Where did we go right?

June Carter Cash (June 23, 1929 – May 15, 2003)

“I first heard of [Johnny Cash] through Elvis Presley. Elvis would make me go into these little cafés and listen to John [on the jukebox] when we played in the South–in the Carolinas and all down through Florida and Georgia. Then, one night backstage at the Opry, this man walked up to me and said, ‘I want to meet you, I’m Johnny Cash.’”

“I’m falling in love with somebody I have no right to fall in love with. I can’t fall in love with this man, but it’s just like a ring of fire.”

“I worked with John, but I had enough sense to walk just a little ways behind him. I could have made more records, but I wanted to have a marriage.”

“I’m just tryin to matter.”

 

 

Here’s Johnny John R. “Johnny” Cash (Feb 26, 1932 – Sept 12, 2003)

Hello, I’m Johnny Cash.

opening line at many of his concerts and public appearances
(Wikipedia)

“I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
 Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
 I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
 But is there because he's a victim of the times.
 I wear the black for those who never read”

“I wore black because I liked it. I still do, and wearing it still means something to me. It's still my symbol of rebellion -- against a stagnant status quo, against our hypocritical houses of God, against people whose minds are closed to others' ideas.”

“You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.”

“There's a lot of things blamed on me that never happened. But then, there's a lot of things that I did that I never got caught at.”

“it's good to know who hates you and it is good to be hated by the right people.”

"People say, 'Well, he wore that body out.' Well, maybe I did. But it was to a good purpose. They should be thankful that I wore it out to the purpose I wore it out and that was writing and recording and touring and doing concerts. Everywhere I could possibly do them that I thought I might enjoy them. I thought people might enjoy me."

“I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
 I keep my eyes wide open all the time
 I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
 Because you're mine, I walk the line.”

Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan

Nashville Skyline era

Man in Black
by Johnny Cash

Well, you wonder why I always dress in black

Why you never see bright colors on my back

And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone

There’s a reason for the things that I have on

I wear the black for the poor and beaten down

Livin’ on the hopeless, hungry side of town

I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime

But is there because he’s a victim of the times

Well I wear the black for those who’ve never read

Or listened to the words that Jesus said

About the road to happiness, through love and charity

Why do you think He’s talkin’ straight to you and me

We’re doing mighty fine I do suppose

In our streakalightnin’ cars and fancy clothes

But, just so were reminded of the ones who are held back

Up front there ought to be a man in black

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,

For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold

I wear the black in mourning for the lives that could have been

Each week we lose a hundred fine young men

Well, there’s things that never will be right, I know

And things need changin’ everywhere we go

But ’til we start to make a move, to make a few things right

You’ll never see me wear a suit of white

Oh, I’d love to wear a rainbow every day

And tell the world that everything’s O.K.

But I’ll try to carry off a little darkness on my back

‘Til things are brighter, I’m the man in black

I’m the man, the man in black

Oh yeah, I’m the man, the man in black…