Fun Music Information -> Johnny Cash

Parody album cover
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This is the most recent information about Johnny Cash that has been submitted to amIright. If we have more information about Johnny Cash, then we provide a link to the section where it appears (the actual page whenever possible).

Our newest site, amIwrong has an albums order quiz where you need to put this performer's albums in order of release.

Possible Misspelled Names:

These are the alternate spellings of the performer's name we've had to correct in submissions to amIright.

Johnny Cash/Tim Hardin, Johnny Cash or Tom Jones, Johnny Cash & Nine Inch Nails, Johnny Cash and others

Jokes:

Knock! Knock!! Who's there? Johnny Cash. Johnny Cash who? Gesundheit Submitted by: Lee	What did the police officer make Johnny Cash do when he got pulled over for drunk driving? .....Walk the Line Submitted by:
There are additional music jokes available.

Music Performer Pseudonyms:

Also known as: J. R. Cash. Submitted by: crazydon

Also known as: J. R. Cash. Submitted by: Seth M. Webster

Music Performer Nicknames:

Known informally as: The Man in Black. Submitted by: Robert D. Arndt Jr.

Known informally as: The Man In Black. Submitted by: Rachel Stedman

Song Titles Not Used as Lyrics:

Song Name	Comments & Submitter Name
"Spiritual"	Jesus If you hear my last breath / Don't leave me here / Left to die a lonely death / I know I have sinned / But Lord I'm suffering - Azrael
"Ballad Of Ira Hayes"	Not surprisingly, neither the word "ballad" nor the phrase "ballad of" tend to be found in the lyrics of songs whose titles begin with that phrase. The most familiar line is probably at the beginning of each chorus: "Call him drunken Ira Hayes. He don't answer anymore." So a possible "alternate title" by which it might be known could be "Call Him Drunken Ira Hayes" or simply "Ira Hayes". - Thessaly Danes

New Song Names:

Original Song Name	New Song Name	Submitter Name
"Wholesome Prison Blues"	"Folsom Prison Blues"	Annette Oraline Fisher
"Orange Bosom Special"	"Orange Blossom Special"	Carmen Nunki
"Ballad Of A Drag Queen"	"Ballad Of A Teenage Queen"	MSG
"I Snort The Line"	"I Walk The Line"	neptunevsmars
"I Lost A Dime"	"I Walk The Line"	009
There are additional new song names available.

Literally Impossible Song Titles:

Song/Performer	Comment	Submitter Name
"Ring of Fire,"	Sauron, perhaps, but not in the real world	Susanna Viljanen
"Flushed From The Bathroom Of Your Heart,"	Huh?	Rich
"The One On The Right Is On The Left,"	This statement contradicts itself.	Yvette Bristle
"I've Been Everywhere,"	Although he may have come close...	Jess

Use a Song Title to Answer a Different Song:

Song & Band Name	Song & Band Name
"A Girl Called Johnny," The Waterboys	"A Boy Named Sue," Johnny Cash
"What Did Daddy Do?," Shep & The Limelites	"Daddy Sang Bass," Johnny Cash
"Love School," Avant	"Straight A's In Love," Johnny Cash
"Mama Sang A Song," Walter Brennan	"Daddy Sang Bass," Johnny Cash
There are additional songs titles that answer other songs available.

Remove a Letter From a Song Title:

"Ring Of Fir" originally "Ring Of Fire"

Serafina

"Understand Your Ma" originally "Understand Your Man"

Rapunzel Gladstone

"Understand Our Man" originally "Understand Your Man"

Rapunzel Gladstone

"The Man In Back" originally "The Man In Black"

Regina Olsen

"Man Eyed Cat" originally "Mean Eyed Cat"

Meg Owens

There are additional song titles with a letter removed available.

