Life
It's rare that an artist gets to write his own eulogy, but just four days before his passing, Cash essentially delivered just that in the form of the final track listing for this self-proposed, self-compiled sequel to his latter-dayLove, God, Murdertrilogy. Cash's final act as an artist gathers 18 tracks from his incomparable, four-decade-deep Columbia catalog, reflecting a life as deeply conflicted by the ways of the flesh ("I Can't Go On That Way," "Wanted Man," "I Wish I Was Crazy Again," his duet withWaylon Jennings) as it was rooted in love of God ("I Talk to Jesus Everyday"), family ("Suppertime"), his country ("Ragged Old Flag"), and its music ("The Night Hank Williams Came to Town"). But Cash's deeply patriotic conscience was the kind that also demanded better of his nation and its leaders ("Ballad of Ira Hayes," "Man in Black") while his love for his late wifeJuneilluminates "You're the Nearest Thing to Heaven" and their bittersweet duet, "Where Did We Go Right." There are Cash compilations galore, but none with the touching personal insights offered here.--Jerry McCulley