| Orange Blossom Special - Johnny Cash | |
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Reviewed by Jolene Downs
Orange Blossom Special was originally released in 1965. This special re-release in honor of Johnny Cash's 70th birthday includes three bonus tracks that are previously unreleased in the United States. It is packed with great songs, and there isn't a bad one on the whole album. Among the selection are three Bob Dylan songs, "It Ain't Me Babe," (duet with June Carter), "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright," and "Mama, You Been on My Mind." The last song is a previously unreleased song.
The album opens with "Orange Blossom Special." I've always really enjoyed this song along with the different instrumentals and sound effects that are a big part of this song. In the background of this song, as well as all the songs on this album, you can hear the Johnny Cash trademark boom-chicka-boom guitar style.
"Long Black Veil" is a wonderful ballad. It is about story about a woman who got killed and an innocent man was convicted and died. He didn't give his alibi because he was in bed with his best friend's wife at the time. She is said to visit him in a long black veil at his graveside. I really liked this song.
"It Ain't Me" has the unmistakable voice of June Carter singing with Johnny. I've always said these two sound great together. They have long been one of my all-time favorite duet teams. It has a different sound and is fun to listen to.
"You Wild Colorado" is another ballad. Johnny is unique for me in that while I'm ordinarily not a ballad person, I really enjoy Johnny Cash ballads. He has the ability to give ballads a piece of his soul while telling us the story.
"Mama, You've Been On My Mind" is a little different sound for Johnny. It is a Bob Dylan song and is on the album twice. It is both track 7 and track 15. Track 15 says it is previously unreleased in the United States. It has some French Horn (?) in there, which is a little unusual for a Johnny song. It has a neat tempo and is a great song.
"When It's Springtime In Alaska" is another song that features June Carter. They have such great harmonies. He falls in love with someone who is already taken, and the song ends with, "when it's springtime in Alaska he is six feet below."
"All God's Children Ain't Free" is a song that gives testimony to Johnny's penchant for dressing in black. He is drawing attention to the fact that society still has a long way to go in treating everyone fairly and equally. If you listen closely to the words, it has a powerful message. With Johnny, he doesn't just tell you how he feels, he shows it by his actions as well.
"Amen" is an old standard hymn. It is an upbeat gospel tune, and one I have always enjoyed.
This album was a real pleasure to listen to. I've considered myself a fan of Johnny Cash for many years. I'm finding that I really hadn't even begun to know all the great music he has done over the years. These re-releases are a real gem for those of us who missed out on much of his earlier music. Another really neat thing about this particular album is the narrative he gives before the song "Danny Boy." He gives us an insight into where he comes from and the story of his parents and grandparents as it ties into that song. This album is a definite plus for any collection of Classic Country music.
Song List:
Album cover, used with permission of Legacy Recordings.
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