American Recordings/Lost Highway

By Sedera Ranaivoarinosy

American VI: Ain’t No Grave compiles the last leg of recordings Johnny Cash made with bearded super-producer Rick Rubin before his death in September 2003. Released a few days before what would have been his 78th birthday, the songs in this record are particularly relevant in a posthumous album.

Most of the songs are covers; Cash sings Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson or even Elvis Presley. He speaks of death, evaluating life and prospects of afterlife.

The eponymous opening song is extremely moving. As he sings, “Ain’t no grave/ Can hold my body down,” the lines rings truer as we realize that more than seven years after his death, his recordings are still worth a listen (or many more).

His voice may be shaky but the clear sound of the guitar and breezy arrangements enhance all the emotion it carries. Here is a man at peace and ready for death but still living as much of life as he can as he puts these songs together.

The highpoint of this record is his version of “A Satisfied Mind,” which was originally recorded by Porter Wagoner. When the lyrics “But there’s one thing for certain/ When it comes my time/ I’ll leave this ol’ world/ With a satisfied mind” arrive, they bring a sense of comfort and relief about how he may have felt before he died, especially since it is common knowledge that his life was no bed of roses.

Once influential artists die, everyone in the recording industry is always rummaging around for those unearthed, confidential recordings, advertised as gems but mostly chosen for their sales potential. Buy this album before the really opportunistic (and honestly not very groundbreaking) compilations hit the market. These songs are the ones you want to have; they truly capture the raw energy that made Johnny Cash such a passionate and moving performer.