Legacy of Cash - The Saint and Sinner

Cash without a doubt embodies American culture, and thrives as a representative for the ill-treated, all through his wide-spread, mainstream appeal. As an iconic figure in and out of the music industry for nearly five decades, his image is spread throughout popular culture to embed his popularity even after his death. His legacy was shown in the video for "God's Gonna Cut You Down" a song who's accompanying video was a mass of celebrities from different musical genres, and actors that had all been inspired by Cash. The stars included Johnny Depp, Iggy Pop, Kris Kristofferson and Kate Moss (and others) and it was released three years after his death to pay homage to the late country, rockabilly star. This video alone worked as a representative for the appeal of Cash, and the influence he had on so many people, regardless of their background or beliefs...

While the video for "Hurt" stands for most as Cash's emotional final farewell, "God's Gonna Cut You Down" was the dedication to him that he would never get to see. The mashup of stars that had been inspired by him both directly and indirectly gathered to pay homage to the inspirational man who's career spanned and affected generations. The song suggested that people couldn't run away from their sins, and they would eventually catch up with them, which meant it proved so powerful to be the song which was a dedication to Cash.

His early career (and even some later years) were spent in drug fuelled stupors, and he was fully aware of his sins but never chose to ignore or try and hide that fact. The contradictory relations with his beliefs, religion and spirituality lie parallel with his sins and create the Cash which cannot be categorised, and the legacy and icon which he will remain to be for years to come.

Cash in Contemporary Music

His distinguished, individual non-conformist style is said to have influenced numerous genres, and having come from a country music background, hybridised country with traditional rocknroll. He held an iconic role in the establishing of rocknroll, of the outlaw country movement, and still inspires contemporary artists to this day. Kirk Hammett of heavy metal band Metallica is said to have been inspired by Cash, believing that his embodiment of the "don't mess with me image" was inspiring. And Bob Dylan's folk/rock background was directly influenced by Cash, who had him on his television show in his earliest years as a singer. Like his appeal, his influence was as equally widespread, and he is said to have influenced artists from numerous genres (like his music itself) including Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, Bono and Jack White.

Many have argued that Cash started the punk rock genre, and his diversity and bad-ass image which came from performing in prisons made him brave, and the front-runner of the angry, tough genre. His statement black clothing, anti-establishment attitude and outlaw image and the previously mentioned middle-finger photo, all implement his sinner status, and would provide reason for why he influenced punk rock.
   

Cash's Later Years / "Hurt"

His problems with drug addiction were mostly confined to his youth, but he did still suffer when he went his addictions started again in the 1980s. His dependancy during the majority of his life left him fearful of all medications, and he was diagnosed with a neuro-degenerative disease in 1997, as a result of all his years of drug misuse. 

He fought the disease and still produced music in the form of American Recordings, and his other American albums, which flourished in mainstream popularity after his prominent performance at Glastonbury festival in 1994. Once again breaking all the rules and boundaries in place by conformist genre, he covered the Nine Inch Nails song, "Hurt" in 2002, putting his own powerful spin on a traditional rock song, removing profanities and replacing them with references to his devout Christianity and relationship with religion. The video was intended to capture Cash throughout his life, in youth and in his elder years. The metaphorical decaying fruit in various stages epitomises his legendary life, and the reality of him as a icon. As one of his last songs, he is seen as very frail in the video, and looking back on his life the video and song in itself suggests Cash's saint/sinner binary, and his paradoxical nature.

While he did all he could to fight the disease and keep going he eventually died in 2003. This was four months after his wife June died, and it's highly believed that he died of a broken heart. His previously recorded unheard music still gets released, with his most recent example being 2014's, Out Among The Stars.

Political Affiliation and Protesting American Culture

While his compassion and plight for prison reform goes hand in hand with his status as a saint, and with his religious views, it was also his political affiliations that made him care so much for others. Like with his protest songs "Man in Black," "One Piece at a Time," and "Folsom Prison Blues" Cash didn't like to be categorised, and his music and religious beliefs were a representation of this. Choosing to believe in fighting for injustices and standing up for the oppressed was his take on politics, and he saw himself as being above political affiliation.

Through his music he fought the injustices in society, he condemned racism and prejudices, and often protested against these topics, in the same manner of which he did for prisoners and Native American rights. While he spoke out against these issues, and the Vietnam war, his opinions didn't lie politically as his ideals were just to gain freedom and equal opportunities for his fellow Americans. The poor, working men, and ill-treated were deemed as a much more important cause than categorising or associating himself with specific political parties.

Like with his attitudes to religion, he encouraged independent thinking about politics and urged others to do the same. While he did hold strong beliefs and protested them to the masses, he encouraged that everyone celebrates their individual beliefs also, in the same way he had done.

Iconography of Cash

One of the most iconic images of Cash, is the previously shown photograph of him flipping off the photographer at his San Quentin prison performance in 1969. This image is cemented at the centre of his outlaw image, and represents his fight against the establishment. His resentment for the standard of the Southern country music genre and the people living in poverty in his home country can be epitomised by this single picture. 

As an advocate for prison reform, his concerts were a method of showing his support and representing equality, but the image itself was a protest against officials. The photo arose when the photographer, Jim Marshall, asked Cash to "do a shot for the Warden..." 

So Cash sticks up his middle finger, and creates an image which will incorporate his outlaw image, and his saint/sinner contradictions for decades to come...

Religion and Spirituality

Another aspect of his youth that influenced both his music and his image in later life, is his connections with his religion and spirituality. He was raised as a Christian, but his issues with drug addictions and his outlaw image shadowed and separated his connection to God. All of this reinforced the impossibility of categorising Cash. He did embrace his outlaw image, but contradicted it still, to be the self-confessed saint and sinner his name is mostly associated with. Yet, despite his downfalls, and his sins he remained to keep a complicated relationship with his faith and spirituality.

It was his faith and spirit that saved him during his suicide attempt during his early years, and allowed him to embody the paradox and contradiction he kept up through his life. His self-identificiation as a sinner plays dynamically with his religious evocations, and not only reinforces his contradictory, outlaw image but rather plays on it. His religious and spiritual upbringing made him the man that he is today, and arguably without religion wouldn't have had the opportunity to even create the persona of Johnny Cash, as he wouldn't have been influenced from such an early age.

An American Hero - Representing the Working Class

At no point during his successful career did Cash attempt to disguise the fact that he grew up in and lived the majority of his youth in an American working-class family, struggling to get by. He in fact thrives on the traditional masculinity of which has been produced from his poor upbringing, and chose to be influenced to achieve social justice. As he sees himself as a voice for the downtrodden and those alienated from society, he explored the angst of the men unable to break free from their existence in poverty, and their resentment for the rich and privileged.

While he became a rich and privileged person himself, he didn't ignore the plea of other fellow Americans, and still used his fame and power to be a voice/spokesperson for the ill-treated. Instead, he took advantage of his past in poverty and urged political leaders and government officials to stand up for justice and peace in the same manner that he had.

His representation of the working class is abundant in his song; "One Piece at a Time." A song which looks at an auto-worker stealing parts of a car one at a time so he can eventually build a Cadillac. Like his own saint/sinner binary, the song explores the traditional masculinity, and the frustrations which arise from their labour producing such product, but never being able to own them, they steal them in the process as part of a protest.