Night Music: Johnny Cash, “Rowboat”

Cash’s studio recording of this on Unchained, his second album produced by Rick Rubin, was a revelation. I loved the original (Beck wrote it, it’s from his great album Stereopathic Soulmanure), but Cash’s deep voice and the simple backing of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers rendered it just as darkly sad, but less petulantly sloppy.

On this live version Cash is a lot more wispy and the band is a lot more country, and it’s nice to listen to a fresh take.

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