This week, Johnny Cash’s signature song. He wrote I Walk The Line in 1956 and it became a hit on both the country and pop charts. Holy crossover hit, Batman.
We begin with the songwriter.
Until researching this post, I had no idea that Hoagy Carmichael had covered Cash. I was hoping for a more piano driven version but what can ya do?
Making her FCH debut Eydie Gorme with a lush pop version of I Walk The Line:
Brook Benton always put a soulful spin on everything he recorded.
A souped-up 1984 version from the great Dolly Parton. There’s nary a banjo, fiddle, nor steel guitar in sight.
Finally, Rodney Crowell’s retooling of the Cash classic on which the man in black appears. Johnny told his former son-in-law that he had a lot of nerve rewriting the lyrics to this tune. Rodney took that as a compliment.
What would the Friday Cocktail Hour be without instrumental versions of the week’s tune? This time, The Ventures and Al Hirt.
That’s it for this week. Let’s drink to the autumnal weather that has finally arrived in New Orleans. It’s what Waylon, Johnny, Willie, and Kris would want. Never argue with them.
