Johnny Cash

[midgetonadonkey]

His music sucks. I can't see how anyone can enjoy that bullshit.

[johnsmith]

Fuck you.

[midgetonadonkey]

And why do people think he's such a badass for this picture?

http://www.penmachine.com/images/cashfinger-big.jpg

He is as badass in that picture as she is in this one.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2728/al1ua7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[leemajors]

40 year time diff at least in those pics. cash was awesome.

[midgetonadonkey]

So 40 years ago bad asses threw the finger?

[leemajors]

50 years ago shaking your hips on tv was taboo. i shouldn't have to explain this sort of shit to you.

[midgetonadonkey]

Imagine how much of a badass he would've been if he shook his hips and threw the finger at the same time. I guess he would be on Charles Manson levels to some people if he did that.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Philistine!

Cash was a people's poet.

[The sone]

yikes....

[phyzik]

how old are you?

Johnny Cash was the origional bad ass, the origional man in black.

He puts todays thugs to shame.

Nevermind, you obviously dont get it, why bother?

[leemajors]

Imagine how much of a badass he would've been if he shook his hips and threw the finger at the same time. I guess he would be on Charles Manson levels to some people if he did that.
he could have taken a bunch of psychadelic drugs and written some half sensical overrated books, too!

[midgetonadonkey]

how old are you?

Johnny Cash was the origional bad ass, the origional man in black.

He puts todays thugs to shame.

Nevermind, you obviously dont get it, why bother?

What made him a badass? Is it because he wore black and throws the finger. Yeah, he's a real badass for that.

Can you imagine if he threw the finger, wore black and shook his hips all at once?

[midgetonadonkey]

he could have taken a bunch of psychadelic drugs and written some half sensical overrated books, too!

Maybe he should've. That might have made his shitty ass music tolerable.

[curtismedellin]

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Johnny Cash Gives You the Finger
The greatest rock-n-roll photo ever taken
by Derek K. Miller
The day after Johnny Cash died, I wrote that the picture you see here was the greatest rock photo ever taken.

I didn't think much about it when I wrote that, because that's been my feeling since my surprise when I first saw it many years ago. But I did think about it later. What makes this photo so great, better than the thousands and thousands of others (some much better known) of musicians obscure and famous?

The picture's impact is obvious. Even though Cash was more of a country star, the attitude is all rock-n-roll. It's not a picture you'd show your mother, even if (maybe especially if) she's a Johnny Cash fan. Sure, there are thousands of photographs of celebrities giving the finger. Almost all of them are contrived, either stone-faced or with the tongue lolling out: "Look at me, ooh, I'm so dangerous," or "Oh, you paparazzi are so bothersome." They're dishonest, posed, and lack energy.

Not Johnny, even though the photo is contrived. The story (at least the most believable one) is that photographer Jim Marshall, snapping pictures of Cash before a concert at San Quentin Prison, asked Cash for a shot "for the warden," and got this result. So it was contrived, yet also spontaneous, which is the essence of rock music too.

You might think this is a picture of the young-punk Johnny Cash of the '50s, but it's from 15 years into his career, in 1969, when he was pushing 40. He'd already gone through addiction and recovery, divorce and remarriage, a string of #1 hits and a popular TV show. He was at the top of his career, when Americans bought more of his records than those of the Beatles or anyone else—5% of all records sold that year, apparently.

But it's more timeless than that. Even if you knew nothing about the photo's history, or even that it's Johnny Cash, it's still great. Other famous photos acquire mystique because their subjects are dead, or they represent a bygone era, or they're set up to make a statement. Very few rock photos transcend that, and this one of Johnny Cash does it best.

Here, there's no need for context. The guitar and swanky strap, the blur of motion, the casual collared shirt (both elegant and probably sweaty), the flip of dark hair, and that face. It could be 1955 or 2003; a makeshift prison stage, a giant concert arena, or a recording studio; an anonymous sidewalk busker or the biggest star in the world. Whoever that guy is, he rocks, and when he gives you the finger, he bloody well means it.

