"The Man Comes Around"

By the early 90s, after nearly 40 years in the music business, Johnny Cash was considered a nostalgia act with nothing new to offer. That all changed when he partnered with producer Rick Rubin and created some of the most relevant music of his career. 1994's American was a raw, stripped down Johnny Cash. Accompanied by a sole acoustic guitar, the album was a critical smash and introduced Cash to a new generation of fans.

Three releases followed that initial collaboration: Unchained, American III: Solitary Man, and American IV: The Man Comes Around. Each release featured Cash originals as well as songs that had been previously written and recorded by other artists. The production remained sparse, with little more than acoustic guitar, bass, piano and drums ever showing up on a track.

Released in 2002, American IV: The Man Comes Around (most notable for Cash's rendition of the Nine Inch Nails' song "Hurt") was well received by critics and fans alike. It also became the first platinum selling release of Cash's career.

The most powerful track on the set is the first: "The Man Comes Around." Cash’s take on "Kingdom Come," with its heavy biblical influence, opens with a spoken word piece. He is then joined by an acoustic guitar and finally a second guitar, bass and piano. The music during the verse is light and airy, with the guitars strumming a mixture of open major and minor chords and heavy during a chorus full of simple barre chords, bass and low register piano. It's a haunting bed and a solid foundation for Cash to lay his vocals over.

Recorded when he was 70 years old, and after a hard life lived, “The Man Comes Around” features Cash’s baritone drawl. His voice is a bit scratchy, yet it’s as engaging as ever. He alternates between spoken word passages during the verse and singing during the chorus, painting a picture of Armageddon that is spooky and incredibly vivid.

"The Man Comes Around" is a powerful song and a fitting addition to an already remarkable catalog of songs that Cash wrote and recorded in his nearly 50 year career.

Johnny Cash died a year ago today from complications related to diabetes. Thanks for the music, Johnny and rest in peace.