Yezida, A Goth Club, and Johnny Cash

[qos]

On March 14, yezida mad the following post, which I am sure many of my friends will enjoy and appreciate:

Last night at the Goth club in Oxford, the DJ put on a song that I recognized but could not immediately place. The dance floor cleared. Ah. I recognized it now. It was Johnny Cash, with the opening chords of "Hurt" by Trent Reznor. All of a sudden, the club turned into a church, with everyone standing respectfully. Listening.

A few people mouthed the words, but the overall feeling was of a stillness overtaking the revelers, with the exception of the waifish 18 year old metal head at my table, who complained that she didn't like Johnny Cash. Her friend shook her shoulders in mock chastisement at the blasphemy. She shut up.

A whole nightclub. Still. Listening.

That is power.

Comments

[malakhgabriel.livejournal.com]

Wow.

[rhonan.livejournal.com]

Johnny has always had a measure of respect in the goth community that outsiders, and the newly initiated find surprising. It is not unusual to find some of his music in the collections of goths of all ages. But think about it. He was a man of great passion, who understood great sorrow and angst, and could sing about them like no other. His lyrics could be great epic poems of sorrow. At the same time, some of his songs were quite cheerful and very strange. I think most goths who give it any thought realize that had he been born when we were, instead of long before, he'd have probably been goth himself. After all, like us, he is noted for almost always wearing black.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the insight!

[amqu.livejournal.com]

Hurt is a powerful song. Trent Reznor outdid himself writing it. But Johnny Cash makes it live. No one can sing it like he can. And it's not just goths who appreciate him. I'm always amazed at the people who love his music. He crosses every divide.

There's a reason I have this icon

[bodhibird.livejournal.com]

Having listened to Cash for a couple of years now, I say this: If Johnny Cash performs a song, it is a Johnny Cash song, for ever. I always liked Sting's "I Hung My Head", but once I heard Cash do it, I realized he had written so that Cash would sing it someday. It belongs to J.C. now.

As I said on the post of yezida's, the power of Cash compels you.