Boom Chicka Boom Studio album by Johnny Cash Released January 22, 1990 Recorded 1989-1990 Genre Rockabilly country Length 36:00 Label Mercury Producer Bob Moore Boom Chicka Boom is the 76th album by American country music singer Johnny Cash, released in 1990 on Mercury Records. The title refers to the sound that Cash's backing band, the Tennessee Three, were said to produce. It includes a cover of Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle", and a song written by Elvis Costello for Cash, "Hidden Shame". "Don't Go Near the Water" is a re-recorded version and its original had been recorded for Ragged Old Flag. It discusses the issue of pollution of the environment. In 2003, Mercury released Boom Chicka Boom paired with Johnny Cash is Coming to Town on a single compact disc, though the bonus track "Veteran's Day" was left off. "Farmer's Almanac" and "Cat's in the Cradle" were released as singles, but failed to chart; the album itself, however, reached No. 48 on the country charts. The album has backing vocals by Elvis Presley's old backing group The Jordanaires (who had also backed Cash on some of his earliest Columbia recordings in the late 1950s), and Cash's mother. Track listing No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "A Backstage Pass" Johnny Cash 3:23 2. "Cat's in the Cradle" Harry Chapin, Sandy Chapin 3:18 3. "Farmer's Almanac" Johnny Cash 3:48 4. "Don't Go Near the Water" Johnny Cash 2:29 5. "Family Bible" Walt Breeland, Paul Buskirk, Claude Gray 2:49 6. "Harley" Michael Martin Murphey, Chick Rains 4:09 7. "I Love You, Love You" Johnny Cash 2:54 8. "Hidden Shame" Elvis Costello 3:59 9. "Monteagle Mountain" Richard McGibony 3:12 10. "That's One You Owe Me" Jim Elliott, Mark D. Sanders 3:01 11. "Veteran's Day" (bonus track on the European CD release) Tom Russell 2:58 Boom Chicka Boom - Wikipedia ~~~~~ Well, this is interesting. A live track to start things off? Nice, fun, nostalgic song, all things considered. And then to follow that with a (the only worthwhile?) Harry Chapin cover? Weird. The version presented on Youtube Music matches that from the Mercury box set, with several additional bonus tracks: https://www.discogs.com/Johnny-Cash-The-Complete-Mercury-Recordings-1986-1991/release/15535971 (Explains those alternate takes from the previous album on our list, too.) This album certainly lives up to its title. Cash is still in pretty fine voice, without any of the deterioration that was starting to creep in during the American years. Revisiting "Family Bible" with his mother is a lovely choice (just my luck we'd get to this after Mother's Day). Overall, this is an upbeat, boppin' record. Maybe as forgettable as recent releases, and maybe there's too much reverb on the big man's voice, but hearing the Jordanaires is a welcome treat, the band is tight, and Johnny's singin' alright. We're not to the Renaissance at American yet, but YMMV if we're still in the Dark Ages at Mercury. Next: The boys are back in town.
Not a real live track, but a fun start to a pretty fun little album. Lots going on here: Cash moves on from Cowboy, and draws on Bob Moore for production. He’s a Nashville session bass player, but not really a proven producer Cash’s band falls apart further. Son-in-law Jimmy Tittle is gone and more importantly, so is Bob Wooten Ironically, they go for a back-to-basics sound right after Wooten’s departure They capture a pretty light hearted rockabilly sound that works overall I like that Johnny’s comedic side is on display on things like A Backstage Pass Elvis Costello writes a song for Cash - Hidden Shame, which is the darkest song on the album I love the return of Don’t Go Near the Water, a hidden gem from the Ragged Old Flag album A solid album. My longer review: Album Review: Johnny Cash – Boom Chicka Boom
Elvis would record his own version of Hidden Shame in 2009. Of course the Costello connection comes via Carlene Carter’s marriage to Nick Lowe.
Interestingly, too, the song Ragged Old Flag was a live staple in this era and is included on both live albums from this period, The Highwaymen - Live and The Great Lost Performance. He’ll also revisit Worried Man from that album in a few years on VH1 Storytellers. It’s definitely one of his lesser known artistic achievements and stands right along his mid-60s concept albums in terms of quality. I’m pretty sure that album meant a lot to him.
