A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs cover image

Episode 37: “I Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

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Cash's Song, I Walked the Line

Cash's image was always a little more appealing to rock audiences than many other similar singers. A lot of people who wouldn't listen to anything labelled country were fans of Cash in the mid 50s and remained with him. But when Cash brought in a new song he'd written about his struggle while on the road to be true to his wife and, implicitly, also to his god, it caused a clash between him and Sam Phillips. That song was quite possibly inspired by a line in 16 tons, the big hit from Tennessee early 4th that year which Cash fell in love with.

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