Add a Letter to a Song Title:

"Understand Your Manx" originally "Understand Your Man"

As in a Manx (Tailless) Cat

Rapunzel Gladstone

"Megan Eyed Cat" originally "Mean Eyed Cat"

iow, she looked at a kitty cat

Meg Owens

"Daddy Sang Brass" originally "Daddy Sang Bass"

Peter

"A Body Named Sue" originally "A Boy Named Sue"

Gretchen Wieners

"A Buoy Named Sue" originally "A Boy Named Sue"

Do buoys have names ?!?

Gretchen Wieners

There are additional song titles with a letter added available.

Change a Letter:

"Don't Take Your Guys To Town" originally "Don't Take Your Guns To Town"

Candy Welty

"Don't Take Your Guts To Town" originally "Don't Take Your Guns To Town"

And how would one get along in town without them?

Ashley Michelle McGowan

"Don't Take Your Gunk To Town" originally "Don't Take Your Guns To Town"

Karen Smith

"Don't Take Your Gins To Town" originally "Don't Take Your Guns To Town"

Karen Smith

"Don't Take Your Puns To Town" originally "Don't Take Your Guns To Town"

Candy Welty

There are additional song titles with a letter changed available.

Recordings:

Mar 5 "I've Got Body Hair" by Phil Alexander a parody of "I've Been Everywhere" by Johnny Cash

The title says it all... possibly my favourite recording so far, but very difficult to sing at speed. soundclick.com: (mp3) (Comments)

Song Parody Lyrics:

Original Song Name	Parody Song Name	Parody Author
"I Walk the Line"	"The Law Is Ohm's"	Joseph A. Rhodes
"Ring Of Fire"	"Ring Of Fire"	Vegan Minstrel
"25 Minutes to Go"	"46 States to Go"	Michael Pacholek
"Ring of Fire"	"Wings of Fire"	Linda Koski
"A Boy Named Sue"	"A Song About Celebrity Names"	Rebekah Dub
"Green Grow The Lilacs"	"Holiday Drivers"	Airfarcewon
"Green Green Grass of Home"	"Green Green Glass of Home"	Susanna Viljanen
"Green Green Grass of Home"	"Green Green Folks at Home"	Susanna Viljanen
"The Streets of Laredo"	"The Streets of Old Edo"	Susanna Viljanen
"Hurt"	"Laugh"	SamuraiMaster
There are additional song parodies available.

Songs for Commercials, That Haven't Been Done Yet:

Song Name	Product	Submittor
Green, Green Grass at Home	Lawn Care	Rich
I'm Busted	Cash Advance	Rich
Chattanooga City Limit Sign	Chattanooga Chamber Of Commerce	Edward
Man In Black	Men In Black 3 (If, of course, there is one)	Leg Mann
Folsom Prison Blues	Fox show 'Prison Break'	Chris Oakley
There are additional commercials that haven't been done yet available.

Bad Choices for On Hold Music:

Song Name	Company/Organization	Submittor
Ring of Fire	California State Geological Survey	Raphael
A Boy Named Sue	Gender Reassignment Clinic	dwasifar
Starkville City Jail	Starkville MI City Jail	Amanda Barton
Ring Of Fire	Hemerrhoid Information Line	Jimbo
Delia's Gone	Norwich City FC	pickle*
There are additional on hold music ideas available.

Songs for Duets, That Haven't Been Done Yet:

First Band/Song Name	Second Band/Song Name	New Song Name	Submittor
Born To Run Bruce Springsteen	A Boy Named Sue Johnny Cash	Born To A Boy Named Sue	PinmonkeyJunkie
Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town Kenny Rogers	Don't Take Your Guns To Town Johnny Cash	Ruby, Don't Take Your Guns To Town Watch out! She's armed and dangerous!	crazydon
Lord Of The Flies Iron Maiden	Ring Of Fire Johnny Cash	Lord Of The Ring Of Fireflies	Penelope Beckinsale
Sk8er Boi Avril Lavigne	A Boy Named Sue Johnny Cash	A Sk8er Boi Named Sue	Heather Brockwell
There are additional duets that haven't been done yet available.

If Groups Combined, Their Names Might Be:

Cash 'n' Carey

Mariah Carey combined with Johnny Cash

Get it? Cash-and-carry!