Here’s the live version of Ragged Old Flag from the Great Lost Performance album. For a bit of context: March 1989 - recording Highwayman II June-Aug 1989 - recording Boom Chicka Boom Sometime 1989 - rehab again Winter 1990 - touring with Highwaymen Summer 1990 - solo tour (including this performance) Ragged Old Flag included a rather political intro we won’t discuss here that will roll into a collaboration with Tommy Cash I’ll highlight when we get there. Note by the time we’re into the Summer of 1990 tour, we have John Carter Cash on acoustic guitar and Kerry Marx on electric guitar. Kerry will still be recording demos with Cash a month before the first Rick Rubin sessions (we’re almost there!), so he’s the last lead guitarist in a line from 1965-1993. (Carl Perkins>Jerry Hensley>Marty Stuart (very briefly, for most of his tenure he is mandolin/3rd guitar) >Jim Soldi>Kerry Marx). Once we hit the Rubin era, we’re back to Bob Wooten as sole electric guitarist.
From this album I liked "Monteagle Mountain", but that is likely because I drove a semi for a dozen years and drove that route quite a few times. For me, though, the real standout is "Family Bible", with contributions from Cash's mother.
It’s surprising how little overlap there is between Cash and Willie Nelson until the Rainbow/Highwayman sessions with Chips Moman and the 1984 Montreaux Christmas Special. From that point on, they are in and out of each other’s careers.
Boom Chicka Boom actually had two b-sides. The first, Veteran’s Day was on the first reissue of the album in the early 2000s
The second was made more readily available on the Mercury box set, but was originally on the Farmer’s Almanac single.
The only unreleased song on the Mercury box set was an outtake from this session. I Draw the Line is a mediocre follow up to I Walk the Line.
Another couple of rarities before we move on... while in Ireland, Cash heard local singer Sandy Kelly and was impressed. He brought her over to Nashville where they recorded two duets.
This is also when Cash did a recording of the whole New Testament. Here’s a sample... bonus points if you can identify why I chose this passage.
Highwayman 2 Studio album by The Highwaymen Released February 27, 1990 Recorded March 6–9, 1989 Genre Country Length 32:48 Label Columbia Nashville Producer Chips Moman Highwayman 2 is the second studio album released by American country supergroup The Highwaymen. This album was released in 1990 on the Columbia Records label. Johnny Cash had left Columbia several years earlier, making this a "homecoming", and ultimately his final work for Columbia as the next Highwaymen album would be issued on another label. Background In the years since the first Highwaymen album, a new crop of younger stars, such as Randy Travis, Steve Earle, and Dwight Yoakam had emerged, and country radio shifted its focus accordingly. By 1989, only Nelson remained a commercial presence, having topped the charts with "Nothing I Can Do About It Now” and scored a Top 10 hit with “There You Are.” Cash's 1988 album, Classic Cash: Hall of Fame Series, was a collection of old hits that was lambasted for its slick 80s instrumentation, including synthesizers, and his most recent LP, Boom Chicka Boom, released around the same time as Highwaymen 2, didn't even chart. Jennings’ previous album, 1988's Full Circle, peaked at number 37, and Kristofferson's 1986 recording, the overtly political Repossessed, also produced by Moman, stalled at number 31. With the massive success of the first Highwaymen album, and the fading interest from country radio, it made sense for the four legends to reform for an album and tour. Recording & tour Chips Moman again resumed production duties for the second Highwaymen album. Moman, who had enjoyed tremendous success recording Nelson throughout the eighties, gave the album a contemporary sound for the time, although it may not have aged well; AllMusic contends the album “suffers from an overall homogenous and dated 1980s studio sound.” Kristofferson biographer Stephen Miller notes, “Moman produced in such a fashion – prominent drums, electric guitars, and organs – as to bring rock values to songs that, with a different approach, could just