(2021) VA – Johnny Cash: Forever Words [Expanded Edition]


Review:
Back in 2018, Legacy Recordings released Forever Words, a collection of new songs featuring previously unheard lyrics by Johnny Cash. The 16-track set offered new melodies and performances by a “Who’s who” of artists including Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson & Kris Kristofferson, John Mellencamp, Jewel, Brad Paisley, The Jayhawks, Robert Glasper, Cash’s daughter Rosanne Cash, and his step- daughter Carlene Carter. Legacy is expanding the original album with a further 18 tracks (16 of which are previously unreleased) being rolled out on digital service providers on a bimonthly schedule, culminating in a full “second disc” of tracks. The first of four waves in the series kicked off on October 23, with two new songs – “Big Hearted Girl” by Hard Working Americans and “I’m Comin’ Honey” by Shawn Camp – and the previously-released “Brand New Pair of Shoes” by Ana Cristina Cash and “If You Love Me” by Elvis Costello & The Imposters, all featuring words by Johnny Cash. (Costello’s “If You Love Me” appeared on his Record Store Day exclusive EP Purse in 2019, while “Brand New Pair of Shoes” from Johnny’s daughter-in-law Ana Cristina Cash premiered earlier this year on her solo album Shine.) Wave 2, hitting digital providers on December 11, adds five new performances to the Forever Words tunestack: “I’ve Been Around” by Marty Stuart, “Who’s Gonna Grease My Skillet?” by John Popper, “California Poem” by Jamey Johnson (featuring Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush), “Little Patch of Grass” by Brandon Robert Young and Clare Bowen, and “The Dogs Are In The Woods” by John McEuen.  Johnson appeared on the original Forever Words with “Spirit Rider.” The third wave arrive on February 5, 2021 with an encore from Jewel: the new song “Does Anybody Out There Love Me?”  The troubadour is joined by The Watkins Family Hour for “Autumn,” Ira Dean on “Let It Be Tonight,” and The Lumineers with “Pretty Pictures in My Mind.” Finally, the Forever Words expanded edition rollout conclude on April 2, 2021 with another quintet of new songs: “Outta Site Tonite” by Ronnie Dunn and The Brad Paisley Band, “My Song” by Runaway Jane, “Dark and Bloody Ground” by Ruston Kelly, “The Third Degree” by Aaron Lewis, and “Tecumseh” by Bill Miller. The original release of the album was accompanied by Forever Words: The Unknown Poems, a volume of The Man in Black’s unpublished poetry and lyrics edited by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon. A number of the songs on Johnny Cash: Forever Words were culled from material published in the book while others were taken from other, still-unpublished sources.  In the press release for the expanded edition, Johnny’s son John Carter Cash states, “My father touched the world of music in ways still evolving. The original body of work in Forever Words held some of Dad’s best unreleased writings, put to music by some of the most prolific artists alive today.  But there was more: poetry and lyrics that no one had ever seen, whose depth demanded the continuance of the project. And, with true artists who found melody and beauty in these unseen words, the recordings continued. Looking back now, I feel Dad would be proud to know his voice and spirit carry on here, in these Forever Words.”





Track Listing:
01. Kris Kristofferson - Forever / I Still Miss Someone
02. Ruston Kelly - To June This Morning
03. Brad Paisley - Gold All Over the Ground
04. Chris Cornell - You Never Knew My Mind
05. Alison Krauss - The Captain's Daughter
06. T Bone Burnett - Jellico Coal Man
07. Rosanne Cash - The Walking Wounded
08. John Mellencamp - Them Double Blues
09. Jewel - Body On Body
10. Elvis Costello - I'll Still Love You
11. Carlene Carter - June's Sundown
12. Dailey & Vincent - He Bore It All
13. I'm with Her - Chinky Pin Hill
14. Robert Glasper - Goin', Goin', Gone
15. The Jayhawks - What Would I Dreamer Do?
16. Jamey Johnson - Spirit Rider
17. Hard Working Americans - Big Hearted Girl
18. Shawn Camp - I'm Comin' Honey
19. Ana Cristina Cash - Brand New Pair of Shoes
20. Elvis Costello - If You Love Me
21. John McEuen - Dogs Are in the Woods
22. Marty Stuart - I've Been Around
23. John Popper - Who's Gonna Grease My Skillet?
24. Jamey Johnson - California Poem
25. Brandon Robert Young - Little Patch of Grass
26. Jewel - Does Anybody Out There Love Me?
27. The Watkins Family Hour - Autumn
28. Ira Dean - Let It Be Tonight
29. The Lumineers - Pretty Pictures in My Mind
30. Ronnie Dunn - Outta Site Tonite
31. Runaway June - My Song
32. Ruston Kelly - Dark and Bloody Ground
33. Aaron Lewis - The Third Degree
34. Bill Miller - Tecemseh


Media Report:
Genre: country, tribute
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits