Johnny Cash broke the mould of country and rockabilly music in the mid-1950s, readily transcending the genres to have over 40 pop and country hits between his 1955 debut and 1962, including five country No.1s. 

However, after he moved from Sun to Columbia in 1958, he released albums on a regular basis and became a major album seller. 

This 89-track 3-CD collection comprises all the tracks from eight of his original vinyl LPs on Columbia from these years. It features “The Fabulous Johnny Cash”, “Hymns”, “Songs Of Our Soil”, “Now, There Was A Song”, “Ride This Train”, “Hymns From The Heart”, “The Sound Of Johnny Cash” and “Blood Sweat & Tears”. 

The music ranges from mainstream pop/country, featuring many of Johnny’s original songs, to country songs with a religious message, and material that harks back to pioneer roots, some with spoken narratives. 

It’s a varied and enjoyable showcase for one of the true originals of the era, and captures the many facets of his talent and outlook in a substantial overview of this key period in his career.

Tracks

CD 1
1. RUN SOFTLY, BLUE RIVER Johnny Cash  
2. FRANKIE'S MAN, JOHNNY Johnny Cash  
3. THAT'S ALL OVER Johnny Cash  
4. THE TROUBADOUR Johnny Cash  
5. ONE MORE RIDE Johnny Cash  
6. THAT'S ENOUGH Johnny Cash  
7. I STILL MISS SOMEONE Johnny Cash  
8. DON'T TAKE YOUR GUNS TO TOWN Johnny Cash  
9. I'D RATHER DIE YOUNG Johnny Cash  
10. PICKIN' TIME Johnny Cash  
11. SHEPHERD OF MY HEART Johnny Cash  
12. SUPPER-TIME Johnny Cash  
From ‘The Fabulous Johnny Cash’  Columbia CL1253  1958
13. IT WAS JESUS Johnny Cash  
14. I SAW A MAN Johnny Cash  
15. ARE ALL THE CHILDREN IN Johnny Cash  
16. THE OLD ACCOUNT Johnny Cash  
17. LEAD ME GENTLY HOME Johnny Cash  
18. SWING LOW, SWEET CHARIOT Johnny Cash  
19. SNOW IN HIS HAIR Johnny Cash  
20. LEAD ME, FATHER Johnny Cash  
21. I CALLED HIM Johnny Cash  
22. THESE THINGS SHALL PASS Johnny Cash  
23. HE'LL BE A FRIEND Johnny Cash  
24. GOD WILL Johnny Cash  
From ‘Hymns’  Columbia  CL1284  1959
25. DRINK TO ME Johnny Cash  
26. FIVE FEET HIGH AND RISING Johnny Cash  
27. THE MAN ON THE HILL Johnny Cash  
28. HANK AND JOE AND ME Johnny Cash  
29. CLEMENTINE Johnny Cash  
30. THE GREAT SPECKLED BIRD Johnny Cash  
31. I WANT TO GO HOME Johnny Cash  
32. OLD APACHE SQUAW Johnny Cash  
33. DON'T STEP ON MOTHER'S ROSES Johnny Cash  
From ‘Songs Of Our Soil’  Columbia   CL1339    1959

CD 2
1. THE CARETAKER Johnny Cash  
2. MY GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK Johnny Cash  
3. IT COULD BE YOU (INSTEAD OF HIM) Johnny Cash  
From ‘Songs Of Our Soil’  Columbia   CL1339    1959
4. SEASONS OF MY HEART Johnny Cash  
5. FEEL BETTER ALL OVER Johnny Cash  
6. I COULDN'T KEEP FROM CRYING Johnny Cash  
7. TIME CHANGES EVERYTHING Johnny Cash  
8. MY SHOES KEEP WALKING BACK TO YOU Johnny Cash  
9. I'D JUST BE FOOL ENOUGH Johnny Cash  
10. TRANSFUSION BLUES Johnny Cash  
11. WHY DO YOU PUNISH ME (FOR LOVING YOU) Johnny Cash  
12. I WILL MISS YOU WHEN YOU GO Johnny Cash  
13. I'M SO LONESOME I COULD CRY Johnny Cash  
14. JUST ONE MORE Johnny Cash  
15. HONKY-TONK GIRL Johnny Cash  
From ‘Now, There Was A Song’   Columbia   CL1463   1960
16. LOADING COAL Johnny Cash  
17. SLOW RIDER Johnny Cash  
18. LUMBERJACK Johnny Cash  
19. DORRAINE OF PONCHARTRAIN Johnny Cash  
20. GOING TO MEMPHIS Johnny Cash  
21. WHEN PAPA PLAYED THE DOBRO Johnny Cash  
22. BOSS JACK Johnny Cash  
23. OLD DOC BROWN Johnny Cash  
From ‘Ride This Train’  ColumbiaCL   1464   1960
24. HE'LL UNDERSTAND AND SAY WELL DONE Johnny Cash  
25. GOD MUST HAVE MY FORTUNE LAID AWAY Johnny Cash  
26. WHEN I'VE LEARNED ENOUGH TO DIE Johnny Cash  
27. IF WE NEVER MEET AGAIN Johnny Cash  
From ‘Hymns From The Heart’    Columbia  CL1722   1962

CD 3
1. I GOT SHOES Johnny Cash  
2. LET THE LOWER LIGHTS BE BURNING Johnny Cash  
3. WHEN I TAKE MY VACATION IN HEAVEN Johnny Cash  
4. WHEN HE REACHED DOWN HIS HAND FOR ME Johnny Cash  
5. TALLER THAN TREES Johnny Cash  
6. I WON'T HAVE TO CROSS JORDAN ALONE These Hands 
7. MY GOD IS REAL (YES, GOD IS REAL) Johnny Cash  
8. THESE HANDS Johnny Cash  
From ‘Hymns From The Heart’    Columbia  CL1722   1962
9. LOST ON THE DESERT Johnny Cash  
10. ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE Johnny Cash  
11. IN THE JAILHOUSE NOW Johnny Cash  
12. MR. LONESOME Johnny Cash  
13. YOU WON'T HAVE FAR TO GO Johnny Cash  
14. IN THEM OLD COTTONFIELDS BACK HOME Johnny Cash  
15. DELIA'S GONE Johnny Cash  
16. I FORGOT MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW Johnny Cash  
17. YOU REMEMBERED ME Johnny Cash  
18. I'M FREE FROM THE CHAIN GANG NOW Johnny Cash  
19. LET ME DOWN EASY Johnny Cash  
20. SING IT PRETTY, SUE Johnny Cash  
From ‘The Sound Of Johnny Cash’  Columbia  CL1802   1962
21. THE LEGEND OF JOHN HENRY'S HAMMER Johnny Cash  
22. TELL HIM I'M GONE Johnny Cash  
23. ANOTHER MAN DONE GONE Johnny Cash  
24. BUSTED Johnny Cash  
25. CASEY JONES Johnny Cash  
26. NINE POUND HAMMER Johnny Cash  
27. CHAIN GANG Johnny Cash  
28. WAITING FOR A TRAIN Johnny Cash  
29. ROUGHNECK Johnny Cash  
From ‘Blood Sweat & Tears’    Columbia   CL1930   1962