Artists who should be given the Johnny Cash "American Recordings" treatment

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

They've been going for a long while, their credibility isn't quite what it should be, put them in a room with a guitar/keyboard/whatever and get them to sing their lives.

My first controversial nomination: Cliff Richard.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 20 June 2005 08:35 (twenty years ago)

~~Tony Christie~~Crazy Frog.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 20 June 2005 08:39 (twenty years ago)

Cliff would be interesting if he could drop the layers of defensive niceness he's adopted over time and really let rip.

Would Merle Haggard count, or is he already kind of doing this?

Secondary nomination: Roy Harper.

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 20 June 2005 08:40 (twenty years ago)

Mark, you've just broken the "Crazy Frog to thread" record.

Ooh, I know: Genesis P.

― Taste the Blood of Scrovula (noodle vague), Monday, 20 June 2005 08:40 (twenty years ago)

Alright, more reasonably...

John Lydon

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 20 June 2005 08:40 (twenty years ago)

If Rick Rubin really was the wise strict puritan headmaster that's implied (I suspect that Cash had purist leanings hiomself) then I'd second Cliff but also suggest the following underperforming greats:

Paul Macartney
Aretha Franklin
Prince
Kate Bush

― Guy Beckett (guy), Monday, 20 June 2005 09:25 (twenty years ago)

Scott Walker?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 20 June 2005 09:27 (twenty years ago)

Lou Reed...

― Guy Beckett (guy), Monday, 20 June 2005 09:32 (twenty years ago)

Tom Jones, provided that the keyboard player isn't Jools bloody Holland.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 20 June 2005 09:33 (twenty years ago)

Tom Jones has been resucitated too often. I don't think I could cope with 8 albums of Tom Jones with Rubin type material!

― Guy Beckett (guy), Monday, 20 June 2005 09:41 (twenty years ago)

OK, Gilbert O'Sullivan then.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 20 June 2005 09:48 (twenty years ago)

Isn't Neil Diamond recording an album with Rubin? That could actually work. Cash covered Solitary Man on American 3 after all. He is a total cheesemonger Diamond, but he's actually written some good songs. He blows a half arsed Dylan clean offstage in the Last Waltz.

― Stew (stew s), Monday, 20 June 2005 09:49 (twenty years ago)

less kitschly (or perhaps more) some English folkies could benefit from the Rubin song choices - Copper, Thompson & Carthy families spring to mind.

― Guy Beckett (guy), Monday, 20 June 2005 09:55 (twenty years ago)

Mark Lanegan

― shookout (shookout), Monday, 20 June 2005 10:48 (twenty years ago)

R.E.M.

― mrjosh (mrjosh), Monday, 20 June 2005 10:59 (twenty years ago)

"Isn't Neil Diamond recording an album with Rubin?"

yes, and rubin is doing the same thing with him too. having him play acoustic guitar solo and all that on some tracks and minimal back-up on other tracks. it's gotta be pretty frightening if you are neil. years of 20-piece bands and orchestras backing you up.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 20 June 2005 11:00 (twenty years ago)

and only a medallion and chest hair fronting you.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 20 June 2005 11:01 (twenty years ago)

DAvid Bowie

Stevie Wonder

Sly Stone

― toe-foo (toe-foo), Monday, 20 June 2005 11:34 (twenty years ago)

Mick & Keith

― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Monday, 20 June 2005 11:58 (twenty years ago)

Neil: Yeah, well, we were driving down this dark road, and I hit a kid. So, we got out, and sure enough he was dead. So, we just took off. Pretty fast. And, two hours later, I wrote "Sweet Caroline". Sweet Caroline. Good times never seemed so good. Thank you.

― ron burgundy, Monday, 20 June 2005 13:10 (twenty years ago)

He blows a half arsed Dylan clean offstage in the Last Waltz

You've got to be kidding me. He was awful in Last Waltz.

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 20 June 2005 13:22 (twenty years ago)

Kate Bush 'ud be kinda cool...

― PB, Monday, 20 June 2005 13:34 (twenty years ago)

"He blows a half arsed Dylan clean offstage in the Last Waltz
You've got to be kidding me. He was awful in Last Waltz."

Aw, c'mon, he gives good pomp. Or maybe it's just cos I was drunk on red wine last time I watched it. Dylan really ain't much cop in that movie though - Forever Young is hardly one of his better songs and the closing singalong of I Shall Be Released is so smug. One thing is for sure - Diamond clearly blows Clapton off stage! I always skip that bit. Sooo dull.