as easily have been pure country.” “Silver Stallion” was released as the first single from the album (with an accompanying music video) and reached number 25 on the charts. The album did better, rising to number 4, but it was not the success the first Highwaymen album was. Unlike that LP, there were more writing contributions from the members, with Nelson and Kristofferson providing two songs, Cash offering one, and Jennings bringing in a song he co-wrote with Roger Murrah. (Kristofferson's two contributions were recycled from previous albums: “Anthem ’84” from 1986's Repossessed and “Living Legend” from 1978's Easter Island.) The Highwaymen tour to promote the album was a success, playing to over 55,000 fans at the opening gig at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and the rest of the tour attracted near sell-out audiences despite Cash suffering from a broken jaw. There were rumours of clashing egos and flare-ups, in part fuelled by Kristofferson's penchant for sounding off on his political views and opposition to American foreign policy. While Kristofferson was honoured to be among The Highwaymen's ranks, he didn't shy away from expressing his political views on occasion – even though this risked displeasing the audience, not to mention members of the band and crew who reputedly held up signs saying, “That doesn’t go for me.” It rankled Jennings in particular, who revealed in the A&E's Kristofferson episode of Biography, “We came very close a couple of time to punching it out. I didn’t say he was all wrong, the main thing I was sayin’ was he shouldn't’ve been doin’ it onstage, especially with three other people on there who didn't share all of his thoughts.” In his 2015 autobiography My Life, Nelson dismisses the idea of rancour, writing “Rumours spread that Waylon, Johnny, Kris, and I were having ego problems and fighting like cats an dogs. The rumours were ********. We saw it as one nonstop transcontinental party…I don’t mean that we didn’t get a little cranky from time to time…For the most part, though, it was smooth sailing.” Highwayman 2 - Wikipedia ~~~~~ We're officially at the end of the Columbia era with this album, despite the Mercury era overlapping slightly. As before, it's a fine record; with so much talent on display, how can it not be? This one leans more on the traditional (well, as traditional as a Chips Moman production can be) country sound. Always good to hear more from Willie, as well. Does it stand out? You tell me. Next: A final Mercury mystery.
RIDE THIS TRAIN: The Johnny Cash Album-by-Album thread INDEX The 1950s: Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar! - October 14, 1957 The Fabulous Johnny Cash - November 3, 1958 Johnny Cash Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous - December 1, 1958 SUN COMPILATION Hymns by Johnny Cash - March 2, 1959 Songs of Our Soil - July 6, 1959 Greatest! - October 19, 1959 SUN COMPILATION 1960 - 1964: Now, There Was a Song! - May 2, 1960 Ride This Train - August 1, 1960 Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams - September 5, 1960 SUN COMPILATION Hymns from the Heart - April 2, 1962 The Sound of Johnny Cash - June 4, 1962 Now Here's Johnny Cash - June 26, 1961 SUN COMPILATION All Aboard the Blue Train with Johnny Cash - December 3, 1962 SUN COMPILATION Blood, Sweat and Tears - January 7, 1963 Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash - July 8, 1963 COMPILATION "Tall Men" SINGLE / "Pick a Bale o' Cotton" SINGLE The Christmas Spirit - November 11, 1963 Keep on the Sunny Side - April 6, 1964 I Walk the Line - June 22, 1964 Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian - October 26, 1964 The Original Sun Sound of Johnny Cash - November 23, 1964 SUN COMPILATION 1965-1969: Orange Blossom Special - February 22, 1965 Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West - August 2, 1965 / Mean as Hell - March 1966 Everybody Loves a Nut - May 2, 1966 Happiness Is You - October 10, 1966 Johnny Cash's Greatest Hits Volume 1 - 1967 Carryin' On with Johnny Cash and June Carter - August 7, 1967 From Sea to Shining Sea - January 15, 1968 At Folsom Prison - May 6, 1968 LIVE Old Golden Throat - June 1968 COMPILATION The Heart of