Ragged Old Flag

Ragged Old Flag today on the commute, another Johnny Cash album. This was released in 1974 on Columbia Records.
This is a more stripped down album than yesterdays Silver. Outside of the first track, the title track its paired down making use of The Tennessee Three and backing vocal talents of The Oak Ridge Boys. The Statler Brothers had relinquished themselves of the position of Cash’s backing group at this point.
The title track features Earl Scruggs on Banjo, it may be, for English ears at least a bit too much of a schmaltz fest. Its like a musical version of that Simpsons episode, Barts People. Cash telling the story of why the flag was so ragged. I think in the time of Watergate the American public loved the song.
Lonesome to The Bone appears on this album and its better on this than the version that appeared on Silver, a beautiful song, that, as I mentioned yesterday reminds me of Kris Kristofferson.
Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, Johnny Cash takes a shot at what was happening to the environment in Don’t Go Near The water
All in all this is a very good album, all songs on the album are written by Cash, it isn’t over produced, it is really marvellous. One I recommend searching out.
10 out of 10. He doesn’t do anything less than great.



Lonesome To The Bone by Johnny Cash