Unearthed (Johnny Cash album)


Unearthed is a box set by American country music singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. It was released by American Recordings on November 25, 2003, two months after his death. The album was compiled by Cash and Rick Rubin, who also produced the set. It was certified Gold on December 2, 2004, by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Content

The first three discs feature outtakes and alternate versions of songs recorded for American Recordings, American II: Unchained, ' and '. The fourth disc, My Mother's Hymn Book features gospel songs Cash first learned from his mother as a child and was later reissued as a standalone album in 2004. The final disc is a best of distillation of the first four American albums.

Previous recordings

Many of the songs Cash recorded during the American sessions were updated versions of songs he had previously recorded.
Rock historian Graeme Thomson in his monograph, The Resurrection of Johnny Cash: Hurt, Redemption, and American Recordings has called Unearthed a monolithic achievement.

Track listing

Adapted from the album liner notes.

Certifications

''My Mother's Hymn Book''

My Mother's Hymn Book is a collection of Christian spiritual songs and hymns that Cash originally learned from his mother while growing up. The album features only Cash's voice and a single acoustic guitar. This disc was released as a stand-alone disc the following year under the same title, and peaked at #9 on the Christian music album chart. In the album's liner notes Cash mentions that this is his favorite album he ever made.
This was Cash's final album devoted to previously unreleased performances of faith-based music and hymns, following a long string of such releases dating back to 1959 and individual singles and album tracks even before that. Tracks 6, 9 and 10 were previously recorded for Hymns from the Heart ; tracks 5, 11, 14 and 15 were previously recorded for Sings Precious Memories ; and track 7 was recorded in concert for The Survivors Live. Several other songs, such as track 13, had been performed by Cash on TV or live in concert, but formal studio recordings had not yet been issued until now.
Although the images used on the standalone CD depict Cash near the end of his life, most of the recordings on My Mother's Hymn Book actually date to Cash's early sessions for American in 1993-1994.

Track listing

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.