Johnny Cash-Unchained

The Grammy award winning Unchained(1996) is Johnny Cash’s second album in the American Recordings Series. This collection of covers, along with three original songs written by Johnny Cash, is the second of Cash’s collaborative work with music producer Rick Rubin. The first album in this series is American Recordings. While this work was received well by the public and critics, it surprised fans with its solo acoustic performances. The rock music group Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers backed Cash in the performance from the 1936 country classic “That One Rose.” In addition, it also includes the remake of Rusty Cage. “You wired me awake, and hit me with a hand of broken nails, you tied my lead, and pulled my chain, to watch my blood begin to boil- these are just a sample to Rusty Cage lyrics, which was written by Soundgarden’s front man Chris Cornell and guitarist Kim Thayil. Johhny Cash has a wide discography of genres spanning from the 1936 country classic “That One Rose” to the remake of the alternative rock music of Soundgarden featured on “Rusty Cage” and the cover of Beck’s “Rowboat.” Unchained exemplifies the breadth of versatility found in the musical genius of The Man in Black.

The works Johnny Cash recorded on American Recordings and Unchained marked a renaissance in his career, which lasted the last decade of his life. After The Country Music Hall of Fame inducted Cash as its youngest living inductee in 1980, he relapsed into the curse of addiction that haunted him his entire life. He re-entered recovery in 1988. The fallout among the Nashville elites and Columbia Records further impeded his career in the 1980’s. Cash’s collaboration with contemporary popular artists and bands, such as U2, broaden his audience and set the stage for the crossover success of these two albums.

Some of the musical highlights of Unchained include recuts of “Country Boy” and “Mean Eyed Cat”, originally performed by Cash. Johnny does a wonderful interpretation of The Carters Sisters song “The Kneeling Drunkard’s Plea” and Tom Petty’s “Southern Accents.” The widespread popularity of “I’ve Been Everywhere” reflects not only the musical genius of Johnny Cash, but also chronicles the 40-year career of cherished music legend of the Man in Black.

BUY Johnny Cash – Unchained