The few that I do consider to be heroes were not necessarily life-altering for me, but definitely opened my eyes to different ideas.

Of course, one of my biggest musical heroes is Johnny [...]]]> There are very few people that I really consider to be musical heroes … or at least, who are heroes to me.

The few that I do consider to be heroes were not necessarily life-altering for me, but definitely opened my eyes to different ideas.

Of course, one of my biggest musical heroes is Johnny Cash. This was a man that could take just about any song and simply by performing it in his own style made it his own; in fact, in many cases more so his song than the original artist’s. The classic example of this is Johnny Cash’s cover version of Nine Inch Nails “Hurt”.

Other people are heroes for their effect on generations of people; Bob Dylan and John Lennon are the two most prominent examples of this I think, although Johnny Cash definitely fits here as well.

But for me, another one of my great heroes was the late, great Joe Strummer, formerly of the Clash and who spent his latter years fronting the Mescaleros.

The Clash, which he led in the late 1970s through the early 1980s was something of an anomaly in British punk rock circles, as they were decidedly anti-fascist, anti-violence, anti-racist, pro-creative, and anti-ignorance … whereas other “leaders” (i.e., the Sex Pistols) consistently proclaimed that there was “no future”. At a time when nihilism reigned, the music of the The Clash opened doors and opened minds for anyone receptive enough to listen.

Strummer’s later work with the Mescaleros continued this tradition; perhaps without the ferocity associated with some of The Clash’s early works, but the ideology was still there nonetheless, exploring the impact of globalization and ethic/racial tolerance.

Tonight I watched Dick Rude’s documentary Let’s Rock Again, which chronicled the Mescaleros’ 2001/2002 tour in support of their second album Global a Go-Go. Listening to and watching some of the last interviews Strummer gave before he died helped bring it home.

Really, if you’ve never given Strummer’s later works a listen, go out and do so now. You won’t be disappointed, and it just might change your life, even if only a little.

JOE STRUMMER & THE MESCALEROS – JOHNNY APPLESEED

Lord, there goes Johnny Appleseed
He might pass by in the hour of need
There’s a lot of souls
Ain’t drinking from no well locked in a factory

Hey – look there goes
Hey – look there goes
If you’re after getting the honey – hey
Then you don’t go killing all the bees

Lord, there goes Martin Luther King
Notice how the door closes when the chimes of freedom ring
I hear what you’re saying, I hear what he’s saying
Is what was true then now no longer so?

Hey – I hear what you’re saying
Hey – I hear what he’s saying
If you’re after getting the honey – hey
Then you don’t go killing all the bees

What the people are saying
And we know every road – go, go
What the people are saying
There ain’t no berries on the trees

Let the summertime sun
Fall on the apple – fall on the apple

Lord, there goes a Buick forty-nine
Black sheep of the angels riding, riding down the line
We think there is a soul, we don’t know
That soul is hard to find

Hey – down along the road
Hey – down along the road
If you’re after getting the honey
Then you don’t go killing all the bees

Hey – it’s what the people are saying
It’s what the people are saying
Hey – there ain’t no berries on the trees
Hey – that’s what the people are saying, no berries on the trees
You’re checking out the honey, baby
You had to go killin’ all the bees

Because I’ve been posting (and injecting myself into) song lyrics as my Facebook status for at least the past 24 hours, starting [...]]]> Apparently, I’m on crack, at least if a couple of the comments left on my Facebook wall are to be taken with any credence … and why this dastardly accusation you might ask?

Because I’ve been posting (and injecting myself into) song lyrics as my Facebook status for at least the past 24 hours, starting last night with Social Distortion and Tom Waits; then continuing this morning with Ella Fitzgerald and Johnny Cash and the Descendents.

But the tipping point was apparently Bobby Day’s “Rockin’ Robin”, which was followed by Cab Calloway’s “Hi-De-Ho Man”.

Bien alors, c’est la vie, je suppose. Peut-être je simplement commencerai à écrire toutes mes postes de blog en français; il m’aiderait certainement regagne quoi que l’aisance que je pourrais avoir eue à un point dans ma vie.

Après tout, la saison de cyclisme est sur le point de commencer, et certaines de la meilleure couverture des Classiques de printemps (les Monuments de cyclisme) sera trouvée dans les pages de l’Équipe.

Or not.

First, my friend Chris (he of Supersuckers management “fame”) up in Heber gets me hooked on Bob Dylan, to supplement my Johnny Cash addiction; and now I’m being inundated [...]]]> I’ve always really enjoyed old music, but I’m beginning to get scared, because a lot of the “old” music I’m discovering is from the 70s.

First, my friend Chris (he of Supersuckers management “fame”) up in Heber gets me hooked on Bob Dylan, to supplement my Johnny Cash addiction; and now I’m being inundated by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

I think once I complete the Dylan collection, Petty will be next. For the past almost 4 hours, I’ve been watching a great documentary about Tom Petty on the Sundance Channel, tracing his (and the band’s) career from their start in Gainesville, Florida in the early 1970s through modern times.

The fact that Johnny Cash recorded two of Petty’s songs (Won’t Back Down, and Southern Accents) helps.

