Oct. 15th, 2004
"Somewhere in an old black Bible I read how Moses had led the children of Israel out of slavery with a plague of frogs and a big stick. In return they promised not to worship any false Gods, especially golden cows, yet despite the cover of sky fires and an endless supply of God's own bread, this was apromise they managed to keep for all of a minute... Upset that they hadn't entered the Promised Land and moaning about their nomadic life in the desert, they soon returned to the altar of the Golden Cow.
Warning after warning they ignored. Moses couldn't believe his people could witness such a season of miracles and still choose Gold over God. God, too, was furious, but even as he told Moses to get out of their midst or be destroyed along with them, and amazing thing happened. Moses refused to move... In fact the scriptures record that "Moses knowing the heart of God" ran amongst the people crying to God "smite me if you are going to smite them." God, in his great Mercy, backed off.
It's an amazing story of empathy and then grace. It's the kind of story Johnny Cash could have written. Empathy and grace are written in his face, etched into his voice. Yet, so are the years in the wilderness. Gospel music has a joy that in most hands comes off as sentimental. Why is it that in these songs the angels feel like they're round the corner from the devils? We feel he has made a choice to pitch a tent right at the gates of Sheol. You see, Johnny Cash doesn't sing to the damned, he sings with them, and sometimes you wonder if he prefers their company.
So the Sugar is turned to Salt and the Triumph is quieted by the brokeness of a voice that knows and fears compromise. Big John sings like the theif who was crucified next to Christ. The theif whose humbles entreaties had Jesus promising that night that he would see paradise."

-Bono