Category Archives: Johnny Cash Songs

Johnny Cash covers: Acoustic cover songs – music videos by the songwriters of the Laptop Sessions video blog. Daily music blog with new indie rock acoustic songs.

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” (Johnny Cash acoustic folk song)

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For Johnny Cash chords & lyrics, CLICK HERE!

By Chris Moore:

As the Mamas and the Papas would say: “Monday, Monday!”

Welcome to the first acoustic cover song music video of a brand new week here at the Laptop Sessions.  Tonight, I’m bringing you my second cover from Johnny Cash’s first posthumous release, American Recordings V: A Hundred Highways.  Yes, that’s right…  I specified “first” posthumous release, because I just read that American VI is scheduled for release later this year.  Apparently, Cash was working on V up until he passed away.  I was under the impression that V was a collection of material that was still unreleased, but that’s more along the lines of what VI will be.  Even so, I am very excited to hear this final collection when it is released.

What brought on this sudden return to Johnny Cash’s recent work, you might ask?  Well, I found the first American Recordings CD on sale at Newbury’s last week and decided to pick it up.  Truly good new albums have been far and few between this summer, with the exception of the Fruit Bats’ The Ruminant Band earlier this month — a very pleasant surprise to say the least!

I’ve been enjoying American Recordings thus far; it clearly displayed a lot of potential, which was explored on the four — and soon to be five — subsequent editions of the series.  The only one I have yet to hear is American Recordings II, which includes the classic “I’ve Been Everywhere,” which Jim worked into my version of “Folsom Prison Blues” way back when for my second Laptop Session cover song video ever.

The song I chose for tonight is “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” one of my favorites from American Recordings V.  It is a traditional song that Cash truly made his own, a song that has the ability to be simultaneously catchy/rockin’, and yet haunting/foreboding.  I had a fun time playing and practicing it the past few days, and I hope you’ll enjoy watching it.  As I mentioned earlier, this is the second song I’ve covered from this album, if you count Johnny Cash’s cover of Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind,” one of the most beautiful songs ever written.

In other music news, I spent some time tonight reading about R.E.M.’s forthcoming double-CD live album that will include 39 tracks culled from their 2007 shows at the Olympia.  To be more specific, they played five shows in a row as they tried out new material for their 2008 album Accelerate.  In addition, they also played their hits and deep tracks.  I’ve wanted to hear these performances since I heard their new album, and I’m truly thrilled to hear this concert when it comes out in a couple months.  If you’re an R.E.M. fan, too, you should check out the videos for the two songs — the excellent “Living Well is the Best Revenge,” for which I recorded a Laptop Session, and Automatic for the People opening track “Drive — that have debuted on RollingStone.com.

And if you’re someone who has lost interest in Michael Stipe and company since they went through what can only be called a boring streak recently, then you need to give Accelerate a shot.  You won’t be disappointed.

I’ll leave you with one final, music-related note.  I added to Paste Magazine‘s trending topic on Twitter.com about the best albums of the 00’s, and shortly thereafter learned that I am the only person in the universe to have ever tweeted about the Wallflowers’ Red Letter Days, much less mention the album as one of the best during the decade.

I know; it’s quite the distinction…

See you next session!

“Man in Black” (Johnny Cash Cover)

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By Chris Moore:

I had such fun playing “Folsom Prison Blues” that it was only a matter of time before I chose another Johnny Cash song! This is one of my father’s favorites and my grandfather is also a big fan, so I’d like to send this one out to them!

Well, I recorded this one in one perfect take… except for the very end, when I accidentally sang “I’ll try to carry off a little COLOR on my back…” instead of “darkness.” I obviously couldn’t let that go, so I re-recorded it. Again. And again. And again…

You get the point. But, I’m really happy I learned it (and anyone in hearing range the other night must’ve learned it, too). Thanks for coming back to guitarbucketlist.com; check back tomorrow for an all-new session from none other than Jeff Copperthite!

“1 Corinthians 15:55” (Johnny Cash Cover)

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For Johnny Cash chords & lyrics, CLICK HERE!

By Chris Moore:

And, introducing a new performer to the Laptop Sessions…

Mr. Elijah Bartholomeow Wilco (the cat)!

