To fromehereto69. The color of the uniforms is not the issue. What the blue lying along side the grey refers to is the fact that men on both side were dying. Brother against brother. I had relatives fighting on both sides during the Civil War. Some in blue and some in grey. I don't know that they faced each other in battle, but it is a possibility. They were from Missouri that was split at the time.
I punched a hole in the wall in my Bed room in a Bayonet charge when i was 6 years old listening to this song,It was behind a curtain.Had To Leap 2 beds.My Trusty rifle 2 cowards and Dean Martin and George Patton against 70 gazillion Yankees.In My Battle(I Was Six Ok?) Martin Luther King told us we did not have to kill any more Yankees..We all are Americans.Then We Pledged to the flag.When Pappy died I Had to fill That hole before we sold the house.Glad that was My only war.
Can someone help me. Maybe it's just part of the song. So it will rhyme but what does ..."The blue lying long side the grave" mean? Was it what the people were wearing? (the confederate or the other side's color)
I wonder if this song is what soldiers will go through AFTER the war is over (kind of like what they went through when the came home from Vietnam), or post tramatic stress disorder...
Cash made comment this was one of his best writings. I used to listen to it late at night when everything was quiet. So much to be learned by the words.
@pornguy2 I think that's the point, doesn't say if he's a Northerner or a Southerner. It's more just about the loss that comes from war, rather than glorifying it.
I am Scottish and two of my all time favourites are this song and Singing in Vietnam (Talking Blues). Both Anti war songs.
petermfh59 1 week ago
American Civil War song....beautiful tune....
CoastGuardIDC 3 weeks ago
I havent heard this since Viet Nam.
littlewolf60 7 months ago
the lesson here is that there are no winners in war...we all lose one way or another...so why fight them?
eboy828 8 months ago
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KillingJokes97 6 months ago
@eboy828 To keep freedom free sir I'm a 3rd generation Marine and I respect the fallen because I'm sure I'm not coming back.
KillingJokes97 6 months ago
thatr is a part of history - things we should always remember... we had ours in Europe , Ciuvil war in Spain ... and still wouds are open ...
4799711 1 year ago
I have around 40 Albums by Johnny Cash...
and I still haven't heard some songs like this one!
I love him!
leeperryismerry 1 year ago
To fromehereto69. The color of the uniforms is not the issue. What the blue lying along side the grey refers to is the fact that men on both side were dying. Brother against brother. I had relatives fighting on both sides during the Civil War. Some in blue and some in grey. I don't know that they faced each other in battle, but it is a possibility. They were from Missouri that was split at the time.
Dale1939 1 year ago
Johnny Western did a magnificent job with this as well.
BannerBombers 1 year ago
I punched a hole in the wall in my Bed room in a Bayonet charge when i was 6 years old listening to this song,It was behind a curtain.Had To Leap 2 beds.My Trusty rifle 2 cowards and Dean Martin and George Patton against 70 gazillion Yankees.In My Battle(I Was Six Ok?) Martin Luther King told us we did not have to kill any more Yankees..We all are Americans.Then We Pledged to the flag.When Pappy died I Had to fill That hole before we sold the house.Glad that was My only war.
SmokeBojangles 1 year ago
Can someone help me. Maybe it's just part of the song. So it will rhyme but what does ..."The blue lying long side the grave" mean? Was it what the people were wearing? (the confederate or the other side's color)
Thanks
fromhereto69 1 year ago
@fromhereto69 The blue lying lying along side the grey. That puts a different light on it. North vs. South
ogalala 1 year ago
I wonder if this song is what soldiers will go through AFTER the war is over (kind of like what they went through when the came home from Vietnam), or post tramatic stress disorder...
Regardless, this is a GREAT song!
GeneralSirDouglasMcA 1 year ago
Comment removed
SgtBastard101 1 year ago
Cash made comment this was one of his best writings. I used to listen to it late at night when everything was quiet. So much to be learned by the words.
ogalala 1 year ago
Greatest war song ever sung by anyone. So much better than the more popular 'Johnny Yuma' from the same album.
The one thing that always troubled me, was, whose side was Johnny on? Or is that the
message of the song
pornguy2 2 years ago
@pornguy2 I think that's the point, doesn't say if he's a Northerner or a Southerner. It's more just about the loss that comes from war, rather than glorifying it.
TheKstinger36 1 year ago
First time I heard that song was on AMERICA - A 200 SALUTE IN SONG AND STORY.
Excellent song, why it didn't become a hit?
GreenGreenGrasOfHome 2 years ago
DAMN! I forgot about this song, Such compelling lyrics!
NoUrDumb25419 2 years ago
Cash once commented this was his most meaningful song.
ogalala 2 years ago