Johnny Cash - "Ragged Old Flag" (1974)

The man in black, I guess you can call him a legend by this time. This was his 47th album, believe it or not. I think you get that number when add together his studio albums, Christmas albums, collaborations, gospel albums, soundtracks etc. If you only count the Country & Western studio albums it seems to be the 34th, or 28th, depending on which list I'm looking at. In any case, he was a quite experienced artist in 1974. The reason I bought the album was it cost me only $1-2, and I wanted to give him a chance. I have some of his last albums, from the American Recordings series, and they are alright.

Although I have a lot of respect for Cash as an artist, this record mostly confirms that Country & Western isn't my thing. The LP opens with the über patriotic title song, a spoken word song that pays tribute to an old ragged American flag. I'm not a super fan of that kind of patriotism. The following Don't Go Near The Water is also alright, which focuses on environmental problems. Cash wasn't the one who avoided social or political issues. Another song I'm alright with is Pie In The Sky, which leans a bit towards gospel, and where Cash sings happily how pie is waiting for him up in the sky. But the rest of the album is rather boring. None of the songs stand out in any way, and it feels overall like rather average Country & Western. All songs are written by Cash, except I'm A Worried Man, where his wife helped him.

On the plus side, the arrangements are pretty stripped down, which appeals to me, and you don't have that whining form of Country & Western, where a steel guitar complains, and the singer has that typical whining voice. I like Cash's voice, he sounds experienced and serious, a person I instinctively listen to. Too bad he insisted on playing so much Country & Western.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Ragged Old Flag 3:07
2. Don't Go Near The Water 2:51
3. All I Do Is Drive 2:09
4. Southern Comfort 2:10
5. King Of The Hill 2:43
6. Pie In The Sky 2:25

Side B
1. Lonesome To The Bone 2:42
2. While I've Got It On My Mind 2:19
3. Good Morning Friend 2:06
4. I'm A Worried Man 2:11
5. Please Don't Let Me Out 2:42
6. What On Earth (Will You Do For Heaven's Affairs) 2:09