Johnny Cash Album: “Bitter Tears (Ballads of the American Indian)”

This is an outstanding, politically concious "concept album". Johnny Cash had great empathy for the downtrodden, and who has been more downtrodden than the American Natives? Nobody. So, this is a very heartfelt album. Here is what Cash wrote about this album is his

: "Bitter Tears, in which I was inspired by the Native American songwriter Peter LeFarge, was an intense research project. I dove into primary and secondary sources, immersing myself in the tragic stories of the Cherokee and the Apache, among others, until I was almost as raw as Peter. By the time I actually recorded the album I carried a heavy load of sadness and outrage; I felt every word of these songs, particularly "Apache Tears" and "The Ballad of Ira Hayes". I meant every word, too. I was long past the point of pulling my punches."

I have been listening to this album since I was a small boy at my grandfathers house in north western Pa. Very near the relocated Iriquoi nation. Being of that nation myself the first track ( As Long as the Grass Shall Grow ) has always been very emotional to me. This album has been an overlooked gem by Johnny Cash ever since its relese. Regardless of how one feels about any non pc lyrics, the truth will always be the truth. No album before or since captures the plight of the American Indian better.

This is the album that pretty much brought Cash to the forefront and accepted with open arms in the more liberal folk community during the early 1960s. After introducing "Ira Hayes" live at Newport in July '64 and then on ABC-TVs Les Crane Show, Cash moved into this concept album full steam with a genuine intensity, thus angering the more conservative Nashville community and C&W DJs. Cash & Columbia shot back by taking out a full page ad in Billboard challenging & blasting his critics for refusing to play "Ira Hayes." A music critic from NY Times, cited "Bitter Tears" as being one of the first truly important folk albums that could be classified as "protest music" and Cash, himself, has always regarded this to be among his crowning achievements of his legendary career. No country artist would have the talent or integrity to even consider recording or releasing anything like this today! But Cash was NEVER simply just a C&W artist! Listen to this lp to be taught - not entertained. For this album is not only worth listening to, but worth remembering even 40 years later!

Flaws: It is only about 30 minutes long, it was recorded 40 years ago, and some of the "issues" facing Native Americans have changed in the intervening years.

Virtues: It is Johnny Cash at his most passionate. The tragic but talented songwriter Peter LaFarge wrote five of the eight tracks on this record, and died not long after it was issued. (Check out his own work on the Bear Family CD reissues of his old Folkways albums.) This concept LP produced the hit "Ballad of Ira Hayes" and with the upcoming film version of "Flags of Our Fathers" interest in Ira is sure to escalate. However, "Ira" is not the only stirring performance: other gems include "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow" and (my favorite) "Drums" and "White Girl" (all by LaFarge.) After Peter's death, and after "Bitter Tears" showed there was a market for Indian protest ballads, Buffy St. Marie hit it big during the final years of the so-called "Folk Revival". But first was Pete LaFarge, and then Johnny. If the subject interests you at all, owning this CD would be wise.

This is actually my favorite Cash album (I have at least 30).It's also the shortest, so it must be good. The subject matter, which is the Native Americans perspective on white men, is heartbreaking and sad. Broken treaties, broken hearts, broken dreams, broken bottles. You've heard Ira Hayes, and the rest of the songs are pretty much like that. But this album could be about knitting and I'd still love it because the music is so good. It's bittersweet, not rocking, but not boring. If you like John Henry, or Ride this Train, you'll like this. It's on par with all the other albums he did with Don Law, and if you like that period, you'll love this album.