Johnny Cash

No sé porque esta Navidad me inclinó a las canciones de Johnny Cash, pero hay dos o tres sobre las que me gustaría escribir. Pero antes es obligado hacer una breve reseña sobre Mr. Cash.
En mi mente está asociado siempre al blanco y al negro, sobre todo negro, su vida, sus canciones, están llenas de claroscuros.
Cantautor excelente, personalísimo, quintaesencia de norteamerica, era también un "devorador de canciones", aquellas que adaptó de otros autores, una vez oidas en su voz, se hacian suyas, de manera que al volver a escuchar el original, este se quedaba en apenas un apunte de canción, que con Mr. Cash había alcanzado su plenitud.
Su voz es, recalco es y no era, magnifica, aspera, varonil pero muy expresiva, voz de vida, voz lúcida.
Las tres canciones que me vienen a la cabeza ahora son "A boy named Sue", una increible historía de superviviencia, la tristísma "Hurt" que los de Nike tuvieron la desgraciada ocurrencia de utilizar en un anuncio de televisión, lo cual me pareció una terrible falta de respeto, pero el dinero manda, y otra que, por la definición que hace de autor, nos viene muy al pelo y que es "Man in black", de la cual Loquillo ha hecho una más que digna versión en Español, a la que me remito. Aquí está la letra, sin traducir.

"Man In Black"


Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.

Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.