kris7

A Recent New Fan's Eulogy for The Man In Black....

Several days ago, I decided that I wanted to get Cash's latest albums for my upcoming birthday. Mere days after I make my wish list, I hear the awful news. The same thing happened to me when I got into Nirvana. Anyway, even though I am only a recent convert and my grief over his death pales in comparison to what his long time fans must be feeling, I thought I'd share a story.....

Way back in 1993 I got myself a copy of U2's "Zoorpa". The last song on the album is called "The Wanderer" and it features Johnny Cash on lead vocals. Back then when I was in middle school, I didn't care much for that song. However.........

Fastforward to the year 2000. After my Dad got a new job in Boston my family and I had to move to Massachussetts. It was a real difficult time for me. After years of feeling like an outcast, I had more or less finally begun fo find where I belonged. Now, I had to leave behind friends, family, my band etc. I also broke up with the first girlfriend I ever had b/c of the move.

When the homesickness would get really bad I would take long walks out to the bridge that stands high over the highway, where I would watch the relentless roar of traffic and look out into the horizon and think of my home, my friends, my girlfriend.....

One afternoon, I was missing my ex really badly. I decided to put on the song "The Wanderer" and I just started bawling my eyes out. I heard it in a very new and different light. Bono may have wirtten the lyrics, but they evoke Cash's spirit very well.

THE WANDERER

I went out walking
Through streets paved with gold
Lifted some stones
Saw the skin and bones
Of a city without a soul
I went out walking
Under an atomic sky
Where the ground won't turn
And the rain it burns
Like the tears when I said goodbye

Yeah I went with nothing
Nothing but the thought of you
I went wandering

I went drifting
Through the capitals of tin
Where men can't walk
Or freely talk
And sons turn their fathers in
I stopped outside a church house
Where the citizens like to sit
They say they want the kingdom
But they don't want God in it

I went out riding
Down that old eight lane
I passed by a thousand signs
Looking for my own name


I went with nothing
But the thought you'd be there too
Looking for you


I went out there
In search of experience
To taste and to touch
And to feel as much
As a man can
Before he repents


I went out searching
Looking for one good man
A spirit who would not bend or break
Who would sit at his father's right hand
I went out walking
With a bible and a gun
The word of God lay heavy on my heart
I was sure I was the one
Now Jesus, don't you wait up
Jesus, I'll be home soon
Yeah I went out for the papers
Told her I'd be back by noon


Yeah I left with nothing
But the thought you'd be there too
Looking for you
Yeah I left with nothing
Nothing but the thought of you
I went wandering

----

It saddens me that I did not get into any of his other work earlier so that I could've enjoyed more of it when he was still alive. Ever since I heard about his American Recordings series, my respect for him grew and grew. I also saw a documentary on him once and I was thrilled to learn that he had taken a stand against the Vietnam War. That was a very ballsy thing to do considering the mostly right-wing politics of the majority of the country music audience.

Mr, Cash, wherever you are right now, I very much regret that I didn't get more aquainted with your work when you were still with us here. Then again, you will always be here with us: through your music.

Thank you for everything,,,,,,