To me, I feel that Cash is giving a story of a young cowboy passing away in order to describe himself taking leave of his life and youth. His song is sung for a fictional cowboy, but if you read the lyrics, I think the cowboy is really supposed to be him. He's saying that the young man he once was is gone and all the things he did, all the people he loved, they are all gone now too, and he's asking that his memory be honored because of it.
Wow, the first post!
To me, I feel that Cash is giving a story of a young cowboy passing away in order to describe himself taking leave of his life and youth. His song is sung for a fictional cowboy, but if you read the lyrics, I think the cowboy is really supposed to be him. He's saying that the young man he once was is gone and all the things he did, all the people he loved, they are all gone now too, and he's asking that his memory be honored because of it.
I think the song is about the past being sacred.