Any Old Wind That Blows

The tunes on 1973’s Any Old Wind That Blows present Johnny Cash as a country veteran telling stories with a mixture of wry humor and hard-earned wisdom. There’s a sense of coming to terms with life here, heard in the bittersweet poetry of the title track and the sweeping nature imagery of “The Good Earth.” In his self-composed “Kentucky Straight” and “Country Trash,” Cash paints scenes that reflect a deep-seated pride in his roots. “The Ballad of Annie Palmer” is a bit more exotic, a Caribbean folk narrative that wouldn’t be out of place on one of Johnny’s early-‘60s concept albums. Wife June Carter Cash stops by for “The Loving Gift” (a ballad of togetherness written by Kris Kristofferson) and a spirited reading of Pete Seeger’s “The Hammer Song.” Most of all, this album is remembered for “Oney,” a tale of blue-collar revenge that anticipated Johnny Paycheck’s similar “Take This Job and Shove It” by four years. “Welcome Back Jesus” closes the album with a prayer of salvation and hope. Cash’s vocals cut through Larry Butler’s production with their customary emotional conviction and rugged grace.