We usually call him Eli for short, and yes, he’s my cat.  And, yes, if you listen closely enough, that’s him in the background providing some harmony vocals.  To be honest, he’s not much worse than I am, although I’m not sure what that says about his abilities.  I tried explaining that Johnny Cash’s American series doesn’t really lend itself to multiple vocals, but he just wouldn’t listen.

In all seriousness, welcome to the start of a new week for us here at the best cover song music video blog in the world!  After I wrote my review of Mudcrutch for last night’s Weekend Review (written while sitting in my car in the Panera parking lot after they had closed but hadn’t turned off the wireless), I considered recording another Mudcrutch cover (in addition to my take on “Scare Easy”) to atone for my lukewarm review.  I really do love Tom Petty and want to love Mudcrutch, but —

Well, you should go back and read the actual review.

Instead, I decided to dig into the recent posthumous Johnny Cash album.  American VI: Ain’t No Grave is an excellent final chapter in Cash’s legendary catalog.  The songs are nothing surprising and are certainly in keeping with the tone of the other five, but the selections and the performances are all just right.  This track, “1 Corinthians 15:55,” is one of Cash’s final original compositions and, as you may have guessed, is based on the scripture referenced in the title.  I found chords and lyrics rather easily on the web, but – not surprisingly – I found that they were a bit off.  For one thing, the chords were more complicated than they needed to be for the average acoustic guitar player.  I speak from experience here.  Also, the lyrics were a few words off here and there.  So, I did what I love to do – I sat in front of the speakers, typed out the lyrics, replayed it to transcribe the chords and mark the changes in the proper places, and posted it all for your non-profit enjoyment.

My post will be somewhat abbreviated tonight, as I’m only minutes away from beginning an exciting evening of friends, fast food, and TNA wrestling fun.  Tonight is the first TNA Impact! scheduled for a regular weekly live Monday night slot.  This is big news for this show and is hopefully a sign of great, exciting things to come in the future.  Best of all, wrestling is an evening of entertainment and relaxation with one of my dearest friends and one of my favorite restaurant locales!

So, that’s it for tonight.  I hope you enjoy my take on this contemporary Cash song, and be sure to hurry back for more new acoustic cover song music videos to come – a Laptop Session tomorrow and a Guest Session on Friday.  Also, since I feel bad about cutting this short, you never know what I’ll whip up for your post-reading pleasure as the week goes on…

See you next session!

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” (Traditional) by Johnny Cash – Chords, Tabs, & How to Play

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To see how it’s played in the cover song music video, CLICK HERE!

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down”
Traditional / Johnny Cash

(Capo 1st fret)
Am
You can run on for a long time,
Dsus2          Am
Run on for a long time,
Am
Run on for a long time.
C              Dsus2       Em         Am
Sooner or later, God’ll cut you down.
C              Dsus2       Em         Am
Sooner or later, God’ll cut you down.

Am
Go tell that long tongue liar,
Am
Go and tell that midnight rider.
Am
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the backbiter,
C                  Dsus2        Em          Am
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down;
C                  Dsus2        Em          Am
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down.

Am
Well, my goodness gracious, let me tell you the news;
Dsus2                                   Am
My head’s been wet with the midnight dew.
I’ve been down on bended knee,
Talkin’ to the man from Galilee.

He spoke to me in a voice so sweet,
I thought I heard the shuffle of angels’ feet.
He called my name and my heart stood still
Am
When he said, “John, go do My will.”

Go tell that long tongue liar;
Go and tell that midnight rider.
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the backbiter,
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down.
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut ’em down.

You can run on for a long time,
Run on for a long time,
Run on for a long time.
Sooner or later, God’ll cut you down;
Sooner or later, God’ll cut you down.

Well you may throw your rock, hide your hand,
Workin’ in the dark against your fellow man.
But as sure as God made black and white,
What’s done in the dark will be brought to the light.

You can run on for a long time,
Run on for a long time,
Run on for a long time.
Sooner or later, God’ll cut you down;
Sooner or later, God’ll cut you down.

Go tell that long tongue liar;
Go and tell that midnight rider.
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the backbiter,
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut you down.
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut you down.
Tell ’em that God’s gonna cut you down.

** These chords and lyrics are interpretations and transcriptions, respectively, and are the sole property of the copyright holder(s). They are posted on this website free of charge for no profit for the purpose of study and commentary, as allowed for under the “fair use” provision of U.S. copyright law, and should only be used for such personal and/or academic work. **