TOM PETTY & the HEARTBREAKERS – SOUTHERN ACCENTS

There’s a Southern accent
Where I come from
The young’uns call it country
The Yankees call it dumb

I got my own way of talkin’
But everything is done,
With a Southern accent
Where I come from—

Now that drunk tank in Atlanta’s
Just a motel room to me
Think I might go work Orlando,
If them orange groves don’t freeze
I got my own way of workin’
But everything is run
With a Southern accent
Where I come from—

For just a minute there I was dreaming
For just a minute it were all so real
For just a minute she was standing there, with me

There’s a dream I keep having
Where my mama comes to me
And she kneels down over by the window
And says a prayer for me
I got my own way of prayin’
But everyone’s begun
With a Southern accent
Where I come from—

I got my own way of livin’
But everything gets done
With Southern accent
Where I come from.

I hear songs like this, and wonder who the Bob Dylan, the Johnny Cash, and the Tom Petty of the next generation will be.

JOHNNY CASH – HELP ME

O Lord, help me walk Another mile, just one more mile; I’m tired of walkin’ all alone.

And Lord, help me to smile Another smile, just one more smile; Don’t think I can do things on my own.

I never thought I needed help before; I thought that I [...]]]>

JOHNNY CASH – HELP ME

O Lord, help me walk
Another mile, just one more mile;
I’m tired of walkin’ all alone.

And Lord, help me to smile
Another smile, just one more smile;
Don’t think I can do things on my own.

I never thought I needed help before;
I thought that I could get by, by myself.
But now I know I just can’t take it any more.
With a humble heart, on bended knee,
I’m beggin’ you, please, for help.

O come down from your golden throne
To me, to lowly me;
I need to feel the touch of your tender hand.

Release these chains of darkness
Let me see, Lord, let me see;
Just where I fit into your master plan.

I never thought I needed help before;
I thought that I could get by, by myself.
Now I know I just can’t take it any more.
And with a humble heart, on bended knee,
I’m beggin’ you, please, for help.

And with a humble heart, on bended knee,
I’m beggin’ you, please, for help.

JOHNNY CASH – PERSONAL JESUS

Your own, personal, Jesus someone to hear your prayers, someone who cares

Your own, personal, Jesus someone to hear your prayers, someone who’s there

Feeling unknown and you’re all alone, flesh and bone, by the telephone, lift up the receiver, i’ll make you a believer

Take second best, put [...]]]>

JOHNNY CASH – PERSONAL JESUS

Your own, personal, Jesus
someone to hear your prayers,
someone who cares

Your own, personal, Jesus
someone to hear your prayers,
someone who’s there

Feeling unknown
and you’re all alone,
flesh and bone,
by the telephone,
lift up the receiver,
i’ll make you a believer

Take second best,
put me to the test,
things on your chest,
you need to confess,
i will deliver,
you know i’m a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith

Your own, personal, Jesus
someone to hear your prayers,
someone who cares

Your own, personal, Jesus
someone to hear your prayers,
someone to care

Feeling unknown
and you’re all alone,
flesh and bone,
by the telephone,
lift up the receiver,
i’ll make you a believer
i will deliver,
you know i’m a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith
Reach out and touch faith

Reach out and touch faith

Marilyn Manson – “Personal Jesus”

It’s not often a cover outdoes the original … Johnny Cash’s version of “Hurt” is probably the most incredible example … but I think these two covers of songs that helped me get through the 1980s rank up there as well.

Johnny does [...]]]>
Marilyn Manson – “Tainted Love”

Marilyn Manson – “Personal Jesus”

It’s not often a cover outdoes the original … Johnny Cash’s version of “Hurt” is probably the most incredible example … but I think these two covers of songs that helped me get through the 1980s rank up there as well.

Johnny does a good version of Personal Jesus as well …

JOHNNY CASH – GOD’S GONNA CUT YOU DOWN

You can run on for a long time Run on for a long time Run on for a long time Sooner or later God’ll cut you down Sooner or later God’ll cut you down

Go tell that long tongue liar Go and tell that midnight rider [...]]]>

JOHNNY CASH – GOD’S GONNA CUT YOU DOWN

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler,
The gambler,
The back biter
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down

Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news
My head’s been wet with the midnight dew
I’ve been down on bended knee talkin’ to the man from Galilee
He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel’s feet
He called my name and my heart stood still
When he said, “John go do My will!”

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler,
The gambler,
The back biter
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down

Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down

Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin’ in the dark against your fellow man
But as sure as God made black and white
What’s done in the dark will be brought to the light

You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler,
The gambler,
The back biter
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut you down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut you down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut you down

Words by Langston Hughes, from Jericho-Jim Crow: A Song-Play (1963)

The Man in Black is the true King of music, as far as I’m concerned.

And you can’t beat these lyrics (even if they were written by June Carter, instead of Johnny):

Love is a burning [...]]]> New bio-pic about Johnny Cash called “Walk The Line” to be released November 18, 2005. Check out the trailer.

The Man in Black is the true King of music, as far as I’m concerned.

And you can’t beat these lyrics (even if they were written by June Carter, instead of Johnny):

Love is a burning thing,
And it makes a fiery ring.
Bound by wild desire,
I fell in to a ring of fire.