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Page BBEdited on 7-Mar-06 (originally posted 13-Sep-03)

© 2003 Derek K. Miller. Some rights reserved. You may use content from this site non-commercially if you give me credit, under the terms of my Creative Commons license.

thought you guys might be interested in a little history behind the photo.

[midgetonadonkey]

<< Penmachine.com home | < Long article index | < Music

Johnny Cash Gives You the Finger
The greatest rock-n-roll photo ever taken
by Derek K. Miller
The day after Johnny Cash died, I wrote that the picture you see here was the greatest rock photo ever taken.

I didn't think much about it when I wrote that, because that's been my feeling since my surprise when I first saw it many years ago. But I did think about it later. What makes this photo so great, better than the thousands and thousands of others (some much better known) of musicians obscure and famous?

The picture's impact is obvious. Even though Cash was more of a country star, the attitude is all rock-n-roll. It's not a picture you'd show your mother, even if (maybe especially if) she's a Johnny Cash fan. Sure, there are thousands of photographs of celebrities giving the finger. Almost all of them are contrived, either stone-faced or with the tongue lolling out: "Look at me, ooh, I'm so dangerous," or "Oh, you paparazzi are so bothersome." They're dishonest, posed, and lack energy.

Not Johnny, even though the photo is contrived. The story (at least the most believable one) is that photographer Jim Marshall, snapping pictures of Cash before a concert at San Quentin Prison, asked Cash for a shot "for the warden," and got this result. So it was contrived, yet also spontaneous, which is the essence of rock music too.

You might think this is a picture of the young-punk Johnny Cash of the '50s, but it's from 15 years into his career, in 1969, when he was pushing 40. He'd already gone through addiction and recovery, divorce and remarriage, a string of #1 hits and a popular TV show. He was at the top of his career, when Americans bought more of his records than those of the Beatles or anyone else—5% of all records sold that year, apparently.

But it's more timeless than that. Even if you knew nothing about the photo's history, or even that it's Johnny Cash, it's still great. Other famous photos acquire mystique because their subjects are dead, or they represent a bygone era, or they're set up to make a statement. Very few rock photos transcend that, and this one of Johnny Cash does it best.

Here, there's no need for context. The guitar and swanky strap, the blur of motion, the casual collared shirt (both elegant and probably sweaty), the flip of dark hair, and that face. It could be 1955 or 2003; a makeshift prison stage, a giant concert arena, or a recording studio; an anonymous sidewalk busker or the biggest star in the world. Whoever that guy is, he rocks, and when he gives you the finger, he bloody well means it.

<< Penmachine.com home | < Long article index | < Music

Page BBEdited on 7-Mar-06 (originally posted 13-Sep-03)

© 2003 Derek K. Miller. Some rights reserved. You may use content from this site non-commercially if you give me credit, under the terms of my Creative Commons license.

thought you guys might be interested in a little history behind the photo.


"Look at me, ooh, I'm so dangerous,"

That's exactly what that photo screams out to me. Except it's not taken of an immature 20-something pop star. It's coming from a 40 year old man that is sadly acting at the maturity level of a 20-something pop star.

[midgetonadonkey]

But he's a badass. He throws the finger. He wore black. That makes him such a badass.

[curtismedellin]

"Look at me, ooh, I'm so dangerous,"

That's exactly what that photo screams out to me. Except it's not taken of an immature 20-something pop star. It's coming from a 40 year old man that is sadly acting at the maturity level of a 20-something pop star.



okay.

[Gerryatrics]

His music sucks. I can't see how anyone can enjoy that bullshit.

You're dead to me.

[Mister Sinister]

I'm confused. Why does it matter? Is Midge...like, trying to get everyone to hate Johnny Cash, or....what? I don't see what the picture has to do with his music, but that may be because I haven't slept in literally 24 hours. Whatev.

