So as many of you know, and some in the future will have the pleasure of discovering, the late great Johnny Cash did a series if covers in his "American Recordings" series of albums, some of which are brilliant ("Hurt"), many very good, and only a few duds (Danny Boy should be retired asap --godawful song). So what Queen songs would you have liked Cash to sing? A few that come to mind:
Great King Rat
Jesus
Lily of the Valley
Dear Friends
White Man
All Dead, All Dead
Spread Your Wings
Sleeping on the Sidewalk
I Want to Break Free
These Are the Days of Our Lives
IF Johnny Cash had covered a Queen song:
I would have to argue with idiots and johnny (cash) come lately fans FIRSTLY that
1) the song is in FACT a QUEEN song
2) The ORIGINAL was performed MUCH MUCH MUCH BETTER
3) talking a song out doesn't work unless you're bob dylan.
4) they're taking up far too much space in front of me
5) the best way they could remove my foot from their ass.
I can't imagine how BORING that would have been...
what would Johnny Cash even sing?
of those suggested since the line "she came without a farthing" wouldn't work with him, so no "ALL DEAD ALL DEAD"
i can only imagine a version of "TATDOOL"
that or Mother Love, but for godssakes he had better not cover Mother Love, it's far too personal. (*yes i'm aware JC is long dead)
Personally i never liked his covers on that series. But gotta admit I was AMUSED that he'd cover PERSONAL JESUS (by the underappreciated writer Martin L. Gore)
"White Man" that may have worked.
...still would have been boring. But hey, at least the message might resonate and make (AMERICAN) people THINK again.
Don't like the topic... but you guys ain't thinking out of the box...
Ever hear any of Johnny's earlier material?
THE ONLY song I can think of that he would have been able to do justice to is Stone Cold Crazy... listen to his Folsom Prison or San Quentin albums... it's perfect... all's he needs is his acoustic guitar, a backing band, and 500 prisoners to cheer him on when he sings:
"Here come the deputy
He's gonna come and getta me
I gotta get me get up and run
They got the sirens loose
I ran right outta juice
They're gonna put me in a cell
If I can't go to heaven
Will they let me go to hell?"
And then maybe pull the middle finger after saying "hell" while looking in the camera, howling..."Crazy!...Stone cold crazy, i tell's ya".
good point.
he was generous with his time that way, i suppose... or maybe it was plea bargaining
but the guy never lived the life he sang about...
i guess i'm just bitter over the OVER sentiment that people have to him... mostly *(humorously like i said) JOHNNY (CASH) COME LATELYS
he's so popular now but the new crowd just listens to the new stuff... no respect for Willie or Waylon....even Kriss........ sad
Johnny Cash was the real deal. End of story. He never said he was con, urban legend took care of that. He was honest in his good work, and that's all an artist can be. Who on earth could sing that "you've brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with" as a lament and keep a straight face? Freddie Mercury could, that's who, because the song was 100% honest. So Johnny Cash singing about the struggles of prisoners was something relatable to him, therefore honest. Freddie's struggles with the press, or being a goo lover before it was acceptable, whatever made him write WATC, gave him the artistic license to understand his "share of sand kicked in his face" even though it was literal only. Good God, I'm tired so this post may be utter nonsense. But to sum up, Johnny Cash was fucking awesome.
So was Freddie Mercury.