Tristen gave me this record for Valentine’s Day. It’s an interesting album. Everybody Loves A Nut is kind of a mixed bag as far as song quality goes - the album came out in 1966 when Johnny was in the depths of his pill addiction - but the cool stuff on this album is really cool, starting with the album cover by noted Mad Magazine and Time Magazine illustrator Jack Davis. Just check out those hippies. Not only that, it contains one of Cash’s best prison ballads, the darkly humorous “Joe Bean”. “Joe Bean” is about a kid about to hanged by the state of Arkansas on his 20th birthday for a murder he didn’t commit (in fact, Joe Bean had never even been to Arkansas.) The problem is Joe Bean was busy robbing a train on the day of the murder, not exactly the best alibi. Joe’s mother pleads his case to the governor of Arkansas, who refuses to pardon him but does wish him a happy birthday. Now that’s some serious country music. Tristen gave me vinyl by The Who and Merle Haggard as well, but this album was definitely the stand out of the bunch. Thanks Tristen. You know the way to a man’s heart.