― Stew (stew s), Monday, 20 June 2005 15:37 (twenty years ago)

Van Morrison needed to te taken out with an elephant gun

― Another Allnighter (sexyDancer), Monday, 20 June 2005 15:40 (twenty years ago)

I was actually pondering this exact question the other day. Neil Diamond is the person who immediately came to mind, and I had no idea he was already working with Rubin on a project. I can't wait to hear the results.

This might be an odd choice, but I'd love to hear Linda Ronstadt get broken down to basics again. Enough with the showtunes and oldies already.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Monday, 20 June 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

George Jones
Dolly Parton
Elvis Costello
Alex Chilton/Big Star
Aretha Franklin (seconded)
Stevie Wonder (seconded)
Little Richard
Chuck Berry

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Monday, 20 June 2005 15:54 (twenty years ago)

oh, and Jerry Lee Lewis. That's actually the one I'd like to hear most.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Monday, 20 June 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

You should also be naming the contemporary songs they should cover.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 20 June 2005 15:55 (twenty years ago)

I was gonna say Alex Chilton, but he's already done that in his own way ("Clichés," "Loose Shoes and Tight Pussy"), and I don't think the results of a bigger budget and all that would make much difference. And anyway, Jack White needs to do this, I think. I love Meg but she's just in his way at this point, cute and sexy as she is. Tom Jones did a record with Jules Holland I got recently, from last year, all rock and roll/rockabilly covers, not bad at all. And shit, I think someone like Gilberto Gil would benefit from this kind of presentation--just him and his guitar? Forget it, that would be great. Marshall Crenshaw, too--ever listened to him with just his guitar? He's such a fine guitarist, so intelligent. But for me, I prefer to hear people do something that's more thought out, orchestrated, fuller, rather than less--I find the Cash American stuff a real concession to some audience which is sure not me, give me a band with electric guitars and a good drummer and let it rip is my preference.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 20 June 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

But the Rubin produced Unchained: American II has electric guitars and a good drummer!
Gilberto Gil with acoustic guitar would be wonderful. Caetano Veloso likewise.

― Stew (stew s), Monday, 20 June 2005 16:14 (twenty years ago)

Rod Stewart

― Ben Dot (1977), Monday, 20 June 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

Lou Reed

― That One Guy (That One Guy), Monday, 20 June 2005 17:36 (twenty years ago)

some interesting ideas here (alex chilton, paul mccartney, chuck berry, blah blah blah), but the first question for me is, what exactly IS the johnny cash american recordings treatment? is it the idea of stripped down me-and-my-guitar recordings? is it doing a shitload of "interesting" covers? is it having a new label put out your records? is it having a really nice marketing budget for the first time in a while? is it just slowing down for a minute and taking stock of yourself and your career?

i'd love to hear alex chilton, for example, do that last thing, though i can't imagine he's the kind of guy who has any interest, or feels any such need. i'd love to hear paul mccartney do stripped down recordings of his own new songs, with a producer helping him pick the songs. i'd love to hear george jones do an interesting covers record. as for someone like merle haggard, which someone else suggested above, all he needs is the marketing. he's been making good records all along.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 20 June 2005 18:36 (twenty years ago)

What toe-foo said: "Sly Stone".

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Monday, 20 June 2005 21:19 (twenty years ago)

Bob Dylan? Doing some songs under 4 minutes long?

― I.M. (I.M.), Monday, 20 June 2005 22:01 (twenty years ago)

bob dylan needs no such help, his last two albums having both been pretty great (and damn well received).

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Monday, 20 June 2005 22:04 (twenty years ago)

Dylan's already done this, see Self Portrait, Dylan, Good as I Been to You, and World Gone Wrong.

I would have loved to hear Johnny Cash do Monster Magnet's Baby Gotterdamerrung

― shookout (shookout), Monday, 20 June 2005 22:10 (twenty years ago)

Scott Walker?

Nah, I'd rather see him doing two more albums of his own (on 4ad). Afterwards: maybe. But his genius is too big to sing albums full of other people's songs.

― Gerard (Gerard), Monday, 20 June 2005 22:29 (twenty years ago)

Lou Reed though seems like an excellent choice.

