The last song by Johnny Cash that I can recall from his "original" career (before he started going after those city "hipsters" in the mid '90s) was "Ragged Old Flag" from around 1990. But I seem to recall that even it was on an indie label.
...unless "ragged old flag" was rereleased later, it was originally a single in springtime 74. the last single i believe j.cash released for the country market, was the prior mentioned "goin' by the book". this was released on 9-22-90, from the mercury CD "the mysteries of life". it only spent four weeks on the charts, and peaked at 69. what an amazing song this is, which was released about the time of the first gulf war. this song is all about biblical prophecy, and couldnt have been done sung better than by the man in black. i was, and still am a strong believer in this song, and what a way to cap off johnnys country recording career. it was the bastards at centralized country radio programming, that let this song stiff due to lack of airplay rotation in the elite major markets.
twenty two years later, this song is more relevent, and important than ever. perhaps it can be found on you-tube, and someone could give us the download, so the board can hear it.
lets also ponder this: if it werent for producer rick rubin, and American recordings in the mid 90's, johnny cash would most likely have never recorded again. yes, most of the production was not country, but a mix of sparse produced folk, and some rock. recording these albums were very important to johnny, as he faced his final years. some of it was even half way decent. this brought the "coolness" of the man in black, to an entire new audience, when the elite movers, and shakers of nashville had long abandon him as a non marketable hasbeen, relic from the past.