Johnny Cash - 1968 COMPILATION The Holy Land - January 6, 1969 At San Quentin - June 16, 1969 LIVE More of Old Golden Throat - July 1969 COMPILATION 1970-1974: Hello, I'm Johnny Cash - January 26, 1970 / "What Is Truth" SINGLE The Johnny Cash Show - October 19, 1970 LIVE I Walk the Line - November 23, 1970 / Little Fauss and Big Halsy - November 23, 1970 SOUNDTRACKS Man in Black - May 31, 1971 A Thing Called Love - April 3, 1972 America: A 200-Year Salute in Story and Song - August 7, 1972 International Superstar - November 1972 COMPILATION The Johnny Cash Family Christmas - December 4, 1972 Any Old Wind That Blows - January 15, 1973 På Österåker - January 1973 LIVE The Gospel Road - April 2, 1973 SOUNDTRACK Johnny Cash and His Woman - September 3, 1973 "Praise the Lord and Pass the Soup" SINGLE / "Pick the Wildwood Flower" SINGLE Ragged Old Flag - May 6, 1974 The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me - September 23, 1974 1975-1979: The Johnny Cash Children's Album - January, 1975 Johnny Cash Sings Precious Memories - January, 1975 John R. Cash - April 28, 1975 Look at Them Beans - September 29, 1975 Destination Victoria Station - 1975 COMPILATION Strawberry Cake - March 1976 LIVE One Piece at a Time - May 17, 1976 The Last Gunfighter Ballad - January 1977 The Rambler - June 27, 1977 I Would Like to See You Again - April 10, 1978 Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 - October 1978 COMPILATION Gone Girl - November 13, 1978 Silver - August 13, 1979 A Believer Sings the Truth - October 1979 Sings with the BC Goodpasture Christian School - 1979 1980-1984: Rockabilly Blues - September 22, 1980 Classic Christmas - November 3, 1980 The Baron - June 1, 1981 Encore - 1981 COMPILATION The Survivors - April 1982 LIVE The Adventures of Johnny Cash - September 6, 1982 The General Lee - 1982 SOUNDTRACK Johnny 99 - August 29, 1983 Koncert v Praze (In Prague-Live) - October 1983 LIVE "The Chicken In Black"/"Battle Of Nashville" - 1984 SINGLE "The Three Bells"/"They Killed Him" - 1984 SINGLE 1985-1989: Highwayman - May 6, 1985 Rainbow - October 28, 1985 Heroes - May 19, 1986 Class of '55: Memphis Rock and Roll Homecoming - May 26, 1986 Believe in Him - July 21, 1986 Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town - April 13, 1987 Classic Cash: Hall of Fame Series - September 19, 1988 Water from the Wells of Home - October 10, 1988 1990-1994: Boom Chicka Boom - January 22, 1990 Highwayman 2 - February 27, 1990 ~~~~~ Sites used to compile this thread: Johnny Cash albums discography - Wikipedia Johnny Cash singles discography - Wikipedia Music | Johnny Cash Official Site Johnny Cash | Discography | Discogs Other reference sites: Johnny Cash – Raise My Glass to the B-Side - @jalexander's wonderful review site! Be sure to read between my posts in this thread for J's additional posts calling out contemporary singles and performances alongside the albums we're discussing. Home - Folsom Prison Blues - The Johnny Cash Discography, including a session-based discography listing recordings and performers by date.
I'll get in this time before we move on.... This Johnny Cash train thread moves so fast, so I'm hitching on to this album!! Highwaymen 2 is a fantastic record! There I'll call it. Is it as good as the first one? Well, it's up there in my book as of 2021. At the time of release, it may have seemed sub-par to me, but over time, it's been a winner on me. 'Silver Stallion' is a wonderful opener, and shows everybody in full form. From that, straight into 'Born and Raised in Black and White'... Wow, the albums off to a killer start! Speaking of 'Silver Stallion', Only just learning the songwriter Lee Clayton wrote Willie's great 'If You Can Touch Her At All' as well..... There's not a bad song here on this collection. There's something magical to me on 'Angels Love Bad Men', it may be my favorite with Waylon's mesmerizing vocals. Everybody comes out a winner on this collection. I loved it so much I sourced a UK vinyl copy of it long after the fact. Much like the first Highwaymen album, it flies by so fast, before you know it, you listening to the last track, 'Texas', and commands an instant replay. It's a 10/10 for me, easy. A big fan.