Submitted By: Ed

Petty Cash

Tom Petty combined with Johnny Cash

Submitted By: neptunevsmars

Johnny Rage Against The Cash Machine

Johnny Cash combined with Rage Against The Machine

Submitted By: Lindsay Doyle

Misheard Lyrics:

"Home of the Blues" Misheard Lyrics: Just around the corner there's Hardee's Original Lyrics: Just around the corner there's heartaches	"Theme song from THE REBEL" Misheard Lyrics: Johnny, your Ma was a rebel.... Original Lyrics: Johnny Yuma was a rebel....
"Daddy Sang Bass" Misheard Lyrics: Daddy said grace, Mama said dinner. Original Lyrics: Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor.	"Hurt" Misheard Lyrics: What have I become, my Sweedish friend. Everyone I know, go away Indian Original Lyrics: What have I become, my sweetest friend. Everyone I know, goes away in the end
There are additional misheard lyrics available.

Misheard Lyrics Stories:

"It Ain't Me, Babe"

Misheard Lyrics:

Promise never to fart

Original Lyrics:

Promise never to part

Story about this misheard lyric by: Michael

My daughter and I were listening to the "Walk The Line" soundtrack, and both of us misheard the same line.

There are additional misheard stories available.

Song Parody Fragments:

"Ring Of Fire"

Better Lyrics:

I was sent to a burnin' lake of fire.
I thought I was righteous,but I was found to be a liar.
And it burns,burns,burns.......The Lake of Fire..........The Lake of Fire.

Original Lyrics:

I fell into a burnin' ring of fire.
I went down,down,down.....and the flames were growin' higher.
And it burns,burns,burns.....the Ring of Fire....The Ring of Fire.

Submitted by: steve p.

"I Walk The Line"

Better Lyrics:

I keep my pants up with a piece of twine
I keep my fly wide open all the time
I keep the knot loose on my piece of twine
Say you'll be mine, and you can pull the twine

Original Lyrics:

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
Because you're mine, I walk the line

Submitted by: Ernie G

"Folsom Prison Blues"

Better Lyrics:

I feel the worms a crawling
They're up inside my head
Guess it doesn't matter
Now that I am dead
And I'm stuck inside a coffin
Buried six feet down
And if the lord don't forgive me
I'm ring of fire bound

Original Lyrics:

I hear that train a-coming
It's a-rolling round the bend
And I ain't seen the sunshine
I'm stuck in Folsom Prison
And time keeps dragging on
But that train keeps rolling
On down to San Antone

Submitted by: Richard B

Nonsensical Song Lyrics:

"Tennessee Flat-Top Box"

The Nonsensical Lyrics:

He vanished like the breeze, they forgot him in the little town
But all the girls still dreamed about him
And hung around the cabaret until the doors were locked.

Why They're Nonsensical:

What were all those girls hanging around the cabaret until the doors were locked for, if he was forgotten there? He couldn't have been forgotten if they were still dreaming about him -- That's what!

(Song later covered by his daughter Roseanne.)

Submitted by: Penelope Beckinsale

"Folsom Prison Blues"

The Nonsensical Lyrics:

I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.

Why They're Nonsensical:

I'll tell you why this doesn't make sense. Reno is in Nevada. Folsom Prison is in California and part of the California state prison system. Why is he serving time in a different state from the one that had jurisdiction for the crime?

Submitted by: Alexis

There are additional nonsensical lyrics available.

Inappropriate Song Lyrics:

"Folsom Prison Blues"

The Inappropriate Lyrics:

But I shot a man in reno just to watch him die

Why They're Inappropriate:

This has to be the sickest line of all time. how can anyone feel sympathy for the song's protagonist after hearing this? this makes the "morbid curiosity" explanation seem like just cause. he should have told this to the judge so the song would be called "firing squad blues" or burning in hell blues". johnny cash really should have kept this side to himself. we didn't need to hear about this thought, especially in the "innocent" 1950's.

