Johnny Cash The Jasmine EP Collection
Released September 2024 on Jasmine Records - Home - Jasmine Records (jasmine-records.co.uk)
Reviewed November 2024.
This compilation of classic Johnny Cash recordings is drawn from EPs issued variously in the US and the UK between 1958-60, and includes several of his early hits, a few flips, a number of LP sides and seven sides from a couple of dedicated EPs. The EPs used here were released between 1958 and 1962, on either Sun or Columbia in the United States, and/or their licensees, London American or Philips, in the UK. The Sun recordings are sequenced first (out tracks 1-15), followed by Columbia (tracks 16-34).
Review
Tracks 1 to 3 “I Can't Help It”, “You Win Again” and “I Could Never Be Ashamed”
come from Johnny’s first EP to be issued on the Sun label in the States which was called “Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams”. Some of the backing vocals are a bit theatrical but Johnny’s voice really suits Hank’s lyrics. “Country Boy” and “Rock Island Line” are taken from Johnny’s first LP “Johnny Cash With His Hot And Blue Guitar” and the classic guitar work of Luther Perkins (no relation to Carl) comes to the fore. “Rock Island Line” has been recorded by many artists with UK’s own Lonnie Donegan have a hit in the States prior to this version from Johnny who’s version still is one of the best known. Track 6, “I Walk The Line” was the song that gave Johnny his first major success, reaching the top of the US Country chart and number 17 in the Pop chart there. “Folsom Prison Blues” is simply just another classic from JC. “Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Two” continued to have excellent chart success during 1958 on the Sun label and these four tracks, “Guess Things Happen That Way”, “Train Of Love”, “The Ways Of A Woman In Love” and “Next In Line” were issued on the EP “His Top Hits”. Tracks 13 and 14 “Home Of The Blues” and “Give My Love To Rose” were recorded for Sun in 1957 but their only EP release was in the UK in 1958. Track 15 “Cry, Cry, Cry” was recorded in 1955 but didn’t get onto an EP until 1959 when it appeared on a Sun EP.
Johnny’s move to CBS in 1958 did nothing to halt his popularity. From his first CBS LP we have “Frankie's Man, Johnny” (itself a top 10 Country hit) and track 17, “The Troubadour” both taken from the album “The Fabulous Johnny Cash” as were “The Troubadour” and “One More Ride”. All four tracks showing that the change of label did not mean a change in Johnny’s musical style. The next four tracks “Clementine”, “The Great Speckled Bird”, “Old Apache Squaw” and “My Grandfather's Clock” are taken from Johnny’s first “concept album “Songs Of Our Soil” issued on CBS in 1959. Each song, like all the tracks on the album have death as common theme. Track 23 “The Rebel - Johnny Yuma” was the theme for the TV show of the same name and the three other tracks that appeared on the CBS EP “Johnny Cash Sings The Rebel - Johnny Yuma” all have a bit of the Wild West about them.
Johnny’s fifth studio album, released in 1960 “Now, There Was A Song!”, gives us tracks 27 to 30, “Seasons Of My Heart”, “I Couldn't Keep From Crying”, and “My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You” all of which have a melancholy feel to them that suits Johnny’s voice so well. Track 30, “Transfusion Blues” is basically a cover of the Roy Hogsed 1947 hit "Cocaine Blues" with Johnny substituting the line "took a shot of cocaine" with "took a transfusion" no doubt to please the sensibilities of target audience at the time. The last four tracks come from a UK Philips, EP titled “Strictly Cash”. “Honky Tonk Girl” is a nice up-tempo country track. “Second Honeymoon” is another story of heartbreak, “Locomotive Man” is another classic Cash train song and “Girl In Saskatoon” tells the story of a traveller who finally returns to the love of his life.
Summary and recommendation
Johnny’s voice and recording style have to be amongst the the most recognisable in the history of popular music and few artists can match his success over the decades since he started out the 50s. This collection is a fantastic sampler of his work and a real value for money purchase as is so often the case with CDs from the Jasmine catalogue.
Reviewed by Jailhouse John Alexander
Track List
1 I Can't Help It
2 You Win Again
3 I Could Never Be Ashamed
4 Country Boy
5 Rock Island Line
6 I Walk The Line
7 The Wreck Of The Old '97
8 Folsom Prison Blues
9 Guess Things Happen That Way
10 Train Of Love
11 The Ways Of A Woman In Love
12 Next In Line
13 Home Of The Blues
14 Give My Love To Rose
15 Cry, Cry, Cry
16 Frankie's Man, Johnny
17 The Troubadour
18 One More Ride
19 Clementine
20 The Great Speckled Bird
21 Old Apache Squaw
22 My Grandfather's Clock
23 The Rebel - Johnny Yuma
24 Remember The Alamo
25 The Ballad Of Boot Hill
26 Lorena
27 Seasons Of My Heart
28 I Couldn't Keep From Crying
29 My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You
30 Transfusion Blues
31 Honky Tonk Girl
32 Second Honeymoon
33 Locomotive Man
34 Girl In Saskatoon
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