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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Excellent Links / Something nice in a crazy world

Something nice in a crazy world

by Dennis G.|  January 26, 201111:11 pm| 60 Comments

This post is in: Excellent Links, Open Threads

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The last song that Johnny Cash recorded was Ain’t No Grave and it is a beautiful haunting version that has inspired a global art collaboration. The result is an ever changing video that evolves as new art is added frame by frame.

The Johnny Cash Project is amazing and an excellent link.

Explore, but be careful–you could get lost in the beauty.

Cheers

dengre

(and yes, this is an open thread for whatever…)

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Reader Interactions

60Comments

  1. 1.

    2liberal

    January 26, 2011 at 11:16 pm

    how about a Steeler-hating themed open thread?

  2. 2.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 26, 2011 at 11:27 pm

    I am ashamed to admit that I never got into JC until he did covers of Personal Jesus and Hurt. The man was simply amazing.

  3. 3.

    burnspbesq

    January 26, 2011 at 11:27 pm

    I feel violated. Was spinning the AM dial on the way home tonight, looking for the SDSU-BYU basketball game, and stumbled across … Mark Levin. I swear, I have never heard anyone so unhinged. That man can murder with impunity, because he has a slam-dunk insanity defense.

  4. 4.

    burnspbesq

    January 26, 2011 at 11:29 pm

    @asiangrrlMN:

    You need to beg, borrow, or steal a copy of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.Astonishing.

  5. 5.

    kdaug

    January 26, 2011 at 11:31 pm

    @asiangrrlMN: Yurp.

    Man in Black was the most “Christian” song I’ve ever heard.

  6. 6.

    Dennis G.

    January 26, 2011 at 11:36 pm

    @asiangrrlMN:
    That whole series of songs was just amazing. I could listen to his version of Hurt over and over and over…

  7. 7.

    Omnes Omnibus

    January 26, 2011 at 11:37 pm

    @asiangrrlMN: You should feel shame. I do believe in redemption; you should, as burnspbesq says, listen to Folsom asap.

  8. 8.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 26, 2011 at 11:42 pm

    Y’all lighten up on me. I never even heard of the Femmes or the Clash or the Ramones until well after college. I have heard a few of the songs on Folsom, and they are AMAZING. I am in awe of the man.

    @Dennis G.: Yep. That’s the video I listen to (and I do mean listen to) over and over and over again when I’m in a mood. I have listened to it over twenty times in a row. OCD, what?

  9. 9.

    New Yorker

    January 26, 2011 at 11:43 pm

    @asiangrrlMN:

    There are some great covers he did at the end of his life. Those two are fine, I’ll also add “Rusty Cage” (I’m a big Soundgarden fan) and “Hung My Head”. But I think maybe the best one from “Unearthed” is his cover of the old folk song “Banks of the Ohio”

  10. 10.

    Omnes Omnibus

    January 26, 2011 at 11:44 pm

    I never even heard of the Femmes or the Clash or the Ramones until well after college.

    Oh, I see.

  11. 11.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 26, 2011 at 11:48 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: You see WHAT?

    @New Yorker: I have a fondness for Depeche and NIN, thus, those are the two covers I know best.

    @kdaug: WHAT??

    Y’all are making me paranoid now.

    (I guess I better not tell you when I first heard of the Beatles).

  12. 12.

    kdaug

    January 26, 2011 at 11:48 pm

    @asiangrrlMN:

    I never even heard of the Femmes or the Clash or the Ramones until well after college.

    Ah.

  13. 13.

    Omnes Omnibus

    January 26, 2011 at 11:49 pm

    @asiangrrlMN: The same thing kdaug saw.

  14. 14.

    kdaug

    January 26, 2011 at 11:51 pm

    @asiangrrlMN:

    You see WHAT?

    Different perspectives. Some of the earliest music I can remember was Johnny Cash. That, and “Tie a Yellow Ribbon”, but let’s move on.

  15. 15.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 26, 2011 at 11:54 pm

    As I’ve noted before, the records in my house were Tony Orlando and his Dawns, James Galway, and classical records. Oh, and Captain and Tennille. As I’ve noted before, this was the first pop song I ever heard–when I was in sixth grade.*

    *Apocryphal story, but I’m sticking by it.

  16. 16.

    Comrade Mary

    January 26, 2011 at 11:58 pm

    Interrupting the Pile-On of Loving Kindness on asiangrrl to say: fucking wow. This project was apparently posted to another site I haunt almost a year ago and I completely missed it then.

