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Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian
Johnny Cash
Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian
Genres: Country, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (8) - Disc #1

With his highly personal early 1960s work, Johnny Cash had been trying the patience of the Columbia brass, who were less than thrilled with his commercial performance. When "Ring of Fire" topped the country charts in 1963,...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Johnny Cash
Title: Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian
Members Wishing: 7
Total Copies: 0
Label: Sbme Special Mkts.
Release Date: 2/1/2008
Genres: Country, Pop
Styles: Cowboy, Classic Country
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 886972384726

Synopsis

Amazon.com
With his highly personal early 1960s work, Johnny Cash had been trying the patience of the Columbia brass, who were less than thrilled with his commercial performance. When "Ring of Fire" topped the country charts in 1963, it allowed him to continue the many ambitious concept albums-history lessons close to his heart. The eight songs on 1964's Bitter Tears are sung from the point of view of the American Indian (still the accepted term in 1964), and together they form a potent work that is both deeply real and highly spiritual. With assistance from co-composer Peter LaFarge, Cash offers an earnest, solemn portrait of Native Americans that examines a variety of issues through a range of viewpoints and contained in unadorned musical settings. Cash actually took out full-page ads daring radio programmers to play "The Ballad of Ira Hayes," but all of the material hits home, from LaFarge's defiant "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow" to Johnny Horton's mournful, spooky "The Vanishing Race." --Marc Greilsamer

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CD Reviews

Wow. A Must Listen.
Justin Luey | Niagara Falls, NY | 03/13/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I discovered Johnny Cash in the mid-ninties when he sang lead on U2's "The Wanderer". I then bought each and every American Recordings album as they came out (All of them are brilliant).



I'm now on a mission to immerse myself in each of his albums in order of release. I'm currently on this one, "Bitter Tears (Ballads of the American Indian).



This record is blowing my mind. I can't believe it doesn't have a bigger following. It is eight perfect songs with a powerful message. This is another example of how ahead of his time time Cash was.



Buy it now. It's a lost American classic."