Johnny Cash (Lenny Kravitz song)

2019 single by Lenny Kravitz

"Johnny Cash"

Single by Lenny Kravitz
from the album  Raise Vibration
Released| March 1, 2019 (2019-3-1)
Length| 6:18
Label|

* Roxie
* BMG

Songwriter(s)| Lenny Kravitz
Producer(s)| Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz singles chronology
| "5 More Days 'Til Summer"
(2018)  | "Johnny Cash"
(2019)  | "Here to Love"
(2019)

|
|

Audio video
"Johnny Cash" on YouTube

"Johnny Cash" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Lenny Kravitz from his 11th studio album Raise Vibration.[1] It was released as the album's fourth single on March 1, 2019 (2019-3-1). The music video for the song was directed by Mathieu Bitton.[citation needed]

## Background

[edit]

Kravitz wrote the song as a tribute to Cash as the latter helped him pass through one of the darkest moments of his life. Johnny Cash and his wife, June, were the first persons whom Kravitz saw after learning that his mother, actress Roxie Roker, had died from breast cancer in 1995.[2] In that time, Kravitz lived in Los Angeles at producer Rick Rubin's house.[3] Cash and Carter were there as well. In an interview with the BBC, Kravitz said, "I was a bit fazed and out of it and the two of them just came up to me and surrounded me and held me ... We weren't lifelong friends. I didn't know them that long. We were flatmates," says Kravitz. "They decided at that moment [to] treat me like they would treat someone in their family. It was a beautiful moment of humanity and love."[4]

## Reception

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Mark Savage of BBC wrote, "the sumptuous, slide guitar-assisted ballad hides a deeply personal story of grief and compassion."[1] Joseph Hudak of Rolling Stone said, "In the slow-burning 'Johnny Cash', Kravitz channels the memory, using it as a modern-day plea for compassion, while a flange guitar effect swirls around him."[4] Madison Desler of Paste wrote, "'Johnny Cash' flips back and forth in the same song—the crazy funky, Parliament-style intro disappointingly dissolving into a lackluster ballad that definitely doesn't need to be six minutes long."[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Savage, Mark (5 September 2018). "Lenny Kravitz: 'Johnny Cash held me when my mother died'". BBC. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
2. ^ Paulson, Dave (4 September 2019). "When Lenny Kravitz lost his mother, he turned to Johnny Cash". The Tennessean. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
3. ^ "Lenny Kravitz And His Johnny Cash Connection". Noise11. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
4. ^ a b Hudak, Joseph (7 September 2018). "Lenny Kravitz Sings About Johnny Cash, June Carter in New Song 'Johnny Cash'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
5. ^ Desler, Madison (7 September 2018). "Lenny Kravitz: Raise Vibration Review". Paste. Retrieved 7 July 2021.

## External links

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* "Lenny Kravitz - Johnny Cash (Studio Version)" on YouTube

* v
* t
* e

Lenny Kravitz

Studio albums|

* Let Love Rule (1989)
* Mama Said (1991)
* Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993)
* Circus (1995)
* 5 (1998)
* Lenny (2001)
* Baptism (2004)
* It Is Time for a Love Revolution (2008)
* Black and White America (2011)
* Strut (2014)
* Raise Vibration (2018)
* Blue Electric Light (2024)

Compilations|

* Greatest Hits (2000)

Video albums|

* Video Retrospective (1991)

Singles|

* "Let Love Rule" (1989)
* "I Build This Garden for Us" (1990)
* "Mr. Cab Driver" (1990)
* "Always on the Run" (featuring Slash) (1991)
* "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over" (1991)
* "Fields of Joy" (1991)
* "Stand by My Woman" (1991)
* "What the Fuck Are We Saying?" (1991)
* "Are You Gonna Go My Way" (1993)
* "Believe" (1993)
* "Heaven Help" (1993)
* "Is There Any Love in Your Heart" (1993)
* "Heaven Help" / "Spinning Around Over You" (1994)
* "Rock and Roll Is Dead" (1995)
* "Circus" (1995)
* "Can't Get You Off My Mind" (1996)
* "If You Can't Say No" (1998)
* "I Belong to You" (1998)
* "Fly Away" (1998)
* "American Woman" (1999)
* "Black Velveteen" (1999)
* "Again" (2000)
* "Dig In" (2001)
* "Stillness of Heart" (2002)
* "Believe in Me" (2002)
* "If I Could Fall in Love" (2002)
* "Where Are We Runnin'?" (2004)
* "California" (2004)
* "Lady" (2004)
* "Calling All Angels" (2004)
* "I'll Be Waiting" (2008)
* "Love Love Love" (2008)
* "Stand" (2011)
* "Rock Star City Life" (2011)
* "Black and White America" (2011)
* "Push" (2011)
* "The Chamber" (2014)
* "Sex" (2014)
* "New York City" (2014)
* "The Pleasure and the Pain" (2015)
* "Low" (2018)
* "Johnny Cash" (2019)
* "Here to Love" (2019)
* "TK421" (2023)
* "Human" (2024)

Other singles|

* "The Buddha of Suburbia" (vs. David Bowie) (1993)
* "Deuce" (featuring Stevie Wonder) (1994)
* "Show Me Your Soul" (2003)
* "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" (featuring Michael Jackson) (2010)
* "Superlove" (vs. Avicii) (2012)

Related articles|

* Discography
* Roxie Roker (mother)
* Zoë Kravitz (daughter)
* Lisa Bonet (ex-wife)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work

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