| Johnny Cash – The Wall Lyrics | 14 years ago |
| Machtyn - I think the suicide was inspired by the second verse (in the studio version, the live version omits it) where he received the letter from the gal he robbed and stole for (his excuse for being in prison) announcing her wedding plans to him. | |
| Johnny Cash – The Long Black Veil Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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zekenzoey - I always gathered that the woman's mourning was done in secret, hence he (as the dead) is the only one who knows that she visits his grave at night in her long, black veil. She honored his death by keeping his secret long after his execution while still paying homage to him. I guess she's the real villain in the song - she let him die when she could have stepped up and sacrificed her (obviously flawed) marriage to save him. |
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| Johnny Cash – The Long Black Veil Lyrics | 14 years ago |
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Since the first time I heard this song I thought his 'motive' in dying with a secret for a crime he didn't commit was to protect the woman in the song. He could have ruined the lives of the woman and her husband (his best friend) but instead took the high road if you will - maybe the characters way of atoning for what he did. In it's own twisted way, it was noble and Shakespearean in it's tragedy. The character took the 'manly' path in the sense that I think is under appreciated these days. He has a few different versions of it - the best IMO is a remake he did for "The Hits". Besides the superb quality of the music and vocals in this version, he switched the verses up so the last line (before the end chorus) is where he reveals that he was in the arms of his best friends wife. To me, this changed the depth of the song. |
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