JOHNNY CASH ~ THE MAN IN BLACK ~ AWESOME !
WELL ~ You wonder why I always dress in BLACK
Why you never see bright colors on my back
And why does my appearance seem to have a sombre tone
WELL ~ There's a reason for the the things 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 paid for his crime
But is there 'cos he's a victim of the time ..........
I wear the BLACK for those who never read
Or listened to the words that JESUS said
About the road to happiness through love and charity
WHY ~ you'd thing He's talking ~ straight to you and me
WELL ~ we're doin' mighty fine I do suppose
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are 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 the Lord was on their side
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died
Believin' that we all ~ were on their side ..........
WELL there's things that never wiil be right ~ I know
And things need changin' ~ everywhere you go
But 'til we make a start ~ to make a move to make things 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 that everything's OK
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my on my back
'Till things are brighter ~ I'm the MAN IN BLACK !
Thanks for visiting ~ this is a great poem to recite ~ Each
stanza runs into the next. You can listen to it on You Tube.
Comments welcome. Johnny wrote this in 1964 ~ Love BRIAN XOX
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Author:
BRIANSODES (Pseudonym) (
Offline) - Published: May 13th, 2017 03:24
- Comment from author about the poem: THIS AWESOME POEM ~ Is Johnny Cash's signature tune ~ and when I am doing a TRIBUTE TALK on JOHNNY CASH ~ The Man & His Music (mainly for Seniors or Students) I always start by reciting this poem.as one continuous verse ~ which is the way that Johnny sings it ! It was number ONE in the US Country Charts for weeks and number TWO in the US Pop Chart ~ it sold millions of records as a single and millions more as an ALBUM ~ JOHNNY CASH MAN IN BLACK . Thanks for visiting ~ comments welcome ~ Love & Peace to All ~ BRIAN XOX
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- Users favorite of this poem: Christina8
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Comments4
The Man in Black.
Andy Brister (Goldfinch60) – October 2014
He sat on his stool,
Guitar in hand,
Dressed in black.
This man who had so much
To tell us;
But was misunderstood
By many.
He Walked the Line
Straight to Folsom Prison,
But escaped and found himself
Surrounded by a Ring of Fire;
Until those Ghost Riders in the Sky
Pulled him back to Jackson
Where his love for June,
Gave him the Peace in the Valley,
That he was seeking.
Starkville City Jail held him overnight;
The crime was picking flowers!
But when released he drove away
In the car he had built One Piece at a Time.
This Boy Named Sue
Drove into San Quentin,
Where the inmates showed him
A Sea of Heartbreak,
And that he wasn’t a Wanted Man.
The Bitter Tears that were shed
Over the Vanishing race;
But will survive
As Long as the Grass Shall Grow,
And Drums will beat out to banish
Apache Tears.
This man, dressed in black
To remind all those in their lightening cars
And fancy clothes
Of the others that were held back.
At the end he walked the Streets of Laredo
Picking up a Tear Stained Letter.
He was Hurt, but did not see Sam Hall
Singing Danny Boy.
As he walked the Bridge Over Those Troubled Waters
To Give That Letter to Rose
He Hung His Head, as In his Life
He was such a Desperado.
But He had his Own Personal Jesus.
Without June he was
So Lonesome that He Could Cry.
The First Time Ever he Saw Her Face
The Man Came Around and knew,
That they would Meet Again.
Johnny Cash died September 12th 2003 – four months after June Carter, his wife of 35 years.
The last stanza of this poem makes reference to all the songs in his last recorded album American 1V: The Man Comes Around (popularly known as Hurt)
I wrote this back in 2014.
WOW ANDY ~ Such an awesome Poem in tribute to Johnny ~ I will use that in my presentation. I am pleased I took the lid off Johnny's Pandora's Box of Songs ~ it has stirred lots of lovely memories. Thanks again for sharing you tribute ~ BRIAN
A fine write B. I probably only know songs up to about 1995, and about two songs thereafter! lol.
Thanks STEVEN ~ My experience (listening to CD's of the Golden Oldies) tells me the BEST POPULAR SONGS ~ were written & performed BEFORE 1980 ! ~ BRIAN
Truly a giant among all muscans . One with a productive career spanning decades . But of all his great songs my favorite was Trent Reznor's song "Hurt" (Nine Inch Nail) . Anyone not moved by this epic music video has a heart of coal .
THANKS FRIEND ~ That is true ! JC always had great pathos and sincerity in his voice ~ especially singing A BOY CALLED SUE @ Fulsome Prison ~ AWESOME ! Every one of his songs moves me ~ even Rock island Line ~ BRIAN
Thanks for sharing this Brian! I really like this song. I'm glad you posted, I will save as a fav! Hugs-Christina
Thanks for your comment Chris ~ and thanks for saving as fave ! Huggy Hugs ~ BRIAN
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