I have to say my all-time favorite book is Johnny Cash’s autobiography “Cash” by Johnny Cash.
- Rob in High Fidelity
As many know, I collect cover versions obsessively, and right now it’s 1.23am, perfect for the haunting sounds of Johnny Cash. So various songs from his American Recordings albums are inching their way into my playlist. It’s an astounding body of work, those albums: frequently, they hold the power to surprise with their interpretations. For one, Cash’s version of U2’s “One” (from American III: Solitary Man) is classic. It’s a completely different take on the song. It’s the smoky voice of a man worn out by the world, and trying his best to find optimism against his basic instinct of resignation.
The Cash take on Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” (from American IV: The Man Comes Around) is something else, too. That bare guitar line strips down the original synth line into its raw elements, perfect as a complement for the stark tone with which Cash sings the lyrics. Where Martin Gore sang “reach out and touch faith” as an imperative, Cash’s raw voice makes the line a brave attempt to try to convince himself that there is something to reach out for.