You Think You're Tough?

If all country music sounded like Johnny Cash, there would never have been a Woodstock, Lollapalooza, or the Warped Tour. You wouldn't need it: Johnny Cash is the original punk rocker, the Man in Black who flipped the world the bird in "Rolling Stone" and scoffed at those hippies who thought acid was a trip. The man wrote a love song to cocaine and served time - he KNEW what real life was all about.

This particular CD is a great introduction to the guy: 16 of his most famous songs, from gospel-tinged ballads to clever little ditties. Anyone who considers himself a music person should be able to sing at least one Johnny Cash song - and no, chanting "I fell into a burning ring of fire" doesn't count. This CD will give you a feel for the man and his music, and is crucial for understanding the inspiration behind everyone from the Doors to the Bouncing Souls.

And now, a quick review of the shining stars of this CD:

"I Walk the Line" - aforementioned ode to cocaine. Brilliant in his dead-on description of addiction, and extra points for managing to convince a huge part of the population that it's a legitimate love song.

"Understand Your Man" and "Ballad of Ira Hayes" - cuz he's a cowboy, baby. Cash evokes an era when the men were strong, the women were pretty, and "political" and "correctness" were never seen in the same sentence. Release your inner John Wayne with these babies.

"Boy Named Sue" - for all those trendsters who sat through "Swingers" scratching their heads. This song is generally considered kind of a throw-away (it's one of his most popular and also one of his jokiest), but the story is great, and it's part of our collective pop consciousness.

"Sunday Morning Coming Down" - the ultimate "morning after" song. For everyone who's woken up to a raging headache, no cigarettes, and stale beer. If you've never been there, you probably wouldn't like Johnny Cash anyway.

My only complaint is that this album doesn't have "Born to Lose" (though the Bouncing Souls cover is almost as heavenly) or "Jackson," a duet with his inimitable wife, June Carter. That having been said, buy this CD, get totally trashed, and blast it for two days straight. If your life isn't changed, I will personally apologize for wasting your time.