[baseline bum]

Johnny Cash might be one of the 10 greatest musicians to ever live. I'm not a country fan at all, but At Folsom Prison is one of my five most listened to albums. He sings 25 Minutes to Go like he's on Death Row with the way his voice cracks and fluctuates as he gets closer to zero, and Folsom Prison Blues sounds like he'd been there 10 years. Amazing album.

[Walter Craparita]

Love his stuff towards the end.

[JMarkJohns]

And why do people think he's such a badass for this picture?

http://www.penmachine.com/images/cashfinger-big.jpg

He is as badass in that picture as she is in this one.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2728/al1ua7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Did you ever wonder if he was the setter of the trend? I'm fairly certain back in the 60's that entertainers didn't just flip off every camera guy for attention or press. The "finger" has lost its significance in light of how played out it's become, but back then, I'm quite certain it was a shock and its message rang loud and clear. Those who identified with it latched on and started the process of the two-finger salute and those who were offended got a built-in response to their offense-taking.

He was an original, not a rank immitation.

[BeerIsGood!]

Cocaine Blues is a great live song and that whole Folsom live album was great. Very good drinking music.

Mental Midget just likes to start shit, I doubt he believes what he says. What a fake

[bigzak25]

avril is a bad bitch, you betta recognize!

[midgetonadonkey]

I believe every word I'm saying. I think Johnny Cash sucks balls. His music is far from poetic and is just a bunch of redneck rambling. Anyone who doesn't agree with me just look at these lyrics. (http://3w.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Ship-Those-######s-Back-lyrics-Johnny-Cash/736FC318409115AA482572DC0015B509)

And it annoys the piss out of me that people think he is a badass because he throws the finger. Big fucking deal.

[curtismedellin]

Did you ever wonder if he was the setter of the trend? I'm fairly certain back in the 60's that entertainers didn't just flip off every camera guy for attention or press. The "finger" has lost its significance in light of how played out it's become, but back then, I'm quite certain it was a shock and its message rang loud and clear. Those who identified with it latched on and started the process of the two-finger salute and those who were offended got a built-in response to their offense-taking.

He was an original, not a rank immitation.

well said JMark, I'm not a country fan at all but Johnny Cash is the exception for me.

A true legend.

If I remember correctly upon his comback album in the nineties there were no major country labels who would take him back. Rick Rubin a noted hip hop producer took Cash on and recorded the critically acclaimed album "CASH" In 1998, an ad in Billboard magazine featured a picture of Cash giving the finger. This particular ad is where the "finger" photo became famous. The ad read "American Recordings and Johnny Cash would like to acknowledge the Nashville music establishment and country radio for your support." Producer Rick Rubin said it was meant as an eye-opener for the Nashville music industry. Fellow country great Willie Nelson came out in support of the ad, saying that it (radio) insulted older artists by not playing their records. He truly was a badass who fought the good fight.

[Walter Craparita]

In reality, who thinks any "Celebrity", "Musician", or "Actor" is a badass....

He's not a great singer but his songs have loads of emotion imo.

[Bigzax]

midge! post your musical badasses! :tu

[TheThinkingMan]

I don't think midget even knows what real music is.

[tlongII]

Johnny Cash was a musical midget.

[JMarkJohns]

I believe every word I'm saying. I think Johnny Cash sucks balls. His music is far from poetic and is just a bunch of redneck rambling.

You're showing your bias. You've either never heard the vast amount of songs and are content in your ignorance, or you've heard it, ignored it and are looking to stir up shit. I'm guessing the latter.


Anyone who doesn't agree with me just look at these lyrics. (http://3w.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Ship-Those-######s-Back-lyrics-Johnny-Cash/736FC318409115AA482572DC0015B509)

Even the site is unsure if he wrote the song. Most of the following posts say it was some act named Johnny Rebel.