Submitted by: Ken

"A Boy Named Sue"

The Inappropriate Lyrics:

I roamed from town to town to hide my shame.

Why They're Inappropriate:

Or you could have avoided much of that shame and roamed to the courthouse when you turned 18 and changed that awful name. It worked for Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali, and he grew up quick and he grew up mean and had fists that were hard and wits that were keen. Ah, but then we wouldn't have this great song, and the great Amiright parodies thereof. (Way to go, Mike, using a word like 'thereof' in front of a guy like Sue.

Submitted by: Michael Pacholek

Dated Song Lyrics:

"Folsom Prison Blues"

The Dated Lyrics:

I bet there's rich folks eatin',
In a fancy dining car,
They're probably drinkin' coffee,
And smokin' big cigars,

Why They're Dated:

I suspect that the eating and coffee drinking are about the only things referred to in these lines that might still be very apt regarding U.S. dining cars today in the Amtrak era. I doubt that what dining cars are now left in the U.S. are all that fancy or all that much the haunts of the rich anymore. But the most certain change is with the last part, as Amtrak has made all dining cars smoke-free for some years now.

Submitted by: Wendy Carpenter

"Folsom Prison Blues"

The Dated Lyrics:

But that train keeps a-rollin',
On down to San Antone.

Why They're Dated:

The train he's singing about is a passenger train, as evidenced by other references in the song, like 'I bet there's rich folks eating in a fancy dining car'. Now there are far fewer passenger trains in the U.S. than there used to be. And none pass anywhere near Folsom Prison en route to San Antonio.

Submitted by: Wendy Carpenter

Song Lyrics That Mention Brand Name Products:

"Understand Your Man"

The Lyrics:

Well you can give my other suit
To the Salvation Army

Product Brand Name:

The Salvation Army

Submitted by: The Fat Cat

Song Lyrics That Mention Other Songs:

"Daddy Sang Bass"

The Song Lyrics:

Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, Lord, by and by
Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor
Me and little brother would join right in there
In the sky, Lord, in the sky

Song They Mention:

Will the Circle Be Unbroken

Submitted by: Martha Hankins

Songs That Open With Their Titles:

"San Quentin"

Opening Lines:

San Quentin, you've been livin' hell to me. You've hosted me since 1963.

Comments:

Submitted by: Candy Welty

"Come In Stranger"

Opening Lines:

She said, 'Come in, stranger, it's good to have you home'

Comments:

Submitted by: Candy Welty

Scary Song Lyrics:

"Delia's Gone"

The Lyrics:

First time I shot her I shot her in the side
Hard to watch her suffer
But with the second shot she died
Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone

But jailer, oh, jailer Jailer,
I can't sleep 'Cause all around my bedside
I hear the patter of Delia's feet
Delia's gone, one more round Delia's gone

Why:

It is a true murder ballad, and the brutality of it still scares me, fifteen years later.

Submitted by: Joakim

"Folsom Prison Blues"

The Lyrics:

Well, I shot a man in Reno
Just to watch him die

Why:

Why would anyone shoot someone just to watch him die?

Submitted by: crazydon

Song Title Space Change:

"Every Body Loves A Nut" originally "Everybody Loves A Nut"

Submitted by: Yvette Bristle

"The Leg End Of John Henry's Hammer" originally "The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer"

Submitted by: Yvette Bristle

"Second Honey Moon" originally "Second Honeymoon"

Submitted by: Candy Welty

"Want Ed Man" originally "Wanted Man"

Submitted by: George Straitjacket

"Wan Ted Man" originally "Wanted Man"

Submitted by: George Straitjacket

There are additional Song Title Space Change available.

Band Name Anagrams:

Can Shy John Submitted by: Regina Haniger

Can shy John do what?

