Unchained
Studio album by
Johnny Cash
ReleasedNovember 5, 1996
Recorded1995–1996
Studio
  • Akademie Mathematique of Philosophical Sound Research (Hollywood)
  • Sound City (Van Nuys, California)
  • Ocean Way (Hollywood)
  • NRG Recording (Hollywood)
  • Cowboy's Arms Hotel and Recording Spa (Nashville)
Genre
Length41:11
LabelAmerican
ProducerRick Rubin
Johnny Cash chronology
The Road Goes on Forever
(1995)		 Unchained
(1996)		 VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson
(1998)
American series chronology
American Recordings
(1994)		 Unchained
(1996)		 American III: Solitary Man
(2000)
Singles from Unchained
  1. "Rusty Cage"
    Released: October 22, 1996
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic link
Robert Christgau(1-star Honorable Mention) link

Unchained, also known as American II: Unchained is the second album in Johnny Cash's American Recordings series (and his 82nd overall). It was released on November 5, 1996, by American Recordings. Like all of Cash's albums for American Recordings, Unchained was produced by Rick Rubin. The album received a Grammy for Best Country Album and Cash was nominated for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his version of "Rusty Cage."

Background

In contrast to the first album – on which Cash played alone – he is backed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. There are guest appearances by country music veteran Marty Stuart (additional guitar on more than half the songs); Flea (bassist from Red Hot Chili Peppers), on "Spiritual"; and by Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood, both of Fleetwood Mac, on "Sea of Heartbreak".[1]

Unchained focuses on covers. In addition to three of Cash's own compositions, Unchained contained songs by Jude Johnstone ("Unchained"), Tom Petty ("Southern Accents"), Spain ("Spiritual"), Soundgarden ("Rusty Cage"), and Beck ("Rowboat"). The album also included a cover of the classic 1962 Hank Snow song, "I've Been Everywhere", written by Geoff Mack. From 2003 to 2009, Cash's version of "I’ve Been Everywhere" from this album Unchained has been used in several Choice Hotels commercials and has been the theme for these commercials. It was also used in a USPS commercial from 2021 to 2022. Cash's version of "I’ve Been Everywhere" has also been used as a soundtrack in Season 2 of the animated series The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy. According to biographer Robert Hilburn, Cash also recorded a cover version of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" during the recording sessions for Unchained, but it was not released.[2]

The album was recorded over a six-month period with engineer Sylvia Massy at Sound City Studios.

Previous recordings

Two songs on the album had previously been recorded by Cash.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Rowboat" (Beck cover)Beck3:44
2."Sea of Heartbreak" (Don Gibson cover)Paul Hampton, Hal David2:42
3."Rusty Cage" (Soundgarden cover)Chris Cornell2:49
4."The One Rose (That's Left in My Heart)" (Jimmie Rodgers cover)Del Lyon, Lani McIntire2:26
5."Country Boy"Johnny Cash2:31
6."Memories Are Made of This" (Dean Martin cover)Richard Dehr, Terry Gilkyson, Frank Miller2:19
7."Spiritual" (Spain cover)Josh Haden5:06
8."The Kneeling Drunkard's Plea" (The Carter Sisters cover)Maybelle Carter, Anita Carter, Helen Carter, June Carter Cash2:32
9."Southern Accents" (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers cover)Tom Petty4:41
10."Mean Eyed Cat"Cash2:33
11."Meet Me in Heaven"Cash3:21
12."I Never Picked Cotton" (Roy Clark cover)Bobby George, Charles Williams2:39
13."Unchained" (Jude Johnstone cover)Jude Johnstone2:51
14."I've Been Everywhere" (Lucky Starr cover)Geoff Mack3:16

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.

  • Johnny Cash – vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Tom Petty – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, chamberlin
  • Mike Campbell – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, mandolin, Dobro
  • Benmont Tench – piano, hammond organ, vox continental organ, harmonium, chamberlin
  • Rick DePiro - piano, organ (8, 13)
  • Howie Epstein – acoustic guitar, bass
  • Steve Ferrone – drums and percussion (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 14)
  • Curt Bisquera – drums and percussion (7, 8)
  • Marty Stuart – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass (1, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
  • Flea – bass (7)
  • Lindsey Buckingham – acoustic guitar (2)
  • Mick Fleetwood – percussion (2)
  • Juliet Prater – percussion (3)
  • Rick Rubin – producer
  • David Ferguson – engineer
  • Sylvia Massy – engineer, mixing
  • John Ewing Jr., Greg Fidelman, Eddie Miller, Michael Stock – assistant engineers
  • Gene Grimaldi, Eddy Schreyer – mastering (Oasis Mastering)
  • Martyn Atkins – art direction, photography
  • Christine Cano – art direction, design, photography, inlay photography
  • Andy Earl – photography

Charts

Album - Billboard (United States)

Chart (1996) Peak
position
Billboard 200 170
Top Country Albums 26

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States — 221,000[3]

References

  1. ↑ Thomson, G. (2011). The Resurrection of Johnny Cash: Hurt, Redemption, and American Recordings. Jawbone Press, pp.195-198.
  2. ↑ Robert Hilburn, Johnny Cash: A Life. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2013, p.564
  3. ↑ "8ask". Billboard. 19 February 2003. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.