In 1969, on June 4, Johnny Cash released his album "Live At San Quentin." It remains to this day one of the greatest albums of all time, and even if it wasn't, it would still be the greatest album of my childhood. We didn't own a lot of albums -- vinyl in those days, y'all -- so it had to be pretty good before the folks would lay out the money for one. (Marine officers in the '60s did not make a lot of money, mmm'K?)
Anyway, we listened to "Live at San Quentin" endlessly. We loved Johnny Cash, and we sure as Hell loved that album. One thing I will never forget is that Johnny played "A Boy Named Sue" back to back at the concert, and kept both on the album, because the prisoners loved it so. When they demanded he play it again, he did, and the record reflects that. It is interesting to note that the song has no chorus, largely because it is based on a poem by Shel Silverstein (who wrote "The Giving Tree," one of my elder son's favorite childhood books). Anyway, I give you "A Boy Named Sue:"
Loved that album. Still do.
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