    Speaking of the Femmes, there seems to be quite a collection of animated interpretations of Country Death Song on YouTube. Here’s one of them.

  17. 17.

    kdaug

    January 26, 2011 at 11:59 pm

    As long as we’re on the topic of music, this is point-blank awesome. Feel free to skip the first 40 seconds.

    I wish we had a street music scene like this in Austin.

  18. 18.

    JWL

    January 27, 2011 at 12:00 am

    The closest I’ve ever come to understanding bible thumping Billy Graham-types is by listening to Johnny Cash; and I’m a better man for it.

  19. 19.

    burnspbesq

    January 27, 2011 at 12:05 am

    @asiangrrlMN:

    We’re only being hard on you because we love you. It’s a musical intervention.

  20. 20.

    Mark S.

    January 27, 2011 at 12:07 am

    @burnspbesq:

    I’ve been trying to tell people for years that Levin’s show is the worst piece of crap in the history of mankind, ten times worse than Savage. I defy anyone here to listen to more than ten minutes of it.

    Heckuva match going on at the Australian.

  21. 21.

    Violet

    January 27, 2011 at 12:10 am

    @burnspbesq:

    I feel violated. Was spinning the AM dial on the way home tonight, looking for the SDSU-BYU basketball game, and stumbled across … Mark Levin. I swear, I have never heard anyone so unhinged. That man can murder with impunity, because he has a slam-dunk insanity defense.

    Have you ever stumbled across Michael Savage? He makes Mark Levin sound harmless.

    Johnny Cash. Amazing. That’s all I got.

  22. 22.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 12:10 am

    @burnspbesq: I have seen the light. I am a much more diverse music lover now than I was when I was a teenager.

    @Mark S.: Ta! I love Rafa.

  23. 23.

    Ash Can

    January 27, 2011 at 12:10 am

    @asiangrrlMN: Electric Avenue is fun, but as a rule you can ditch Tony Orlando and C&T and just stick with James Galway. Just sayin’.

  24. 24.

    burnspbesq

    January 27, 2011 at 12:14 am

    If you love Johnny Cash and want to explore more great country singing, check out (in no particular order) Merle Haggard, George Jones, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, and Steve Earle.

    On the women’s side, it all starts with Patsy Cline and Wanda Jackson. From there, go to Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Rosanne Cash, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, Lori McKenna, and Allison Moorer.

  25. 25.

    KG

    January 27, 2011 at 12:14 am

    I think I have three country albums in my CD collection… you know, that pile of shiny discs in the corner collecting dust? A best of Johnny Cash, a best of Charlie Daniels, and the first Kenny Chesney album (I think it was the first). Unless Jimmy Buffett counts as country, but I don’t think he does. Cash is definitely a must have of any good collection.

  26. 26.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 12:17 am

    @Ash Can: The records were my parents. I think there was a Hank William Sr. in there as well if I remember correctly.

  27. 27.

    burnspbesq

    January 27, 2011 at 12:18 am

    @KG:

    Buffet’s A1A is a great country record. It’s also, for me, his last record that was worth listening to.

  28. 28.

    KG

    January 27, 2011 at 12:21 am

    @burnspbesq: I didn’t really discovery him until high school, went the box set route, and have bought pretty much everyone since then, I like some of his recent stuff, but definitely like his older island-ish music.

  29. 29.

    sfinny

    January 27, 2011 at 12:35 am

    My musical Johnny Cash love came late in life, with his nine-inch-nails cover. But the Columbo episode was also a favorite.

  30. 30.

    piratedan

    January 27, 2011 at 12:36 am

    well there’s some definate old school country that is in my collection as well, I admit to having Cash’s 20 best, Marty Robbins’ Gunfighter Ballads (on vinyl no less), some Faron Young (his rendition of Willie Nelson’s Hello Walls is better than Nelsons and Unmitigated Gall and Your Time’s Comin’ are good stuff), Charlie Pride could belt them out with anybody and I have to second the votes on Merle Haggard but add one for Buck Owens. As for folks in the last 20 years or so, I think highly of Dwight Yoakum and the Kentucky Headhunters…and the Best of Steve Earle is a must.

  31. 31.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 12:51 am

    This is unpleasant and not so nice. Glenn Beck sucks donkey balls.

    So, to make up for it, I give you Dolly.

  32. 32.

    Martin

    January 27, 2011 at 12:54 am

    Yay, new wireless router! I haz a happy!

    Going to shop for new TV next. That’s gonna piss me off, so sorry in advance as I get pissier.