In fact, in a google search, I stumbled upon this tidbit...

If you do a search for "Johnny Cash" on the Bittorrent networks you'll find a song called "Ship those ######s Back". It turns out this song wasn't actually by Johnny Cash, but by some yokel named Johnny Rebel.


And it annoys the piss out of me that people think he is a badass because he throws the finger. Big fucking deal.

Nobody is basing an opinion of being bad-assed simply because one time, thirty years ago he was photographed flipping the bird.

I mean, what the fuck is a badass anyways? If Kid Rock is one, then WTF would you want to be one anyways?

Johnny Cash broke ground with songs about real life. Maybe not actual life, but life as many knew it. His songs spoke to people. His rythems were simple, but hard-edged. His lyrics were thought-provoking without being excessively down. He battled ills throughout his life, did drugs, got arrested and had the bitterness that made him accessible to the masses. Beyond that, he had a disdain for the "man", a brotherhood for the common man, and, if crossed, wasn't afraid to tell it like it is. In that day and age, his abrasiveness was just enough to give him that edge of bad, and when dressed in black and wrapped in a shrowd of, "If you don't like it, FUCK OFF!!!" it made him a bad ass.

I don't personally care if you disslike his music, but what you're doing goes beyond being critical of his music.

[Bigzax]

reese witherspoon was hot in that walk the line movie! that's for damn sure!

[JMarkJohns]

reese witherspoon was hot in that walk the line movie! that's for damn sure!

In any non-chick flick movie she's generally pretty hot.

Fear... Freeway... Cruel Intentions... NICE!!!

[Vinnie_Johnson]

His music sucks. I can't see how anyone can enjoy that bullshit.

You clearly are a jackass and know nothing about music. :donkey

[HeadBanger]

I'm pretty sure Johnny could give a rat's ass what midget thinks.

[marini martini]

You clearly are a jackass and know nothing about music. :donkey

And do you know anything about Johnny Cash as a man. Shit, he was strung out on speed (ring a bell?) in the fifties. Met June Carter, a very spiritual woman, she did the tough love thing on him, he got off the drugs. And he loved the shit out of her till the day she died. So listen to "Hurt" then give it up. He speaks to all of us that have been hurt, in one way or another. Maybe you have not been hurt enough.

[LaMarcus Bryant]

I am a big fan of that "burning ring of fire" song, mostly for the timbre of his voice.

[JMarkJohns]

Kori should play a joke on Midge and make the Cash pic his avatar permanently. I don't know if the admin here has that power, but at another V-bulletin site I mod at they do. It's hilarious!

[mrsmaalox]

When I was a little kid he was my mom's favorite, so I am very familiar with his music. He's not my favorite but he was very significant to all styles of music. An icon.

[TheSanityAnnex]

All it takes to be a badass these days is to proclaim yourself as the forum's most vulgar poster.

[TheSanityAnnex]

Oh yeah, wishing cancer on the net to others also makes you a badass

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I wished the gout on somebody online once.

[mrsmaalox]

I wished the gout on somebody online once.
Damn, you ARE a badass! :)

[Nbadan]

One of the best videos ever!

Johnny Cash, Hurt (http://youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go)

[Nbadan]

Another Cash classic:

"A Boy Named Sue" (http://youtube.com/watch?v=M89c3hWx3RQ&feature=related)

[AZLouis]

10 reasons why Johnny Cash is more badass than Chuck Norris

Reason 1.
Only one man who has ever lived has been bad enough to be called “The Man In Black” and it wasn’t Chuck Norris

Reason 2.
Johnny didn’t have to fight to be a bad ass. He just had to pick up a beer bottle and a guitar.

Reason 3.
Norris made a bunch of films where he killed folks. Johnny Cash went to Folsom Prison and did a concert. You tell me which one takes more balls.

