Johnny Cash - Johnny Cash På Österåker

Rocking the cellblock overseas

Although less celebrated than his high profile shows in San Quentin and Folsom, Cash also played behind bars outside of the US. This 1973 Swedish gig is especially notable as, alongside the expected string of hits, The Man In Black tailored part of his set (eight songs in succession) to appeal specifically to prisoners.

Kicking off with San Quentin (the lyrics reworked to incorporate the name of the Scandinavian facility), Cash’s songs homed in on the loneliness and despair of the incarcerated man, addressing him with the respect and humanity others may have denied him. The ode to injustice Jacob Green is the most affecting, recounting the true story of a man killed in jail before he could be given a fair trial.

In common with Cash’s American penitentiary recordings, the humour and happy atmosphere shines through, not least when he agrees to play one inmate’s personal favourite, Dirty Old Egg Suckin’ Dog. There’s no such thing as a pleasant time in prison, but this mighty man with an unswerving moral compass and an astonishing talent manages to restore a couple of hundred old lags’ dignity, even if it was for one night only.

Columbia | 8869723524

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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