push You Down and An Arky say, it’s tough with Johnny Cash. His work is raw and touching, but his subject matters don’t go towards the non-romantic love. I feel pretty confident now that there isn’t some random lyrically- and musically-perfect song for this that I missed.
His duet with Bob Dylan on “Girl from the North Country” might work.
You know, I love Johnny to itty-bitty pieces, and I love Bob to even ittier-bittier pieces, but I just don’t cotton to the two together. Brilliant in theory, but in actuality … not so much.
“Peace in the Valley”… definitely.
You’ll Never Walk Alone from Unearthed Volume III is quite pretty, or Singer of Songs if you don’t mind something a bit on the religious side, also on Unearthed Voume III.
Some more mellow Cash, all covers:
**Danny Boy
The Streets of Laredo
Give My Love to Rose
Desperado
In My Life
**
Well, he did versions of Father and Son, We’ll Meet Again and Redemption Song, but I don’t think that’s quite what you’re after.
I love You Because (You’re You)
A Thing Called Love
Bridge Over Troubled Water
A Satisfied Mind
I think you either have to pick the lyrics or the tune you like best- with Johnny Cash I don’t think you’re going to get everything you’re looking for in one song.