I Would Like to See You Again

Released toward the end of country’s outlaw boom, I Would Like to See You Again finds Johnny Cash reaffirming his credentials as a music industry maverick. Of course, the Man in Black had always walked a line of his own, though the albums he’d cut earlier in the ‘70s had edged more toward the Nashville mainstream. This time out, he enlists old friend Waylon Jennings to add his vocals to the ornery yet good-humored “I Wish I Was Crazy Again” and “There Ain’t No Good Chain Gang.” Elsewhere on the album, Cash looks at love from various angles (“I Don’t Think I Can Take You Back Again” and the title tune), has fun with his financial woes (“After Taxes”), and offers a survivor’s anthem with a gospel twist (“I’m Alright Now”). Johnny contributes a number of strong original tunes, including “Who’s Gene Autry?” (a salute to a fellow country legend featuring a cameo by his son, John Carter Cash) and “Abner Brown” (a character sketch rich in detail and drawn with compassion). A fine cast of players and singers—including the legendary Jordanaires—add nuance and seasoning to Larry Butler’s radio-friendly production.