Blood, Sweat and Tears | 
| Artist: Johnny Cash
Label: Sony
Category: Music
List Price: $9.98
Buy New: $4.88
You Save: $5.10 (51%)
New (10) Used (13) from $1.59
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 146284
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 66508
UPC: 074646650820
EAN: 0074646650820
ASIN: B000002AU1
Release Date: October 11, 1994
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Legend of John Henry's Hammer | | • | Tell Him I'm Gone | | • | Another Man Done Gone | | • | Busted | | • | Casey Jones | | • | Nine Pound Hammer | | • | Chain Gang | | • | Waiting for a Train | | • | Roughneck |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
For this 1963 concept album, Johnny Cash assumes the voice of the American worker, lending his booming baritone to both traditional and modern folk ballads and blues. "The Legend of John Henry's Hammer" becomes a majestic eight-minute suite that expands upon the original story of the "steel-drivin' man" with powerful dramatic effect. "Another Man Done Gone" receives an eerie a cappella reading with June Carter, while "Casey Jones," the old blues about the engineer, rides along with sprite banjo and background harmonies. Cash also offers unique interpretations of more recent compositions. Both Jimmie Rodgers's "Waiting for a Train" and Merle Travis's "Nine Pound Hammer" are taken at a relaxed, gently loping pace and with a more subdued outlook than their original versions. Harlan Howard's classic "Busted" works marvelously as Mother Maybelle's bright Autoharp contrasts with Luther Perkins's deliberate twang and Cash's laconic delivery. Through it all, Cash brings out the inner strength and dignity of his toiling protagonists. --Marc Greilsamer
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| Customer Reviews: Read 4 more reviews...
This kind of album just had to be made November 28, 2003
Mark Adams (Redwood Estates, CA United States)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Blood, Sweat & Tears is a righteous album. This album goes beyond a concept: it's a statement. "The Legend of John Henry's Hammer," at 8:24 in duration (three times as long as any other song on the album), is both a tribute to the working man and a protest against the working man's troubles. This may be one of Cash's more important albums, and perhaps one of the more important albums of our time.
Where I'll make a living, the Lord only knows. July 8, 2005
Johnny Heering (Bethel, CT United States)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This 1963 album by Johnny Cash features songs about "the working man". The single from the album was "Busted", which was a #13 Country hit (Ray Charles later covered it and had a pop hit with it). The other song that everyone remembers is the epic "The Legend of John Henry's Hammer". Both of those songs are great, and so is everything else on the album. Johnny really had an affinity for these kind of songs, and it really shows here. Highly recommended to Johnny Cash fans.
 Populist Cash May 5, 2005
Greg Brady (Capital City)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Cash here is recording folk music, mostly tributes to larger than life figures or the troubles of everyday blue-collar workers. This is TRUE populism, not the socialism that masquerades as the voice of the working man these days. Country music got its reputation as "music of the common man" from albums like this.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Choosing a few pearls from a strand like this is hard but the epic "Legend of John Henry's Hammer" is easily one of them. The familiar tale of the giant railroad worker fighting technology with the advent of the automatic steam drill that's equal parts document of the story, drama (with the shouts of "Go John Henry!" from the Carter Family, and spit-in-your-eye defiance (as Johnny sings "I'll die with my hammer in my hand..but I'll be LAUGHIN'"). The lot of the working poor is viewed with humour in a version of Harlan Howard's "Busted". The doomed "Casey Jones" does well in a lively take. "Chain Gang" views the life of a prisoner before the reforms of the modern day ("I dig that ditch/I chop that corn/I curse the day that I was born/I believe that it's better for a man to hang than to work like a dog on a chain gang") "Roughneck" tells the tale of a man who "learned to cuss when he was 2/and fight when I was 3/By the time I was 5 there was no kid alive that could get the best of me". It's a lighter song that helps take the edge off the doom and gloom of much of the songs before it.
LOWS:
The song itself is great...but the sound on the acappella Johnny and Anita Carter duet "Another Man Done Gone" is TERRIBLE. Acres and acres of hiss...
BOTTOM LINE:
While I'm somewhat disappointed with the CD transfer, the music herein is absolutely essential for every Cash fan and every country music fan. Until we can get a better mastering job for this title, this will have to do. My only other quibble is value for the dollar...when albums are as short as this, it could easily have been combined with another similarly themed Cash album as a "2 for 1" disc..."Songs of Our Soil" or "Ride this Train" would have matched up nicely.
(Docked a star for sound quality)
Another Concept Album! October 18, 2005
Jimbob (Missouri)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I can't get enough of Johnny Cash's themed albums, and this one is no different. I got it mainly for "The Legend of John Henry's Hammer," an eight-and-a-half minute...story. It's complete with sound effects, crowd noises, and different viewpoints, and tells the tale in a thoroughly unique way. And "Busted" is a very funny song. Most of the others are also about working, quitting work, not wanting to work, having a hard time at work, etc. (Hence the title of "Blood Sweat & Tears")
With 9 tracks, it's not a very long CD, but is definitely worth owning. The songs are all worthy, and he sings them in his own style, doing some very interesting things vocally. It's a great companion to go along with any other Cash Cds you might have. If for nothing else, get it for the picture on the cover. Ha.
Mistake April 20, 2004
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
There is not June CARTER on 'another man done gone' but his sister Anita (as John L. SMITH credit, on ther Johnny Cash Discography p.24)...
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