― Gerard (Gerard), Monday, 20 June 2005 22:30 (twenty years ago)

R.E.M. definitely. I don't hate what they've done in the past several years, but they need someone to work with them and edit them and push them harder. I wish that I could be that man!

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Monday, 20 June 2005 22:33 (twenty years ago)

Fucking hell.

2 Unlimited.

― donut e-goo (donut), Monday, 20 June 2005 22:34 (twenty years ago)

"y'all ready for this? *strrrrrrum*"

― donut e-goo (donut), Monday, 20 June 2005 22:34 (twenty years ago)

Morrissey

― Good, But Not For Everyone, Monday, 20 June 2005 22:40 (twenty years ago)

If Roy Orbison or Del Shannon were still alive, they would have made some INCREDIBLE "American-recordings"-type albums. Probably would have kept them off the oldies circuit a little while longer.

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 00:07 (twenty years ago)

actually, roy orbison WAS completely off the oldies circuit before he died. he did one of the original "american recordings" if you, like me, assume that to mean any project whose stated intent is to rescue a major artist's flagging career. he didn't have rick rubin but he had the likes of bono and bruce springsteen. "pulp fiction" is another good example of an "american recordings" project, doing at least at much for john travolta as "american recordings" did for johnny cash. probably more, in fact.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 01:42 (twenty years ago)

Richard Thompson.

I also second REM, Lou Reed, Alex Chilton and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Kate Bush would be a strange fit, and Prince would merely throw a fit.

― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 02:03 (twenty years ago)

americvan recordings is an impt attempt to curate and define popular song, in a venucalar, populist context, concentrating on lyrics, and they were as much rubin as cash...

dolly has attempted on her last two bluegrass albums, i would like to see jerry lee lewis, because like cash--he defined what he is now trying to curate.

― anthony easton (anthony), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 03:26 (twenty years ago)

Richard Thompson doesn't need this. His whole goddamn career is this.

I like the idea of all the old rockabilly, country, early rock guys that have been mentioned: Jerry Lee, George Jones, Dolly, etc. Seems like Dolly's done something similar recently, though. What was the name of that record where she did a gospelly version of "Stairway to Heaven"?

― Austin Still (Austin, Still), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 03:34 (twenty years ago)

I think the "American Recordings" treatment is essentially a very interesting spin on the auteurist trope (get Blount in here, he'll have something to say about this): you take an artist who perhaps once fancied himself an auteur but has for whatever reason backed away from the role & couple him with an auteur producer (Rubin): reawaken the sleeping auteur within! or reshape him, reinvent him, pervert him. I don't think Johnny Cash would have responded to "Personal Jesus" or "Hurt" without a push, but I think he loved both once he'd had them framed for him.

The Neil Diamond one is gonna kick ass. I would love for Rubin to produce solo joints from all the Geto Boys & insist on no filler.

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 03:38 (twenty years ago)

jackson browne!

― Chuck_Tatum (Chuck_Tatum), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 03:44 (twenty years ago)

Chuck OTM

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

also, Alice Cooper

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 03:48 (twenty years ago)

joni mitchell

(she's tried, feebly, a couple of times in various ways. give her a strong, smart producer who's more stubborn than she is, and she could be amazing at this.)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 04:04 (twenty years ago)

Haven't Richard Thompson's recent tours basically been solo acoustic sets? He's great anyway, still making good records. And his history of pop, which sees him covering everything from madrigals to Britney, is like a non rockist American Recordings anyway.

Willie Nelson could do with stripping things back to Red Headed Stranger levels. He's probably capable of that himself though.

Yes! Roy Orbison would have been amazing. Imagine him singing, I dunno, Hyperballad or something. (Dunno why that came into my head, but it might work!)

― Stew (stew s), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 07:42 (twenty years ago)

i would recommend everyone buy that album, the richard thomspon one

― anthony easton (anthony), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 08:04 (twenty years ago)

What is the American Recordings treatment?

Isn't it sort of a dream for any artist? That for your last decade someone younger, and in total sympathy, works with you over an extended period enabling you to produce the best work of your career. That this work is then feted and successful, reaching a new wide audience, of all ages and global, precisely because you seem freed up from the usual pop industry short term-ist commercial demand. That your place in cultural history is given a major boost and your alive to see it happen. That all sorts of younger artists are desperate to work with you. That you die knowing that you are loved and that a great huge boxed set sits waiting, wrapped in black, to act as your memorial in countless homes.