Reason 4.
Chuck wasn’t the first of his kind to kick ass. Johnny was the first rock star to set something on fire. While most artists only set their hotel rooms on fire, Johnny took it one step further and burned down half a national forest.

Reason 5.
When Chuck was five, he was a normal five year old. Johnny had already earned man points by working in his dad’s cotton fields. That is a true bad ass. By the time he was six, Cash did more hard work than most men do in their whole life.

Reason 6.
Chuck never got stabbed in the back by a woman. Johnny never stopped bleeding. Chuck may have gotten punched a few times, but Johnny knew what real pain was.

Reason 7.
Chuck is a republican. Johnny was close with every president except for GWB. It was said he just didn’t trust that son of a bitch. When Johnny didn’t trust someone, you just knew something foul was going on.

Reason 8.
Johnny was invited to play the at White House in 1972 for Richard Nixon. He was given a list of politically correct songs to sing. He instead metaphorically threw up his middle finger at the establishment, in true ShoutWire fashion, and sang a set full of left leaning, politically charged tunes. Chuck Norris has never told the president to fuck off in his own house.

Reason 9.
Chuck Norris made a lot of crappy movies. Johnny Cash never touched anything that didn’t turn to gold. In the 80’s, he made a song called “Chicken in Black” to get himself out of a record deal. Even that became popular.

Reason 10.
Johnny is the only man in history to decline painkillers after a double bypass heart surgery. He knew he liked drugs too god damn much and wouldn’t stop. That shows power over an addiction previously not seen before. Kicking a ninja's ass is easy compared to kicking a drug's ass.

[JMarkJohns]

Great post, Lou!

[Walter Craparita]

Chuck is a republican. Johnny was close with every president except for GWB. It was said he just didn’t trust that son of a bitch. When Johnny didn’t trust someone, you just knew something foul was going on.

If you can't trust a Clinton, who CAN you trust imo.

[midgetonadonkey]

midge! post your musical badasses! :tu

Avril Lavigne
Kelly Osbourne
Fred Durst
The dudes from Good Charlotte
Eminem
Toby Keith

They are all badasses. They all have pictures out throwing the finger.

[curtismedellin]

I'm pretty sure Johnny could give a rat's ass what midget thinks.

[midgetonadonkey]

Johnny Cash isn't thinking a damn thing. Fucker is dead.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

Johnny Cash isn't thinking a damn thing. Fucker is dead.

I gotta admit, I was thinking the same thing.

T'was probably not the shrewdest attack.

[whottt]

Reason 9.
Chuck Norris made a lot of crappy movies. Johnny Cash never touched anything that didn’t turn to gold.



Except his movies....which are largely crap, except for the first one where he played a serial killer.

[ElMuerto]

Johnny Cash isn't thinking a damn thing. Fucker is dead.

I wouldn't go that far.

[curtismedellin]

mmmm.... whatever, I like him, I can't change anyone else's opinion.

[midgetonadonkey]

mmmm.... whatever, I like him, I can't change anyone else's opinion.

Why would you want to change someone else opinion?

Only Christian missionaries do things like that.

[curtismedellin]

Why would you want to change someone else opinion?

Only Christian missionaries do things like that.

????????

[marini martini]

Why would you want to change someone else opinion?

Only Christian missionaries do things like that.

Fuck Christian Minisaionaries, they never helped me :depressed

But hey, you so need to buy clue :toast

[midgetonadonkey]

Fuck Christian Minisaionaries, they never helped me :depressed

But hey, you so need to buy clue :toast

You need to buy some less cliche responses.

[marini martini]

Fuck Christian Missionaries, they never helped me :depressed

But hey, you need to so buy a clue :toast

[IceColdBrewski]

I have more respect for old school guys like Cash than I do for music artists nowadays who have to rely on technology (see rappers) to produce their sounds for them. Back in Cash's day, you actually had to [GASP!] learn to play an instrument of some kind.

