musicses

[burntcopper]

feck. never thought that a two recordings of a song by the same artist in exactly the same arrangement could be so different.

Seriously. the version of Johnny Cash's 'Ring of Fire' I'm used to that's on my mp3 player is the one from Live from San Quentin, and is pretty similar to the version Joaquin Phoenix sings in Walk on the Line. I'm totally willing to admit that my exposure to Johnny Cash is very limited - the first time I registered his music (I knew the name) was when he released 'Hurt'.

The version last.fm brings up is from some sort of Greatest Hits album and ...it's fucking awful. We're not talking the difference between studio over-processed and live. We're talking 'utterly shit and something went *wrong*'. If I'd heard this version first I'm pretty sure I'd dismiss it as a crap song.

Comments

[stu-n.livejournal.com]

When it comes to Cash, the more stripped back, the better. Country music was very showbiz when he made his recordings; live versions are almost always better than the studio work.
If you liked Hurt, check out his versions of One, I See A Darkness (devastating) and The Man Comes Around. Avoid Personal Jesus, though — there's an unfortunate plinky-plonky piano.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

good to know. My mum saw him live in vegas when he was still alive and thus causes the rest of my family to level hate-filled stares at her. Only country I'd been exposed to in my childhood was George Strait who is... somewhat different. and a sarcastic bastard.