The Mystery of Life

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The Mystery of Life
The Mystery of Life cover
Studio album by Johnny Cash
Released Original: March 1991
Re-issued: February 11, 2003
Recorded September 1986 -
September 1990
Genre Country
Length Original: 30:17
Re-issue: 35:01
Label Mercury
Producer(s) Jack Clement
Professional reviews
Johnny Cash chronology
Highwayman 2
(1990)
The Mystery of Life
(1991)
Return to the Promised Land
(1993)


The Mystery of Life is an album by country singer Johnny Cash, released in 1991 (see 1991 in music). It was his last for Mercury. Included on the album are new recordings of two songs already associated with Cash from his Sun and Columbia days, "Hey Porter" and "Wanted Man." "I'll Go Somewhere and Sing My Songs Again" is a duet with Tom T. Hall. The album's poor performance on the charts - it peaked at No. 70 - and that of "Goin' by the Book", the only single to chart (at No. 69), coupled with Cash's unsteady relationship with his label, ensured his departure from it following the record's release. In 2003 (see 2003 in music), the album was re-released, with "The Wanderer" from U2's 1993 album Zooropa as a bonus track. In 2006, "I'm an Easy Rider" and "Beans for Breakfast" were used in the soundtrack to the video game Scarface: The World Is Yours.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

  1. "The Greatest Cowboy of Them All" (Cash) – 3:34
  2. "I'm an Easy Rider" (Cash) – 2:36
  3. "The Mystery of Life" (Cash) – 3:11
  4. "Hey Porter" (Cash) – 2:20
  5. "Beans for Breakfast" (Cash) – 3:18
  6. "Goin' by the Book" (Chet Atkins/Les Paul) – 3:19
  7. "Wanted Man" (Bob Dylan) – 2:52
  8. "I'll Go Somewhere and Sing My Songs Again" (Tom T. Hall) – 3:11
    • With Tom T. Hall
  9. "The Hobo Song" (John Prine) – 3:32
  10. "Angel and the Badman" (Cash) – 2:24

[edit] Bonus tracks

  1. "The Wanderer" (Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr.) – 4:44

[edit] Personnel

  • Johhny Cash - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
  • Anita Carter, Jim Dant, Debra Dekelaita, Jay Patten, John Prine, Pat McLaughlin - Background Vocals
  • Jack Clement - Background Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Dobro, Ukulele, Producer
  • David Ferguson - Background Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Engineer, Mixing, Assistant Producer
  • Jamie Hartford - Background Vocals, Mandolin
  • Claude Hill - Background Vocals, Project Coordinator
  • Irving Kane - Background Vocals, Horn
  • Marty Stuart - Background Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin, Arranger
  • Jim Soldi - Background Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
  • Jimmy Tittle - Background Vocals, Electric Bass
  • Lloyd Green - Steel Guitar
  • Kerry Marx - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
  • Mark Howard - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Mandolin, Engineer, Mixing Assistant
  • W.S. Holland, Kenny Malone, Jody Maphis - Percussion, Drums
  • Roy Huskey Jr., Steve Logan - Acoustic Bass
  • Earl Ball - Piano
  • Joey Miskulin - Piano, Accordion, Keyboards, Arranger
  • Jack Hale, Bob Lewin - Horn
  • Mark O'Connor - Fiddle

[edit] Additional personnel

  • Andy McKaie, Brian Eno - Producers
  • Claudia Mize - Executive Producer
  • Richard Adler Engineer
  • Benny Quinn - Mastering
  • Suha Gur - Digital Remastering
  • Mike Fink - Design
  • Alan Messer - Photography
  • Vartan - Art Direction
  • Kim Markovchick - Executive Art Direction
  • Ryan Null - Photo Research
  • Harold Shedd - Production Executive
  • Beth Stempel, Mary Todd-Roberts - Production Coordination
  • June Carter Cash - Liner Notes

[edit] Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1991 Country Albums 70

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1990 "Goin' by the Book" Country Singles 69

[edit] See also

[edit] External links