The one thing about this song is the first few lines....."I'm sitting here on death row of a crime I totally innocent of you know"....and that's all we hear about it. Are we supposed to take his word for it, or is there something in the song that explains this? Clearly this song takes the form of a narrative, but I can't feel sorry for the character in the song unless I know what's going on.
Am I being too anal about this song???

EXCEPT the only prison time Johnny Cash did was during his prison concerts.

Nicely put.

I was a fan of Johnny's later works...the older he got, the more the emotion came thru, IMO.

Reminds me in many ways of "MacArthur Park" (the Richard Harris version). You know, "Someone left the cake out in the rain..."

Just saying.

Interesting take on this - this was the first time I heard this and my mental process went something like this (1) it's Cash singing religious lines, (2) wait -- this is a Nick Cave song, (3) interesting cover choice -- Cash actually was pro-Christian, and Cave is anything but. Yet, I never felt that Cash infused this with the religious skepticism that was likely present in the Cave original.

The one thing about this song is the first few lines....."I'm sitting here on death row of a crime I totally innocent of you know"....and that's all we hear about it. Are we supposed to take his word for it, or is there something in the song that explains this. Clearly this song takes the form of a narrative, but I can't feel sorry for the character in the song unless I know what's going on.
Am I being too anal about this song???

Johnny Cash is the quintessential American artist. The beauty of his last CDs is that Johnny's emotional renditions of poignant songs reflect a deep-seated understanding of the human condition, like Eric Clapton's "No Tears in Heaven". The difference is that Johnny is reflecting on his entire life, not a single incident.

There is nothing more soulful than Johnny Cash at the end of his life. He knew it was coming and drank deeply of his shortcomings, failures, and wishes.

He covered songs because he had nothing left to prove. He chose the best because he had a passion about what he appreciated.

What other artist spent time in San Quentin, had top 40 hits, had a career that spanned generations, wrote songs covered by rock, country, and punk artists, had an entire song featured in Rob Zombie's "Devil's Rejects" and captured the hearts and minds of rebels and presidents? That's range. That's passion. And that is the mark of genius that doesn't demand you look.

Reminds me in many ways of "MacArthur Park" (the Richard Harris version). You know, "Someone left the cake out in the rain..."

Just saying.

But in Johnny Cash's hands it does. Just as he took Depeche Mode's uber-ironic "Personal Jesus" and put his unique, Christian stamp on it, JC does the same with this song.

"This music, spare, lean, intense, haunted, and brave, is unlike any American music I have ever heard. It comes closest to the raw intensity of the best of the blues. But its all Johnny Cash, the one and only. Hear it, weep, and rejoice. This is a consummate artist at the peak of his career, even at its end."

But in Johnny Cash's hands it does. Just as he took Depeche Mode's uber-ironic "Personal Jesus" and put his unique, Christian stamp on it, JC does the same with this song.

Sorry, this song was written by Nick Cave, and is about a guy going to the electric chair. Do some research on Cave and you'll be enlightened and find that The Mercy Seat doesn't quite honor Jesus. Nice try. At least you're listening to RP.

This is an awesome mega-power ballad that honors Jesus with blood and fire.

Johnny Cash is the quintessential American artist. The beauty of his last CDs is that Johnny's emotional renditions of poignant songs reflect a deep-seated understanding of the human condition, like Eric Clapton's "No Tears in Heaven". The difference is that Johnny is reflecting on his entire life, not a single incident.

There is nothing more soulful than Johnny Cash at the end of his life. He knew it was coming and drank deeply of his shortcomings, failures, and wishes.

He covered songs because he had nothing left to prove. He chose the best because he had a passion about what he appreciated.

What other artist spent time in San Quentin, had top 40 hits, had a career that spanned generations, wrote songs covered by rock, country, and punk artists, had an entire song featured in Rob Zombie's "Devil's Rejects" and captured the hearts and minds of rebels and presidents? That's range. That's passion. And that is the mark of genius that doesn't demand you look.

the problem is the great mr cash got used near the end of his life by "hipsters" who thought it would be cool to hear johnny sing "some really cool rock stuff"

Wow.

This song made me stop what I was doing and l listen.