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Johnny Cash
The Legend of Johnny Cash
(Hip-O)
First Appeared in The Music Box, December 2005, Volume 12, #12
Written by T.J. Simon
There are dozens of compilations of Johnny Cash’s material from which to
choose, and each has its own selection from Cash’s giant catalogue of treasured
songs. A new collection titled The Legend of Johnny Cash, which was
released in tandem with the Cash biopic Walk the Line, is likely the most
comprehensive single-disc repackaging of his material that is on the market.
This is because the compilation surprisingly is the only one to date that
features Cash’s hits from his days with the Sun, Island, Columbia, and American
Recordings labels.
Indeed, within the span of 21 tracks, The Legend of Johnny Cash
touches upon all of the important bases. I Walk the Line and Ring of
Fire sound fresh and crisp, and his novelty songs — an unedited, live
version of Boy Named Sue and the slow-motion car theft of One Piece at
a Time — are always a pleasure to hear. Cash’s collaboration with Willie
Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson is represented by the
supergroup’s recording of Jimmy Webb’s Highwayman, and the inclusion of
his spooky pairing with U2 (The Wanderer) means that Zooropa can
be returned to its proper usage as a coaster. It’s also particularly nice to
find a comprehensive, Cash-oriented collection that features his later work with
producer Rick Rubin. Delia’s Gone and Hurt are the best of the
bunch along with Cash’s cover of Hank Snow’s I’ve Been Everywhere.
With the exception of an alternate rendition of the apocalyptic The Man
Comes Around, rabid Johnny Cash fans likely own most of the contents of this
entire disc. However, for those who more recently have rediscovered The Man in
Black, The Legend of Johnny Cash provides a fantastic and comprehensive
introduction to this American music icon. 
The Legend of Johnny Cash is available from Amazon.com.
To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
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For UK orders, please
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Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2005
The Music Box
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