Personal File

Released less than three years after Johnny Cash's passing in 2003, Legacy's two-disc PERSONAL FILE collection presents a wealth of previously unreleased material. Although the country legend recordedsome of these 49 songs (including "TigerWhitehead" and "No Earthly Good") on other occasions, the sessions here primarily showcase the Man in Black playing for his own satisfaction in the House of Cash studio, accompanied only by his acoustic guitar. While the spare tunes clearlypoint to Cash's lauded 1990s comeback, they were cut between '73 and '82, a timewhen his musical career was on the wane, but he was still well known for his television appearances and evangelical work. With no record company pressure to cater to the prevailing sound of the time, Cash sounds completely assured and at ease on these bare-bones tracks, whethercovering the Louvin Brothers ("When I Stop Dreaming"), taking on traditional tunes ("Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes"), or offering up rare originals ("It's AllOver, " "I Wanted So"), his bold, unmistakable baritone voice always at the fore. Though this intimate set is primarily geared toward devoted Cash fans, the performances on PERSONAL FILE, which often include spoken introductions, are so charming that those less familiar with the Man in Black will also find much to enjoy. Reviews: Rolling Stone (p. 100) - 4 stars out of 5-- "PERSONAL FILE is unique. . . . The package is a gift -- a remarkably intimate portrait of the artist as a middle-aged man, alone in his home, telling tales and strumming lives. . . "Spin (p. 87) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[H]e's still haunting. "Q (p. 124) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Cash never seemed happier than when strumming the religious ditties of his youth. This is the closest we'll get to hearingthem. "No Depression (p. 113) - "What's most striking, regardless of Cash's intent, is the calm and peace resplendent in his voice. Its strength. And its rich, easy beauty. "Mojo (Publisher) (p. 120) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[W]eighty, cosier, more informal, like listening to afine, 49-song, private performance. . . "

Track Listing

• Disc 1
• • 1 the letter edged in black [previously un
  • 2 there's a mother always waiting at home
  • 3 the engineer's dying child [previously u
  • 4 my mother was a lady [previously unrelea
  • 5 the winding stream [previously unrelease
  • 6 far away places [previously unreleased]
  • 7 galway bay [previously unreleased]
  • 8 when i stop dreaming [previously unrelea
  • 9 drink to me only with thine eyes [previo
  • 10 i'll take you home again kathleen [previ
  • 11 missouri waltz [previously unreleased]
  • 12 louisiana man [previously unreleased]
  • 13 paradise [previously unreleased]
  • 14 i don't believe you wanted to leave [pre
  • 15 jim, i wore a tie today [previously unre
  • 16 saginaw, michigan [previously unreleased
  • 17 when it's springtime in alaska (it's for
  • 18 girl in saskatoon [previously unreleased
  • 19 the cremation of sam mcgee [previously u
  • 20 tiger whitehead [previously unreleased]
  • 21 it's all over [previously unreleased]
  • 22 a fast song [previously unreleased]
  • 23 virgie [previously unreleased]
  • 24 i wanted so [previously unreleased]
  • 25 it takes one to know me [previously unre
• Disc 2
• • 1 seal it in my heart and mind [previously
  • 2 wildwood in the pines [previously unrele
  • 3 who at my door is standing [previously u
  • 4 have thine own way lord [previously unre
  • 5 lights of magdala [previously unreleased
  • 6 if jesus ever loved a woman [previously
  • 7 the lily of the valley [previously unrel
  • 8 have a drink of water [previously unrele
  • 9 the way worn traveler [previously unrele
  • 10 look unto the east [previously unrelease
  • 11 matthew 24 (is knocking at the door) [pr
  • 12 the house is falling down [previously un
  • 13 one of these days i'm gonna sit down and
  • 14 what on earth (will you do for heaven's
  • 15 my children walk in truth [previously un
  • 16 no earthly good [previously unreleased]
  • 17 sanctified [previously unreleased]
  • 18 lord, lord, lord [previously unreleased]
  • 19 what is man [previously unreleased]
  • 20 over the next hill (we'll be home) [prev
  • 21 a half a mile a day [previously unreleas
  • 22 farther along [previously unreleased]
  • 23 life's railway to heaven [previously unr
  • 24 in the sweet bye and bye [previously unr