When people think of Johnny Cash songs, they often think of his iconic hits, like “Walk The Line”, “Ring Of Fire“, and more. But with a career that spanned more than 60 years, it’s nearly impossible to recall all of his hits. We found three important Johnny Cash songs, which few people remember anymore.
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“The Ways Of A Woman In Love”
Bill Justis and Charlie Rich are the writers of “The Ways Of A Woman In Love” . Written for Cash, when he released the song in 1958, it came out on Sun Records, even though Cash had recently switched to Columbia Records. The song is on Cash’s Sings The Songs That Made Him Famous.
Regardless of the record label, “The Ways Of A Woman In Love” is a crucial song in Cash’s discography.
“The Ways Of A Woman In Love” is about a man who realizes too late that he was mistaken in ending a relationship. The song says, “You’ve cut out your dancing / And you never see a show / Friends come by to pick you up / And you hardly ever go / It seems your head is in the clouds above / You’ve got the ways of a woman in love.”
“The Ways Of A Woman In Love” also became a Top 25 pop hit for Cash.
“The Matador”
“The Matador” is written by Cash and his future wife, June Carter Cash. The song is on Cash’s Old Golden Throat record. It came out in 1963, five years before their marriage
The song is about a matador who is having one final fight. He is doing it only to impress a woman named Anita, even if the feelings are not reciprocated. “The Matador” says, “She’s watching now with her new love I know / Walk proud and slow / Be strong and sure give the crowd their show / They want blood you know / You’re still their idol as you were before / Kill just one more / Remind Anita, you’re the greatest Matador.“
“Ragged Old Flag”
“Ragged Old Flag” is the title track of a Johnny Cash album, out in 1974. Written solely by Cash, the song’s inspiration became President Nixon’s resignation. He wrote it amid the political turmoil in the country at the time.
Told as a story of a man walking through a county courthouse square, the song says, “And the government for which she stands / Is scandalized throughout the land / And she’s getting threadbare and wearing thin / But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in / ‘Cause she’s been through the fire before / And I believe she can take a whole lot more / So we raise her up every morning / We take her down every night / We don’t let her touch the ground and we fold her up right / On second thought, I do like to brag / ‘Cause I’m mighty proud of that ragged old flag.”
Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
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