I’m not as enthusiastic as @Rick Bartlett about Highwayman 2, but it is a pretty strong album. Some thoughts: Chips returns but with a more rocky production style compared to the slick 80s pop of the first album A very different focus too... where 1 was group numbers alternated by Cash/Nelson, and only Cash brought songs to the table, this one showcases all four as songwriters... all group numbers plus some solo showcases for everyone but Kris Cash writes an interesting number about a time when a number of luminaries jammed at his house in 1969 including Dylan and Joni Nelson’s tunes are a bit Cash-like in their minimalism - I quite like both. Texas isn’t a great album closer. Both Highwayman 1 and 2 could do with stronger closers. Waylon’s is a good outlaw tune Kris uses older numbers but they express his political views well The group numbers a really good too. I rank Born and Raised in Black and White as well as American Remains very highly Silver Stallion sounds good, but doesn’t hold up to closer inspection... Waylon’s verse is cringeworthy and the song ends without warning The low point is We’re All in Your Corner which is written by Chips’ session man Bobby Emmons, so I’m a little skeptical about how it made it onto the album My longer review: Album Review: The Highwaymen – Highwayman 2
While we are riding the Highwaymen Stagecoach, Let's also mention the wonderful concert performance that was released on VHS.... Filmed in 1990. Before the days of streaming and the 'Tube', this was the 'beez kneez'!! I have probably watched this a hundred times, and know it word by word, even the interviews. My uncle who had this long before I purchased a copy, was the first guy I knew that plugged his VCR into a Sansui 70's Stereo system and hearing the opening sounds of Waylon's guitar of 'Ain't No Good Chain Gang' was mesmerizing to me. The audio was stunning in HiFi stereo too. All the guys are on their A game too, and the supporting musicians are a treat to listen to. The best of the best. Some other performances The Highwaymen did don't come close to just how 'on' they are in this show, the follow up video/dvd 'On The Road Again' I think is an example of how 'loose' they could be.... This 'Nassau' show works well too because it was produced in a time without studio trickery or lighting gimmicks that can detract the viewing and listening experience, and printed to film. The visual/audio balance is right on in my humble and moddest opinion. Everybody gets their moment to shine equally, and everybody is willingly trying to compete each other out, but the respect and admiration for each other is beaming out of each of them. Sad part is now, we are 2 men down, and the others aren't getting any younger... It may just be my favorite released concert by anyone, and while the newer released version has a extra songs, and some different camera angles, the original presentation is the one I love the most. At any time I put it on, I enjoy it as much as when I first originally saw it. Dig it out and give it another watch!
Haven’t seen the original VHS but the extended DVD is excellent. You’re right that there is so much energy and chemistry on stage. They also got Chips’ studio band to come on tour with them (Bobby Emmons, etc). Some of that studio gloss goes away on stage. I love hearing some of the non-Highwaymen material in particular. Cash’s ad libs on Chain Gang are hilarious. City of New Orleans has so much fire. And On the Road Again is super fun. The weak link for me is Kristofferson. He turns almost everything into a straight ahead rocker and it kills stuff like Me and Bobby McGee or Help Me Make It Through the Night (one of my favourite songs of all time).
I wonder what the thought process was for that. I'm so used to these versions now that when in contrast, when compared, they are worlds away from their original versions. Was Kris performing these songs with the new arrangements pre-Highwaymen? I honestly do not know... I do love his 'Best Of All Possible Worlds' version here, while it's galloping along at a pace faster than we know. Just to see Reggie and the band, 'Play!'.... The new version (DVD) doesn't have the interview segments during the performances does it? I enjoy those as much as the performances, but have not got the new version handy to check... I think that's why I enjoy the VHS version or original version, I like the way it's segmented, or perhaps it's been drummed into me being a certain way, that the new one didn't have. There's one particular camera angle that didn't get used that I think is one of the best... Right after 'Luckenbach Texas' and right before Willie does 'On The Road Again', Waylon jokes with Willie and grabs Willie's guitar on the neck so he can't play it. Willie is laughing and Waylon knows 'On The Road Again' is the best song to go out on and Willie 'owns' the audience with it. It's a great visual exchange of the humor, that is a shame got exchanged with another camera angle. Just those little things 'bothered me' with the new version....
I don’t know Kris’ career in enough detail to say definitively, but looking at archival live footage he seems to have shifted to a black Fender Strat in the 80s and almost all of his songs move into rock arrangements. Check out Me and Bobby McGee from Live Aid 1985:
