The Essential Johnny Cash 1955–1983

Tracklist

New here? Start with "Hey Porter".

Disc 1

• 1 Hey Porter Start here 2:14
• 2 Cry! Cry! Cry! 2:24
• 3 Folsom Prison Blues 2:50
• 4 Luther Played the Boogie 2:04
• 5 Get Rhythm 2:14
• 6 I Walk the Line 2:45
• 7 Home of the Blues 2:40
• 8 Give My Love to Rose 2:46
• 9 Rock Island Line 2:10
• 10 Doin’ My Time 2:39
• 11 Big River 2:32
• 12 Ballad of a Teenage Queen 2:12
• 13 Guess Things Happen That Way 1:51
• 14 The Ways of a Woman in Love 2:16
• 15 Thanks a Lot 2:38
• 16 Oh, What a Dream 2:03
• 17 What Do I Care 2:07
• 18 All Over Again 2:13
• 19 I Still Miss Someone 2:37
• 20 I’d Just Be Fool Enough (to Fall) 2:06
• 21 Walking the Blues 2:13
• 22 Frankie’s Man, Johnny 2:18
• 23 Tennessee Flat‐Top Box 2:59
• 24 Sing It Pretty, Sue 1:59
• 25 Pickin’ Time 1:58
• 26 Five Feet High and Rising 1:47
• 27 The Old Account 2:24
• 28 (There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley (for Me) 2:50
• 29 Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord) 3:51

Disc 2

• 1 Don’t Take Your Guns to Town 3:04
• 2 The Ballad of Boot Hill 2:36
• 3 The Rebel – Johnny Yuma 1:52
• 4 The Big Battle 4:06
• 5 When the Roses Bloom Again 2:37
• 6 The Ballad of Ira Hayes 4:09
• 7 The Legend of John Henry’s Hammer 8:26
• 8 Dark as a Dungeon 2:29
• 9 The Long Black Veil 3:06
• 10 I Got Stripes 2:05
• 11 25 Minutes to Go 3:13
• 12 The Wall 2:11
• 13 Busted 2:18
• 14 Bad News 2:56
• 15 Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog 2:07
• 16 Orange Blossom Special 3:07
• 17 Ring of Fire 2:38
• 18 Understand Your Man 2:44
• 19 Jackson 2:46
• 20 Blistered 2:22
• 21 See Ruby Fall 2:51
• 22 Cisco Clifton’s Fillin’ Station 2:43
• 23 Daddy Sang Bass 2:19

Disc 3

• 1 Folsom Prison Blues (live) 2:41
• 2 Cocaine Blues (live) 2:46
• 3 San Quentin (live) 2:33
• 4 A Boy Named Sue (live) 3:48
• 5 Wanted Man 2:51
• 6 Singin’ in Vietnam Talkin’ Blues 2:58
• 7 Man in Black 2:53
• 8 What Is Truth? 2:39
• 9 Flesh and Blood 2:37
• 10 Sunday Morning Coming Down 4:07
• 11 Oney 3:05
• 12 One Piece at a Time 4:02
• 13 Hit the Road and Go 2:42
• 14 Rockabilly Blues (Texas 1955) 3:21
• 15 I Will Rock and Roll With You 2:52
• 16 No Expectations 3:12
• 17 (Ghost) Riders in the Sky 3:47
• 18 Bull Rider 3:09
• 19 Highway Patrolman 5:22
• 20 After the Ball 3:01
• 21 Without Love 2:29
• 22 The Last Time 3:16
• 23 I’m Gonna Sit on the Porch and Pick on My Old Guitar 3:00

What to play next

This album is considered a Starting Point in Johnny Cash's catalog. A comprehensive anthology that introduces new listeners to Cash's iconic work.

Listen next

American Recordings

1994

This album continues Cash's storytelling with a modern twist, building on the themes of his essential collection.

Go back to

The Best of Johnny Cash

It provides a solid foundation of classic tracks that lead into the iconic stories in the essential collection.