Rosanne Cash Keeps the Rest of 'The List' Private
- Posted on Oct 8th 2009 12:00PM by Benjy Eisen
- Comments (36)
When Rosanne Cash decided to go public with her father, Johnny Cash's list of 100 essential country songs, she didn't realize the intensity with which people would want to know the names of all of them. Johnny gave them to her as a gift when she was 18 as a way of educating her about what daddy did at the office.Rosanne first revealed the list's existence while on tour supporting her 2006 album 'Black Cadillac.' Hounded by fans after virtually every show and prodded by her husband to do something with the list, Cash recorded a dozen of the tracks and has just released them this week on an album entitled, simply, 'The List.' And indeed, as was father Johnny's intention, the songs are essential country music selections. They're taken straight from the songbooks of the greats -- ranging from Merle Haggard to Jimmie Rodgers -- and Cash was careful to include certain indispensable style deviations including honky tonk and Delta blues.
But that still leaves 88 songs on paper that we don't know about, and Cash isn't ready to reveal the rest of them just yet -- she had a hard enough time choosing the first dozen. "As far as picking the songs we did, some of them were clearly not going to work," Cash tells Spinner. "They were too gender specific or they were too much of a period piece, and I couldn't do another version of 'This Land Is Your Land.' You know what I mean?"
Indeed. But now that a dozen are down and being passed around, that's 88 songs Cash still has to pull from and, luckily, she plans to continue the project. "That doesn't mean I'll stop writing," she says. After all, she's long since established herself as a top-selling and award-winning songwriter in her own right. But perhaps by sharing with us an important gift that her father gave to her at a young age, she is somehow honoring her private past while sharing music history with the world. After years of keeping it between her and her dad, she's finally ready. "In fact, a month ago I said to John [her husband], 'I want to start recording Volume 2 of 'The List," Cash admits. "And he said, 'Can we just get this one out first, please?"
He got his wish this week when 'The List' finally hit store shelves. Or, at least, its first dozen songs.
Reader Comments(1 of 2)
Carleneat 10-09-2009
I sure would like to know what's on the list. I wonder how many of "THE HIGHWAY MEN's" songs are there? Anyone in Vegas making a list??
EHARRat 10-10-2009
THE LIST, IS GREAT! HAVING KNOWN JOHNNY CASH AND JUNE CARTER/CASH, I KNOW JOHN WOULD HAVE BEEN SO PROUD OF ROSANNE. SHE WAS ON ONE OF THE TALK SHOWS, AND DID THE LONG BLACK VEIL, IT WAS SO MUCH HEART, YOU FELT WHEN SHE SANG. SHE HAS HER DAD'S WAY WITH A SONG. EVERYONE SHOULD GO OUT AND BUY THIS. JUST GREAT!!!
Wish Belkinat 10-09-2009
Her ex husband, (Rodney Crowell) is one of the greatest writers of all time. I wonder how many of his songs are on the list.
ccat 10-10-2009
they are not talking about her husband list they are talking about her father list.
Leeat 10-10-2009
The list was was written by Johnny Cash back in 1973, so no song on it was written after that period. The new CD by Rosanne is gorgeous, can't wait for Volume II.
justinat 10-11-2009
I Love Johnny Cash, the song HURT (cover of Nine Inch Nails song) is BRILLIANT.
Tnchick660at 10-11-2009
Both the song and video are brilliant and heartbreaking. Two of my son's friends sang this at his burial service. I know many of the Baptists that had gathered there were aghast, but it meant so much to us, his family and friends. Johnny Cash was an amazing and talented artist, and no matter what kind of list he made, I would pay attention.
tieat 10-11-2009
I mean really...in all honesty who really gives a crap??? Does it really matter which 100 songs Johnny Cash thought were essential? Wake up people there are more important things to think about.
Kathyminxat 10-11-2009
You're right, there ARE more important things to do but sometimes you have to stop and remember some good times or WE'D ALLLLLLLLLLLLL GO INSANE!
palewhitechickat 10-11-2009
Tie, you're right. There ARE more important things to think about. So shut down your computer and go think about them. And when you have come up with serious solutions to the great suffering in the world, by all means come back to us and enlighten us. Until then, kindly piss off. Your current comments are irrelevant, a pathetic grab for attention, and a complete waste of space.
CGat 10-11-2009
We have serious problems in the world, always have, and always will. That doesn't stop the world from enjoying things we love, benefitting from the arts, etc. If you were commenting on Hollywood gossip and trivia, I'd agree with you. But paying attention to cultural enjoyment is a good thing, not a bad thing. It's why we are here, I think. You sound like one of the people who screams every time the President does something human for enjoyment. He's entitled, and so are we.
Joseph Papierz Jrat 10-11-2009
tie - You said "I mean really...in all honesty who really gives a crap??? Does it really matter which 100 songs Johnny Cash thought were essential? Wake up people there are more important things to think about."
Why did you bother to read the article or the comments? Maybe you should follow your own advice and do something else like solve world hunger or find a way to produce gasoline for 10 cents a gallon. My guess is you really do "give a crap."
dennonat 10-11-2009
TIE why don,t you go crawl back under your rock nobody cares about someone like you.
Johnny Cash was One of the best
cvfat 10-11-2009
Well, yes, there ARE other things to think about -- but if someone enjoys knowing what Johnny Cash thought was essential country music, who are YOU to criticize them? If you're not interested and think it's not worthwhile, fine. You have the option to ignore the CD (and not read the article, I should add. If you didn't have any interest, why would you read it when there are so many OTHER things to think about??) Let each person pursue what interests them, and you go about pursuing what that which you think is appropriate. Keep your judgments to yourself and live in the microcosm that you inhabit...
chrissyat 10-11-2009
Tie -- if you didn't "give a crap," why did you read the article? If I'm not interested, I skip to something that DOES interest me -- only people with tiny minds read something solely for the purpose of trying to demean those who enjoy it. Grow up, take whatever you consider to be music, and shut yourself away in a hole somewhere.
Betty Snowat 10-11-2009
When U listen to Johnny Cash's Music it is so heartwarming. I saw him in Concert I sat on 2nd row he was such a charismatic man, he had a way of pivoting his body I called him "prissy" my husband had a fit not a prissy bone in his body lol. Anyway I loved his music and his shows....And I loved how much he loved June. I sure miss him. I thank God we had the priviledge of sharing his life for so many years....Betty from Ohio
Bettyat 10-12-2009
I am an avid lover of country music and i can honestly say anything Rosanne puts out there will be pure full of love,her dad was a LEGEND WHOM I WILL CHERISH ALWAYS. And yes like others i wonder how many OUTLAWS are on there..
Jerry Hodgesat 10-11-2009
The people asking about Rodney Crowell or the Highwaymen, this list is when from when she was 18, before any of that!
cannotbelievethisat 10-11-2009
Why CAN'T she do a re-make of "This Land Is Your Land"? People could use a pick-me-up from all the knuckle dragging and doom and gloom we've been hearing...
rbush10888at 10-11-2009
"They were too gender specific or they were too much of a period piece, and I couldn't do another version of 'This Land Is Your Land.' You know what I mean?"
87 left, "This Land Is Your Land" appears to be on the list.