It has of course done wonders for Rubin as well. ~I am surprised that no-one other else has pulled it off (Jack White with Loretta Lynn is superficially close but I doubt he has the staying power to make a decade long commitment). What other producer/engineers/musicians would you nominate for the Rubin role?

I'd suggest:

Albini
Thurston Moore

Oddly I can't think of a British producer who could do it... maybe it is, as the title suggests, an American sort of project...

― Guy Beckett (guy), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 08:34 (twenty years ago)

In terms of appropriate British producers - possibly Nick Lowe (the Cash connection again) but he's the only one who randomly springs to mind.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 08:47 (twenty years ago)

What's Nick Lowe up to these days?

I could imagine Pet Shop Boys making a longer term commitment to one of their camp divas at some point (after all they have a taste for the makeover).

Back on topic how about Elton John given the Rubin treatment...

― Guy Beckett (guy), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 09:06 (twenty years ago)

Bobbie Gentry

― bham, Tuesday, 21 June 2005 10:22 (twenty years ago)

Mark E. Smith

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 10:26 (twenty years ago)

Boys 2 Men

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 20:53 (twenty years ago)

Brian Eno.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 21:06 (twenty years ago)

the Everly Brothers would be interesting. I bet they sing as well as ever. I've been listening to their Warner mid-'60s stuff a lot lately, and I'm convinced that "Two Yanks in England" is one of the greatest albums ever. I'd like to hear them do something with some cool material, a bit different. and yeah, Jackson Browne is actually a real good one too.

and, throw Alex C. and Jerry Lee in a studio with Jim Dickinson--that might be something, given Alex's love for Jerry Lee, and probably not vice-versa, but who knows until you throw them in the cage and see who wins?

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 22:28 (twenty years ago)

Fact-Checking Cuz: I hear you when you say that Roy Orbison's MYSTERY GIRL was the original AMERICAN RECORDINGS. Still, I think he'd have made out well with the Rick Rubin stripped-down treatment...and this may sound like blasphemy, but the MYSTERY GIRL album doesn't really move me, apart from "The Only One" and "You Got It." The idea behind it, I totally understand, but something got lost in the execution.

Here's two more who would (have) benefit(ted) from the Rick Rubin treatment: Rick Nelson (if he were still alive) and Dion.

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 01:02 (twenty years ago)

Richard Hell

― chris andrews (fraew), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 01:10 (twenty years ago)

sinead o'connor

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 03:28 (twenty years ago)

I gotta be honest, the "American Recordings" treatment is only meaningful when coming from 50's/60's artists like Johnny Cash. It wouldn't have the same impact coming from some postpunk act, because you expect the unexpected from an artist like that. So Brian Eno or Mark E. Smith decides to do an "unplugged"/"back to the roots"/Artistic Credibilty album? No big shocker, and some folks probably wouldn't even know the difference. But if Dion, the Everly Brothers or Merle Haggard did an album like that? Heads would roll.

(BTW, I think that Solomon Burke's DON'T GIVE UP ON ME is the rhythm & blues answer to AMERICAN RECORDINGS. Stripped-down timeless music that will still mean a lot long after you or I are gone.)

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 03:40 (twenty years ago)

I'd like to hear Cliff Richard's version of Personal Jesus. Other suggestions: Will Never Marry, Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

― bham, Wednesday, 22 June 2005 08:15 (twenty years ago)

Robin Gibb

― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 08:28 (twenty years ago)

I'd like to hear a proper reissue of Robin Gibb's Sing Sisters Sing first.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 08:33 (twenty years ago)

Good, But Not For Everyone OTM

― mullygrubbr (bulbs), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 08:48 (twenty years ago)

Cabaret Voltaire

― mzui (mzui), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 08:56 (twenty years ago)

yeah, Marcello, I have a tolerably good-sounding from-acetate of Gibb's "Sing Slowly Sisters" as well as the "Robin's Reign" LP. Very strange shit, kind of uneven, but it'd be cool to have those two reissued on one CD, if they'd fit.

I'm not a fan of those last two Solomon Burke albums, at all. As I always say, I don't get why Burke has been chosen for hipster-cred when Howard Tate, a far superior singer (at least these days, and certainly up there with Burke during their classic era of the '60s) has not. Anyway, I think especially Burke's last one is one of the more ill-conceived records I know. Which is not to say I don't love Burke's "King Solomon" and so forth...

