Search - Johnny Cash :: Water From the Wells of Home

Overlooked album from John the Giant...

William E. Adams | Midland, Texas USA | 09/14/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Writing this a day after Johnny's death, which, while expected, still leaves a hole. I was a fan for 46 years of his 48-year recording career. This CD was originally a Mercury release in 1988, and while I think his work for that label to be the weakest of his long career, this disc is really nice. His remake of his early Sun Records' hit, "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" sounds almost as good as the original from 30 years before. While the song content is hokey and dated, if you liked it when it was new, you'll still fall for it now. I also love the way Johnny and June handle "Where Did We Go Right?" which I had only heard done before by the wonderful Lacy J. Dalton. This version is fine as well. "That Old Wheel" is an infectious sing-along kind of song. "Sweeter Than the Flowers" features Waylon Jennings, so how could it be bad? "A Croft in Clachan" has Glen Campbell along for the Scottish folk-flavored ride. "New Moon Over Jamaica" is a tribute to Johnny's second home on the island, and "Water From the Wells of Home" concludes the CD in fine style. This release, to me, proved that Johnny still had the goods even nearing age 60, and of course his signing with Rick Rubin a couple of years later confirmed that view. Mr. Cash had his share of personal demons, but his singing chased a lot of my own away, from age 11 to the present, as I stare 59 in the face. If you are reading this, you must be a fan, and must not own this one yet. I say, buy it. You won't be sorry."

One of Johnny's under-appreciated albums

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 02/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ballad of a teenage queen, a cover of one of Johnny's fifties songs, opens proceedings - it features daughter Rosanne. As long as I live is an old Roy Acuff song - this version features Emmylou, Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter and Roy Acuff, who by this time was a very old man. Where did we go right feature June Carter and the Carter family, although I much prefer Lacy J Dalton's version of this song, recorded about a year later for her album Lacy J.Last of the drifters features Tom T Hall, the man who wrote Harper Valley PTA for Jeannie C Riley before becoming a successful country singer of his own songs. Call me the breeze is a cover of J J Cale's classic song, but my favorite version is the one by Lynyrd Skynyrd. That old wheel is a brilliant duet with Hank Williams Junior. Sweeter than the flowers is a classic oldie - this version features Waylon, Emmylou and Jessi.The next two tracks provided the biggest surprises. A croft in Clachan is set in Scotland and features Glen Campbell. New moon over Jamaica features Paul McCartney. The album closes with the title track.This is not the place to begin a collection of Johnny Cash music but it is a fascinating collection in its own right."