Published on Feb 6, 2006
OK, it’ 1:10 on a night when I really should be
getting some sleep for classes tomorrow. Am I studying? Hell no.
Talking with friends? Strike two. No, I find myself here listening
to two actors reinterpret old country standards by two of the
genre’s most influential artists.
It was just recently that I finally got around to
seeing Walk The Line, the Johnny Cash biopic that came out a
few months ago. And you know what, I’m kicking myself for waiting
so long. Much like my first viewing of Ray, the movie has
opened my eyes to music I would never have given a chance
otherwise. The difference here is that with Ray I really
enjoyed the music; with Walk The Line I love it.
Let the record show that up until the movie and
soundtrack, my exposure to Johnny Cash was extremely limited. He
was a name floating around, with songs like “A Boy Named Sue.”
Nothing too enticing, really. However, since the movie, not only
did I race back home to download the soundtrack from iTunes, but I
managed to borrow American Recordings and Unearthed
from a friend. Listen is the wrong word to describe what I’ve been
doing with them; devour is much more appropriate.
Ray was a collection of Charles’ actual
recordings, which Jamie Foxx lip-synced to during the movie. For
Walk The Line, Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix
actually performed their vocals live. I knew this going in, but
when I walked out of that theater I had been absolutely blown away.
Phoenix and Witherspoon channeled Cash and Carter; there’s no other
explanation for it. Hardcore fans would be able to tell the
difference, but to a person like me, it was as if Cash was
performing in the movie itself.
This connection is even stronger on the actual
soundtrack; Phoenix somehow managed to capture Cash’s vocal
inflections and mannerisms during “I Walk The Line,” and “Ring of
Fire,” to the point where I was convinced the Man in Black was
singing. Witherspoon does a tremendous job as well, though I could
hear the “Legally Blond” chick lurking. I didn’t care though,
because just as Phoenix, Witherspoon becomes June Carter. Listening
to the duets of “It Ain’t Me Babe” and “Jackson” are the highlights
of the album for me.
Just like Ray, the amazing quality of the
tracks stunned me. In fact, these songs spoke to me more than
anything off Ray. The emotions and feelings expressed are
dark, yet can lift you up. I see “Ring Of Fire,” as perseverance,
holding true to your love. “Wildwood Flower” has some gorgeous
lyrics that just rip through to your core with the perfect imagery;
“He’s gone and neglected this pale wildwood flow’r.”
In other reviews, I’ve mentioned my dislike for
country music as a genre. It has never appealed to me, and I didn’t
expect it to. However, I can actually say that Walk The Line
has changed my thinking. Songs like “Jukebox Blues,” if you look at
them, are corny. But for once, I bought into the “fun” aspect. I
just sat back and enjoyed the ride. This is a different kind of
country music than what I hear on the radio today. Guess I was just
a few decades late.
This all being said, Walk The Line has one
glaring weakness; the Elvis Presley/Jerry Lee Lewis etc. songs.
First of, these performances did not capture the spirit of the
artists as did the ones performed by Phoenix and Witherspoon. That
is not to say the songs are bad, but they ruin the flow of the
album. There were so many great performances left off the record,
like the duet “Time’s A Wastin'”. I’d much rather have heard that
song then “Lewis Boogie.” This movie wasn’t about Elvis or Lewis,
and so it detracts from the focus of the album itself.
It’s now 1:39, and here I am finishing a review to
what I consider the best non-orchestral soundtrack I have had the
privilege of listening to. Others who buy this soundtrack might see
it as a series of covers that don’t equate the originals. I
probably couldn’t argue with that, but that’s not the point. What
this disc has done for me is more than just entertainment. I’ve sat
here listening to the music of Johnny Cash, feeling the pain of
“Hurt,” rejoicing in “Do Lord.” I’ve sat here listening to one man
with a guitar captivating me in a way which very few artists can do
for me.
Yes, it is actors performing, and there are a few
covers I find to be useless. But that doesn’t change a thing. For
me, Walk The Line has proven to be greater than the sum of
its parts.