[T Park]

I have more respect for old school guys like Cash than I do for music artists nowadays who have to rely on technology (see rappers) to produce their sounds for them. Back in Cash's day, you actually had to [GASP!] learn to play an instrument of some kind

amen

[BeerIsGood!]

People today still play instruments. There's plenty of music that involve instruments, and some of it (99% you never hear on radio) is actually good.

[TheSanityAnnex]

I have more respect for old school guys like Cash than I do for music artists nowadays who have to rely on technology (see rappers) to produce their sounds for them. Back in Cash's day, you actually had to [GASP!] learn to play an instrument of some kind.There are rap groups these days that *gasp* have live bands playing instruments.

[Bigzax]

gasp! (i'm fat, i just gasp for no reason sometimes)

[CavsSuperFan]

His music sucks. I can't see how anyone can enjoy that bullshit.

Johnny Cash’s “Silver” is perhaps the greatest album ever recorded...
Johnny Cash, Cold Beer, Chevy Pick Ups, Bolt Action 30-06...
A Few things that appeal to real Americans & need no explanation...

Have you considered ABBA (http://home.freiepresse.de/diklu/abba.jpg)? Perhaps more to your liking...

[IceColdBrewski]

There are rap groups these days that *gasp* have live bands playing instruments.

Reading comprehension obviously isn't one of your strong points. I didn't say rap groups. I sad RAPPERS.

Now, name me 10 lead singers (I use the term loosely) in a rap group who can actually play an instrument. Because I can certainly name 10 lead singers from Cash's day that knew how to play one. And no, 9mm pistols don't count.

[mookie2001]

cash is better than pink floyd

[Barbarian]

And do you know anything about Johnny Cash as a man. Shit, he was strung out on speed (ring a bell?) in the fifties. Met June Carter, a very spiritual woman, she did the tough love thing on him, he got off the drugs. And he loved the shit out of her till the day she died. So listen to "Hurt" then give it up. He speaks to all of us that have been hurt, in one way or another. Maybe you have not been hurt enough.

I think the one that was hurting was Trent Reznor. "Hurt" was written by Reznor in 1994(Downward Spiral) and covered by Cash in 2002. Great song either way.
:wakeup

[peewee's lovechild]

Johnny Cash might be one of the 10 greatest musicians to ever live. I'm not a country fan at all, but At Folsom Prison is one of my five most listened to albums. He sings 25 Minutes to Go like he's on Death Row with the way his voice cracks and fluctuates as he gets closer to zero, and Folsom Prison Blues sounds like he'd been there 10 years. Amazing album.

Did you know that most of the background stuff (the whistling, shouting, yelling and what not) was put in after the concert at Folsom Prison. Cash always hated that, but the producer said he did it for greater effect.

[peewee's lovechild]

I believe every word I'm saying. I think Johnny Cash sucks balls. His music is far from poetic and is just a bunch of redneck rambling. Anyone who doesn't agree with me just look at these lyrics. (http://3w.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Ship-Those-######s-Back-lyrics-Johnny-Cash/736FC318409115AA482572DC0015B509)

And it annoys the piss out of me that people think he is a badass because he throws the finger. Big fucking deal.

There's poetry in those lyrics.

[CuckingFunt]

I've always appreciated Johnny Cash, and I like a lot of his stuff, but I've never quite understood the rush to canonize him.

[peewee's lovechild]

cash is better than pink floyd

It was all funny until this got posted.

[leemajors]

Reading comprehension obviously isn't one of your strong points. I didn't say rap groups. I sad RAPPERS.

Now, name me 10 lead singers (I use the term loosely) in a rap group who can actually play an instrument. Because I can certainly name 10 lead singers from Cash's day that knew how to play one. And no, 9mm pistols don't count.
flavor flav can play the drums, guitar, saxophone, bass, and piano. here he is on drums:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ7FAaCkQE0&feature=related

i would be shocked if only 9 more could play multiple instruments.