  33. 33.

    Mark S.

    January 27, 2011 at 1:02 am

    Things I learned reading memeorandum:

    Paul Krugman wonders if Paul Ryan realizes that he was full of shit when he described Europe’s economic problems.

    At the misleadingly named American Thinker site, some conservative political science professor is freaking out because Obama’s approval rating is 51%. He also thinks the left is very disciplined.

  34. 34.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 1:06 am

    @Mark S.: Bwahahahahahahhahahahaha! The Left very disciplined. BWAHAHAHAHA!

    You still watching the Australian? It’s always good with these two.

  35. 35.

    The Dangerman

    January 27, 2011 at 1:06 am

    @burnspbesq:

    …Townes Van Zandt…

    Some people I recommend this artist to don’t get her (and I can see she’s an acquired taste, not to mention she’s overtly liberal which can turn some folks off)…

    …but Nanci Griffith’s cover of TVZ’s “Tecumseh Valley” (done live; Nanci HAS to be seen to get her) can bring tears. The best I ever heard was on a bootleg CD, but this one is pretty good.

  36. 36.

    Tattoosydney

    January 27, 2011 at 1:17 am

    @kdaug:

    It must be the third time I have seen that and I still get choked up towards the end.

    @asiangrrlMN:

    the records in my house were Tony Orlando and his Dawns, James Galway, and classical records. Oh, and Captain and Tennille.

    I got John Denver, Neil Diamond, Beethoven and (for Christmas) Burl Ives and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. You can’t be blamed for what your parents subjected you to.

    Eddy Grant – Electric Avenue

    Oy. I suspect my first pop song was something by ABBA or Boney M that my brothers played. They had a huge collection of ABBA and I turned out to be the gay one.

    Mind you they did also have the entire collection of a regularly released compilation LP called “Shattered 83” or “Ripped 82” or something of the kind, whose major selling point seemed to be the different shapely female arses with strategically ripped jeans which appeared on the album cover for each one.

    ETA: Yay Dolly!

    EATA: OMG Sincere Dolly. Gak.

  37. 37.

    Tattoosydney

    January 27, 2011 at 1:20 am

    @asiangrrlMN:


    Proper Dolly
    .

  38. 38.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 1:23 am

    @Tattoosydney: Classic Dolly. I love her voice.

    How you be? How’s unemployment treating you?

  39. 39.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 1:28 am

    @kdaug: You didn’t tell me there were cellos in it. I would have listened to it earlier. They are fucking fantastic.

    @Mark S.: Huh. Is that on now? I was watching Federerererer/Nadal.

  40. 40.

    Mark S.

    January 27, 2011 at 1:28 am

    @asiangrrlMN:

    Yeah, I’m still watching. Zvonareva has got some reeealy blue eyes.

  41. 41.

    The Dangerman

    January 27, 2011 at 1:30 am

    Been checking out various Nanci Griffith on Youtube; please, someone, lock some Republicans in a room and make them watch this video. One of these days I’ll find a good video of perhaps her most overtly political song, “Time of Inconvenience”. Again, live is really needed for that one….

    Edit: In case you doubt the “most political” designation, two sections of the song (huh, can’t do any html in edits; oh, well):

    We’re living in the age of communication
    Where the only voices heard have money in their hands
    Where greed has become a sophistication
    And if you ain’t got money, you ain’t got nothin’ in this land

    And here I am, one lonely woman on these mean streets
    Where the right to life man has become my enemy
    Cause I’m living in his time of inconvenience
    At an inconvenient time

  42. 42.

    kdaug

    January 27, 2011 at 1:39 am

    @asiangrrlMN:

    OK, then let me try this again:

    “This is a really bad-assed quartet of three cellos and a bongo player doing a cover of a smash-mouth rock song on the streets of New York that you should probably listen to, because you’re likely to enjoy it immensely.”

    Better?

  43. 43.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 1:44 am

    @kdaug: Much! Thanks.

  44. 44.

    frosty

    January 27, 2011 at 2:21 am

    @asiangrrlMN: I’m guessing you didn’t watch them on Ed Sullivan like I did,

  45. 45.

    frosty

    January 27, 2011 at 2:25 am

    @burnspbesq: If you’re going for Steve Earle, start with the album he recorded with Del McCoury: The Mountain. He said he wanted to write bluegrass songs people would sing for years and IMHO he nailed it.

    Unfortunately, apparently he didn’t get along with Del and his band and this is all we’ve got.

