L'uomo in nero, così soleva presentarsi il misterioso personaggio che entrò nella scena musicale attivamente nel '55, quando già era scoppiata la passione irrefrenabile per il Rock'N'Roll ed egli propose i suoi testi accompagnati da pulite e semplici melodie di stampo Country e Folk.
Onoriamo il buon vecchio Johnny che pochi anni or sono ha voluto renderci partecipi della sua cratività artistica con l'ennesimo lavoro, American III: The Solitary Man; la sua voglia di ammaliarci con le sue doti canore dalla profonda voce, calda ed avvolgente, che ti culla, portandoti in vaste radure pittate di purpurei riflessi dati dal sole, che ancora per pochi minuti ti riscalda il viso, che continua e continua la ricerca di questo tepore serale.
Sognanti atmosfere crepuscolari balenano nella mente che si rilassa e si liscia andare ai più piacevoli ricordi e sensazioni, le melodie ti accompagnano rapide nei tuoi pensieri, nella tua gioia di vivere la vita; perchè questa malinconia presente negli arpeggi non può che renderti entusiasta di tutto, vi è discordanza nelle mie parole ma è proprio così, provare per credere.
Una fusione di sensazioni contrastanti che cedono alle tonalità basse di tutto il disco, all'armonia corposa con cui si diffonde nell'ambiente ed al singolare metodo con cui "narra", Lui che ti segue in ogni momento del tuo visionario e multiforme viaggio, attraverso le infinite distese erbose dalle molteplici cromie.
Johnny si rivela un fedele compagno di viaggio, un amico di cui fidarsi, egli ti sostiene col solo suono della voce anche nei momenti più difficili, un tonico per le menti più offuscate dalla frenesia giornaliera.
Queste sensazioni vengono trasmesse in quantità elevata dall'omonima canzone del lavoro di Cash "The Solitary Man", semplice, efficace e d'impatto, questo lo scopo, il fine molto semplice; una fugace proiezione di vaporose immagini intervallate tra loro da cupi colori raffiguranti i crucci che impregnano il testo e la voce di Cash, la vivace carrellata d'arpeggi delle due chitarre una il complementare dell'altra lasciano libero sfogo alla nostra immaginazione.
... Non riesco a descrivere ciò che veramente mi trasmette l'ascolto di un così solido lavoro che affonda le sue radici in anni ed anni d'esperienza e di sperimentazioni sonore pur mantenendo quella genuinità che da sempre ha contraddistinto lo stile di colui che rimarrà nei nostri cuori e nella nostra memoria...
Grazie Johnny
Elenco tracce testi e video
06 I See a Darkness (03:44)
Well, you're my friend
And can you see
Many times we've been out drinking
Many times we've shared our thoughts
But did you ever, ever notice, the kind of thoughts I got
Well you know I have a love, a love for everyone I know
And you know I have a drive, to live I won't let go
But can you see this opposition, comes rising up sometimes
That is dread full imposition, comes blacking in my mind
And then I see a darkness
And then I see a darkness
And then I see a darkness
And then I see a darkness
Did you know how much I love you
There's a hope that somehow you
Can save me from this darkness
Well I hope that someday buddy
We'll have peace in our lives
Together or apart
Alone or with our wives
And we can stop our whoring
And pull the smiles inside
And light it up forever
And never go to sleep
My best unbeaten brother
This isn't all I see
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Did you know how much I love you
There's a hope that somehow you
You'll save me from this darkness
07 The Mercy Seat (04:37)
It ALL began when they come took me from my home
And put me on Death Row,
a crime for which I am totally innocent, you know.
I began to warm and chill
To objects and their fields,
A ragged cup, a twisted mop
The face of Jesus in my soup
Those sinister dinner deals
The meal trolley's wicked wheels
A hooked bone rising from my food
All things either good or ungood.
And the mercy seat is waiting
And I think my head is burning
And in a way I'm yearning
To be done with all this weighing of the truth.
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
And anyway I told the truth
And I'm not afraid to die.
I hear stories from the chamber
Christ was born into a manger
And like some ragged stranger
He died upon the cross
Might I say, it seems so fitting in its way
He was a carpenter by trade
Or at least that's what I'm told
My kill-hand's
tatooed E.V.I.L. across it's brother's fist
That filthy five! They did nothing to challenge or resist.
In Heaven His throne is made of gold
The ark of his Testament is stowed
A throne from which I'm told
All history does unfold.
It's made of wood and wire
And my body is on fire
And God is never far away.
Into the mercy seat I climb
My head is shaved, my head is wired
And like a moth that tries
To enter the bright eye
I go shuffling out of life
Just to hide in death awhile
And anyway I never lied.
And the mercy seat is waiting
And I think my head is burning
And in a way I'm yearning
To be done with all this weighing of the truth.
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
And anyway I told the truth
And I'm not afraid to die.
And the mercy seat is burning
And I think my head is glowing
And in a way I'm hoping
To be done with all this twisting of the truth.
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
And anyway there was no proof
And I'm not afraid to die.
And the mercy seat is glowing
And I think my head is smoking
And in a way I'm hoping
To be done with all these looks of disbelief.
A life for a life
And a truth for a truth
And I've got nothing left to lose
And I'm not afraid to die.
And the mercy seat is smoking
And I think my head is melting
And in a way that's helping
To be done with all this twisting of the truth
An eye for an eye
And a tooth for a tooth
And anyway I told the truth
But I'm afraid I told a lie.
09 Field of Diamonds (03:17)
(feat. Sheryl Crow)
Field of diamonds in the sky
Worlds are whirling right on by
Are you wondering who am i
Field of diamonds in the sky
Am I just a star in some crown
Or someone's life sun going down, down, down
Field of diamonds in the sky
Silent beauty shining high
Are you tears the angels cry
Field of diamonds in the sky
Field of diamonds in the sky
Like the night you pass me by
I could touch you if I try
Field of diamonds in the sky
Am I just a star in some crown
Or someone's life sun going down, down, down
Field of diamonds in the sky
Silent beauty shining high
Are you tears the angels cry
Field of diamonds in the sky
13 I'm Leavin' Now (03:09)
Hold on honey I'd like to say
I'm busting out and breaking away
I'm letting you go like a hot horse shoe
I can't take another heart ache from you
Think about how it's gonna be
When you start back to needing me
When your dancing shoes have lost their shine
I'm gonna be gone in mine
I'm leaving now
I'm leaving now
Get out of my face
Get out of my place
I'm leaving now, adios
I'm leaving now
And the time it comes when you trim the fat
Feed the kitchen scraps to the front seat cat
Bye bye baby when the bills come due
You might have to give up a jewel or two
Eat your heart out anyway
It's hard as your head and it's cold as clay
It's all over now you won't have me
Your sugar daddy or your money tree
I'm leaving now yeah
I'm leaving now
Get out of my space
Get out of my face
I'm leaving now, hey hey
I'm leaving now
Pull up the collar on my traveling coat
Sell that miserable pleasure boat
I wouldn't give nickel for another buck
I'm living on muscle, guts, and luck
If anybody asks where did I go
Tell 'em I went where the wild goose goes
I wouldn't have me an area code
Don't have a number, don't need a row
I'm leaving now, me to
I'm leaving now
Get out of my face
Get out of my space
I'm leaving now, adios
I'm leaving now
I'm leaving now
I'm leaving now
Get out of my space
Get out of my face
I'm leaving now, adios
I'm leaving now
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