JOHNNY & JUNE CASH ~ WITH BILLY & RUTH GRAHAM ~ KANSAS 1978
Well you wonder why I always dress in BLACK
Why you never see bright clothes upon my back
And why does my appearance seem to have a sombre tone ?
There\'s a reason for the clothes that I have on
I wear the BLACK for the poor and broken down
Livin\' in the hopeless ~ hungry side of town
I wear it for the prisoner who has long since paid his crime
But is there because he\'s a victim of his time
I wear the BLACK for those who never read
Or listened to words that JESUS said
About the Road to Happiness through Love & Charity
Why you\'d think He\'s talkin\' straight to You & Me
Well we\'re doin\' mighty fine I do suppose
In our \"streak of lightnin\' cars\" and fancy clothes
So just so we\'re reminded of the ones who\'ve held back
Up front there ought\'a be a MAN in BLACK !
I wear it for the sick and lonely old
for the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold
I wear the BLACK in mournin\' for the lives that could have been
Each week we lose ~ A Hundred Fine Young Men !
And I wear it for the thousands who have died
Believin\' that he LORD was on their side
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died
Believin\' that we ALL ~ we\'re on their side
Well there are things ~ that never will be right I know
And things need changin\' everywhere you go
But \'til we start to make a move to make a few thinks right
You\'ll never see me wear a SUIT of WHITE !
Ah I\'d love to wear a RAINBOW every day
And tell the WORLD that everything\'s OK !
But I\'ll try to carry off a litle DARKNESS on my BACK
\'Til things are brighter ~ I\'M THE MAN IN BLACK !
Thanks for visiting ~ comments welcome ~ Love BRIAN XOX
This poem was written by JOHNNY in 1971 (there are references to
The Vietnam War) He first performed to a student Audience in
Vanderbilt and there is a recording on You Tube. Johnny was a very
fine Poet and has writen over 1000 poems and a book of 100 of His
Poems is a bestseller. Musicians who write their own SONGS (POEMS)
like Jihnny Cash ~ Dolly Parton and The Beatles etc are always very
popular ~ because they bring a New Focus on Life. For my 20th Birthday
I was privileged (with my Parents) to attend the Johnny Cash Memorial
Concert at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville Tennessee in 2003 led by
Kriss Krisstopherson ~ AWESOME I do talks to SENIORS on Johnny
& June Cash ~ so i have to dress in BLACK and inbibe the SENTIMENTS
expressed in His Poem ! Love & Peace to ALL ~ BRIAN ~ XOX