  46. 46.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 2:26 am

    @frosty: Ed who? I keed, I keed. No, I did not. That was a tad before my time.

  47. 47.

    Yutsano

    January 27, 2011 at 2:34 am

    @asiangrrlMN: Never play fetch with a kitten. That is tonight’s lesson.

    Hi hon. Don’t got much, work kinda sucked my soul today.

  48. 48.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 2:36 am

    @Yutsano: Why not? Because she doesn’t bring it back? Raven has me trained to throw the crinkle so he races after it, plays with it, drops it wherever, and then expects me to go fetch it for him. Rinse, lather, repeat.

    Sorry work sucked. At least you are paid handsomely as ebil gubmint worker.

  49. 49.

    Yutsano

    January 27, 2011 at 2:40 am

    @asiangrrlMN: Oh no, Lexie brings it back to me pretty much right away. Or she’ll cart it off somewhere, but it totally subject to her whims. She’s being the wild child tonight though, so there is that. And I’m trying to tire her out a little bit so she’ll sleep when I do.

    It sometimes happens like this. As long as I can back up what I do I’m usually okay.

  50. 50.

    asiangrrlMN

    January 27, 2011 at 2:51 am

    @Yutsano: Ah. I get it. How old is she? Still a kitten, I presume. You know, another kitten would probably help in the wear-her-out department. I’m just sayin’.

    You are the goods, hon. I’m out. I’m trying to shift my sleep-pattern. Night. Don’t let the Man get you down. Oh, wait….

  51. 51.

    Mark S.

    January 27, 2011 at 3:00 am

    Good, it wasn’t just me:

    Barkley thinks Jordan’s Hitler mustache on those Haines commercials is wrong

  52. 52.

    Yutsano

    January 27, 2011 at 3:07 am

    @asiangrrlMN: She’s amost eight months old. And tiny. Really really tiny. My mom remarked that her brother is almost twice her size. But I’m happy if she stays like this.

    Vive le revolucion and shit.

  53. 53.

    Anne Laurie

    January 27, 2011 at 4:07 am

    @Tattoosydney:

    I got John Denver, Neil Diamond…

    Okay, arguably Diamond makes a better songwriter than singer. But if Denver never wrote anything other than “Prisoners”, he’d have nothing to be ashamed of:

    (Yes, children: that’s a DFH anti-war song on the Johnny Fvcking Carson show! And it’s a good song, too!)

  54. 54.

    Anne Laurie

    January 27, 2011 at 4:16 am

    @Yutsano:

    She’s amost eight months old. And tiny. Really really tiny. My mom remarked that her brother is almost twice her size. But I’m happy if she stays like this.

    Depending on the tom situation around your parents’ ranch, it’s quite possible that Lexie and her litter-brother are only half-siblings… even beyond the usual wild-card genetic reshufflings in any batch of barn cats. Which you probably knew already.

  55. 55.

    Calouste

    January 27, 2011 at 4:27 am

    @asiangrrlMN

    Ah, Electric Avenue.

    When I lived in London, one day I got out of Brixton tube station and noticed the street sign of Electric Avenue while I was waiting for a bus. I was rather underwhelmed by the experience. I don’t think there’s even a pub in the street, so I’m not sure what Eddy Grant was planning to do there. Certainly not rocking.

  56. 56.

    piratedan

    January 27, 2011 at 9:00 am

    @Calouste: if you liked his sound with Elevtric Avenue, try finding his song with his old band (The Equals) doing the original version of Baby, Come Back that wound up being covered by Bonnie Riatt back in the early 80’s. Pretty nifty stuff

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AcigKiu_Gk&feature=related

  57. 57.

    Paris

    January 27, 2011 at 9:08 am

    I just bought that Cash CD – it arrived yesterday and I was listening to it last night. Weird coincidence.

  58. 58.

    burnspbesq

    January 27, 2011 at 9:20 am

    @frosty:

    “The Mountain” is good stuff, but I think “Exit 0” is my favorite Steve Earle record.

  59. 59.

    FFrank

    January 27, 2011 at 10:25 am

    Thanks for posting that, it led to an interesting youtube adventure of music.

    That video I looked up other Johnny Cash videos- Sam Hall is very interesting.

    That led me to soggy mountain boys: Man of Constant Sorrow.

    Which led to Flogging Molly (all the songs are amazing)

    Which led to Ceeann: Pittsburgh Makes me drunk

  60. 60.

    joe from Lowell

    January 27, 2011 at 11:28 am

    Wow.

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