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Wednesday, 22 June 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

Candi Staton

― MV, Wednesday, 22 June 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

Revive!

Glen Campbell. I can't think of anyone more ripe for a comeback than him.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

I was just gonna say Glen Campbell...

well, then:

Lee Hazlewood
Caetano Veloso

― hank (hank s), Thursday, 29 June 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

Tanya Tucker - contemporary covers: Milkshake, Promiscuous Girl (duet w/ Luda), Since U Been Gone

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 29 June 2006 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

Liza.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Thursday, 29 June 2006 16:09 (nineteen years ago)

I would love to hear the Rolling Stones do the following first-class Stonsey songs, rather than have them keep writing third-class Stonsey songs:

Alejandro Escovedo - Castanets
Little Killers - Chopping Block
Reigning Sound - Your Love is Fine Thing

It could be their final record. They could call it "Peter Out"

― bendy (bendy), Thursday, 29 June 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

The Zombies. The original members (or blundstone & argent at the very least) are playing together on the oldies/casino ballroom circuit already, somebody should hook them up with a good producer.

Also, it would be interesting to see this happen in hip hop. And could we start with Grand Puba please?

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 29 June 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

Cher
Richard Carpenter
Roky Erickson
Joe South

― Arthurgh! A Music War (Arthur), Thursday, 29 June 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

The only ones that make sense to me so far are Prince and Paul McCartney, and maybe Dolly Parton & Elton John. Huge stars who have been influential and (rather) consistent that would drop all of their ego and own sense of interpretation and let someone else drive the creative process. (assuming that's what "the Johnny Cash treatment is" - rather than just doing a CD of covers.)

Lou Reed would never allow this, so fuck him. Neil Young wouldn't be all that interesting. Few others have enough lines in their faces to do this.

― DAVE, for #1 Hits of yesterday and today! (dave225.3), Thursday, 29 June 2006 17:29 (nineteen years ago)

I second Rod Stewart. He and Wood together doing a set of great tunes.

― QuantumNoise (Justin Farrar), Thursday, 29 June 2006 18:15 (nineteen years ago)

George Jones
Ronnie Spector (I was looking in an old Mojo and they had a brief nes item about an Album follow-up to "She Talks To Rainbows"--what happened to it?)

― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Thursday, 29 June 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

James Taylor.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 29 June 2006 18:37 (nineteen years ago)

x-post: Wasn't Ronnie gonna do something with the dude from the Raveonettes?

― max (maxreax), Thursday, 29 June 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

Shame Leonard Cohen couldn't have done it twenty years ago, you know, before he bought the Casio.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Thursday, 29 June 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

"Wasn't Ronnie gonna do something with the dude from the Raveonettes?"

Yeah, I think so now. The news piece I read was from early 2001 (the ish w/the die-cut Ramones cover) and mentioned Joey Ramone's involvement amongst others. Of course, his death probably changed alotta things.

― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Thursday, 29 June 2006 19:20 (nineteen years ago)

Engelbert Humperdinck

― Jacobo Rock (jacobo rock), Thursday, 29 June 2006 21:11 (nineteen years ago)

Jerry Vale

― QuantumNoise (Justin Farrar), Thursday, 29 June 2006 21:13 (nineteen years ago)

Colin Hay

― Edward Bax (EdBax), Thursday, 29 June 2006 21:19 (nineteen years ago)

Lee Hazlewood

His last album was basically that format already.

― Fsck Washing Ong's Hat (Chris Barrus), Thursday, 29 June 2006 22:20 (nineteen years ago)

Seconding and thirding Cher and Glen Campbell

― Fsck Washing Ong's Hat (Chris Barrus), Thursday, 29 June 2006 22:21 (nineteen years ago)

I actually came up with a serious suggestion for this: Pink Floyd!

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Thursday, 29 June 2006 22:48 (nineteen years ago)

Seriously: Charles Aznavour.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 17:57 (nineteen years ago)

whitney houston. I've never really liked anthing that she did pre-tabloidbreakdown but now she's been through a bit of hard living it could be really interesting...

― winter testing (winter testing), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

actually I really really want that whitney album the more I think about it

― winter testing (winter testing), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

Candi Staton

this one partially came true, the title track on her latest album is written by will oldham

I haven't heard it though

― dmr (Renard), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 20:50 (nineteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.