Song Title Anagrams:

"Belt Is Red" originally "Blistered"

Submitted by: Kayla Kalyak

"Let's Rebid" originally "Blistered"

Submitted by: Kayla Kalyak

"Steel Bird" originally "Blistered"

Submitted by: Kayla Kalyak

"Bridle Set" originally "Blistered"

Submitted by: Kayla Kalyak

"Led Tribes" originally "Blistered"

Submitted by: Kayla Kalyak

There are additional Song Title Anagrams available.

Real Places Mentioned in Songs:

"Folsom Prison Blues"

The Lyrics:

But I'm stuck in Folsom Prison
And time keeps draggin' on

Why:

Folsom Prison in California, where Johnny performed live for the inmates and recorded a landmark live album.

Submitted by: Martha Hankins

"Orange Blossom Special"

The Lyrics:

Well, I'm going down to Florida
And get some sand in my shoes.
Or maybe California
And get some sand in my shoes.
I'll ride that Orange Blossom Special
And lose these New York blues.

Why:

Refers to the U.S. states of Florida and California, and also to New York, most likely to the city rather than the state generally. Since the Orange Blossom Special sounds like the name of a train, curiously the lyrics would seem to imply that that train went from New York to both Florida and California. That seems unlikely, as Florida would be a major detour en route from New York to California. But, who knows?

Submitted by: Connie Brady

Song Title Acrostics:

WIT: "What Is Truth"

Submitted by: Candy Welty

SAIL: "Straight A's In Love"

Submitted by: Candy Welty

NIL: "Next In Line"

Submitted by: Candy Welty

FAB: "Flesh And Blood"

Submitted by: Isaac

Song Title Spoonerisms:

"Shorty Fades Of Green" originally "Forty Shades Of Green"

Submitted by: Regina Haniger

"Shorty Fades Of Green" originally "Forty Shades Of Green"

Submitted by: Regina Haniger

"Balsam Prison Flues" originally "Folsom Prison Blues"

Submitted by: Andrea Greenleaf

"Forty Grades Of Sheen" originally "Forty Shades Of Green"

Submitted by: Scarlett Lopez

"The Soy Named Boo" originally "The Boy Named Sue"

Submitted by: Connie Brady

There are additional Song Title Spoonerisms available.

Upbeat Songs With Depressing Lyrics:

"Folsom Prison Blues"

The Lyrics:

When I was just a baby
My mama told me, "Son
Always be a good boy
Don't ever play with guns."
But I shot a man in Reno
Just to watch him die
When I hear that whistle blowin'
I hang my head and cry

Why:

This song is about a man in prison lamenting why he is not out in the world as a free man because of his life in crime.

Also, Johnny was watching Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison while serving in the Air Force in West Germany, and he has something against that. The song is in F-major.

Submitted by: Rocky Mak

Lyrics Spoonerisms:

"Flesh And Blood"

The Lyrics:

But flesh and blood needs flesh and blood,
And you're the one I need.

Why:

But flesh and blood needs flesh and blood,
And you're the nun-eye weed.

Submitted by: Melanie Bianca Green

Lyrics Alliteration:

"Green Green Grass of Home"

The Lyrics:

It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

Why:

4 G's, and 3 GR's - double alliteration

Submitted by: Rychendroll

Crime Records:

"Smuggling Drugs over an International Border"

Despite having written and sung the "Folsom Prison Blues," the only time the Man in Black was ever in jail was for a time he attempted to bring over stimulants from Mexico.

Submitted by: Raphael

Performers with Handicaps:

"Shy-Drager's Syndrome"

Shy-Drager's syndrome is a neurological syndrome which degenerates the autonomic neural system. On his last years, Johnny Cash suffered from it. Unlike Celeste mentioned, he didn't have Alzheimer's.

Submitted by: Susanna Viljanen

"Diabetes"

Unlike Celeste said, Johnny Cash didn't die from Alzheimer's nor he had it. He died from complications of diabetes. He was intellectually still quite active on his last days, having done his last concert just two months before his death.

Submitted by: Susanna Viljanen

"Altizemers"

At the end of his life in 2003 it was reported that Johnny Cash had passed away from Althiemers diseas.

Submitted by: Celeste