Tag Archives: Johnny Cash

♫ Solitary Man ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, History, music

I last played this one in May 2021, a year-and-a-half ago … I try not to redux within two years, but since we’ve been doing Neil Diamond this week, I thought it only fair that I play my own personal favourite!  Now, when I played this last time, Clive mentioned the Johnny Cash version … one that I knew existed, but hadn’t ever heard.  So, Veni, Vidi, Vici … and since I do value diversity in most things, I have included Cash’s version this time ’round!  I still prefer Neil Diamond’s, but I have to admit that Johnny Cash has a really nice voice! 

This was Neil Diamond’s first charting single as a recording artist, though he had moderate success previously as a songwriter writing songs for other artists, including the Box Tops and the Monkees.  Of Solitary Man he said …

“After four years of Freudian analysis I realized I had written ‘Solitary Man’ about myself.”

In a 2008 interview …

“Solitary Man was my first song where I tried to really raise the level of my songwriting. It was inspired by the Beatles’ song ‘Michelle,’ which was also written in a minor key. I don’t think I’d ever written a song in a minor key before, it was the first and it kind of broke the dam for me.”

The song would go on to be covered by many others, including T.G. Sheppard, Johnny Cash, HIM, and others, most of which I have never heard.

 

Solitary Man
Neil Diamond

Melinda was mine ’til the time
That I found her
Holding Jim
And loving him
Then Sue came along, loved me strong
That’s what I thought
Ya, me and Sue
But that died too

Don’t know that I will
But until I can find me
The girl who’ll stay
And won’t play games behind me
I’ll be what I am
A solitary man
Solitary man

I’ve had it to here
Bein’ where love’s a small word
Part-time thing
Paper ring

I know it’s been done
Havin’ one girl who’ll loves you
Right or wrong
Weak or strong

Don’t know that I will
But until I can find me
The girl who’ll stay
And won’t play games behind me
I’ll be what I am
A solitary man
Solitary man

Don’t know that I will
But until I can find me
The girl who’ll stay
And won’t play games behind me
I’ll be what I am
A solitary man
Solitary man
Solitary man
Solitary man

Songwriters: Neil Diamond
Solitary Man lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group

♫ If I Were A Carpenter ♫

Posted on by under music

Tonight, I was in the mood for some soul, thinking some Four Tops.  Trouble is, I’ve played most of my favourite Four Tops songs … and reduxed them in the past year.  I’ve got my standards, y’know!  But then, as I was looking back at one, a comment reminded me that the Four Tops had covered this song, If I Were a Carpenter, and … lo and behold, I hadn’t played that one yet!  Now, since so many have successfully covered this song, it wouldn’t be fair to only play the Four Tops version, so I will add a couple of others, just for some variety.  Let me know which is your favourite.

This song was written by the folk singer Tim Hardin, who performed it at Woodstock in 1969.  The song, it is said, was partly inspired by the construction of a recording studio for Hardin, in the home of Lenny Bruce, and by his love for actress Susan Morss.  Sadly, Tim Hardin died in 1980 at the young age of 39 from a heroine overdose.  But, we still have his legacy to enjoy!

The song has been covered by so many, including …

  • In 1966, it was a top ten hit for Bobby Darin, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked at #9 in the UK. Bobby Darin also released an album If I Were a Carpenter, which contains the song.
  • In 1967, Joan Baez covered a gender-reversed version on her album Joan, initially renamed If You Were a Carpenter though later compilations reverted to the original title.
  • In 1968, The Four Tops hit the Top 20 on both the pop and soul charts with their version. It also reached #7 in the UK charts in 1968 staying in the charts for 11 weeks. It reached #4 in the Netherlands.
  • In 1970, a duet by Johnny Cash and June Carter went to #2 on the country chart.
  • In 1972, a cover by Bob Seger reached #76 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was released from his album Smokin’ O.P.’s.
  • In 1974, Leon Russell released a version with a funk tempo and his own rewritten lyrics from the perspective of a “rock star”. His single reached #73 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was included on his album Stop All That Jazz.
  • In 2005, a duet by Dolly Parton and Joe Nichols was included on Parton’s covers album Those Were The Days.

Whew … that’s enough to make my head spin!  Let’s start with the Four Tops version and go from there …

And Bobby Darin …

Last, but not least, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash

If I Were a Carpenter
Four Tops/Bobby Darin/Johnny Cash/et al

If I were a carpenter
And you were a lady
Would you marry me anyway
Would you have my baby?

If you were a carpenter
And I were a lady
I’d marry you anyway
I’d have your baby

If a tinker was my trade
Would I still find you
I’d be carrying the pots you made
Following behind you
Save your love through loneliness
Save your love through sorrow
I gave you my onlyness
Give me your tomorrow

If I were a miller
And a mill wheel grinding
Would you miss your colored blouse
And your soft shoes shining?

If you were a miller
And a mill wheel grinding
I’d not miss my colored blouse
And my soft shoes shining

Save your love through loneliness
Save your love through sorrow
I gave you my onlyness
Give me your tomorrow

If I worked my hands on wood
Would you still love me?
I’d answer you yes I would
And would you not be above me?

If I were a carpenter
And you were a lady
I’d marry you anyway
I’d have your baby

Save your love through loneliness
Save your love through sorrow
I gave you my onlyness
Give me your tomorrow

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Tim Hardin
If I Were a Carpenter lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

♫ Ring Of Fire ♫

Posted on by under music

As usual, I am a day late … well, actually three days late … with this one.  And, you will never guess … never in a million years … who suggested I play this one … a day late!  If Ellen apprised me of these things a few days in advance … sigh.

I am not a fan of country music, though I can tolerate some John Denver, Willy Nelson, Kenny Rogers, and some of the ‘softer’ country artists.  However, when I think ‘country music’, there are a few icons of the genre that come to mind … Hank Williams, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, and of course Johnny Cash.  The original ‘man in black’.

Ellen’s reason for requesting this song … three days ago … are best stated by her:

“The love story of June and Johnny has been explored from every side and angle … both were married when they met in the 50’s, both divorcing and soon marrying in 1968 after his proposal to her during a live performance in Canada. I will tell you about two things. First, June Carter Cash died on May 15, 2003 and was followed by Johnny in September of the same year. Second, the song that I have always loved is “Ring of Fire”. According to them, it was written by June in 1962 as a love song to him having been inspired by a line of Elizabethan poetry. There was a co-writer, but I forget his name, and she first gave it to a sister to record. It wasn’t a hit and Johnny wanted to record it his way and the result was a hit.”

To embellish just a bit on the information Ellen provided, I turned to SongFacts.  June Carter wrote the lyrics about her relationship with Johnny Cash. She felt being around Cash was like being in a “ring of fire.” Cash was involved in drugs and had a very volatile lifestyle. June Carter wrote this song while driving around aimlessly one night, worried about Cash’s wildman ways – and aware that she couldn’t resist him.

“There is no way to be in that kind of hell, no way to extinguish a flame that burns, burns, burns.”

Cash released this in 1963, and Eric Burdon and the Animals covered it six years later.  By the way … the co-writer was Merle Kilgore, who was also the best man at June & Johnny’s wedding.  Their marriage lasted 35 years, until death did them part.

Now, don’t anybody ask for country music for at least a month, please, for it will take me that long to recover from these two back-to-back country songs!  This one’s for you, my dear friend Ellen …

Ring of Fire
Johnny Cash

Love is a burning thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell into a ring of fire

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire

The taste of love is sweet
When hearts like ours meet
I fell for you like a child
Oh, but the fire went wild

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire

And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire
The ring of fire, the ring of fire

Songwriters:  June Carter/Merle Kilgore