Orange Blossom Special – JOHNNY CASH****

Orange Blossom Special/The Long Black Veil/It Ain’t Me Babe/The Wall/Don’t Think Twice Its Alright/You Wild Colorado/Mama You Been On My Mind/When Its Springtime In Alaska/All Of God’s Children Ain’t Free/Danny Boy/Wildwood Flower/Amen

Country star Johnny Cash's album Orange Blossom Special features three Bob Dylan covers. To add to the variety the title track is a bluegrass tune from 1938. (US:49)

"The light-hearted, harmonica-led tune Orange Blossom Special would become one of the most loved songs in Cash's repertoire, but it's not even the high point here. Cash's Bob Dylan fixation is at its height as he tackles no less than three Dylan tunes to fine effect. His stately version of the faux-traditional Long Black Veil is possibly the finest take on this oft-covered song."

"First released in 1965 this album is a reminder that Johnny Cash, nominally a country performer, was a freewheeling spirit who refused to be categorised. It was also a time of the folk revival with Bob Dylan its greatest rising star whom Cash had met at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964."

"Cash's readings of Dylan's lyrics are sublime and represent the highlights of the album."

"Along with the Dylan tracks there are inspired performances of old favourites such as Long Black Veil, You Wild Colorado, the A P Carter classic Wildwood Flower and the pounding railroad song Orange Blossom Special."

"This is a musically diverse, eclectic and ultimately satisfying album and certainly one of his best from the sixties."

"In the sixties, when this album was recorded, Johnny was at his most commercially successful. Fans will always argue over which period was his best, but he certainly recorded some great albums back then, of which this was one."

"The set opens with Orange Blossom Special, a song about a train journey, utilising harmonica to produce a sort of train whistle effect - it works really well. There are many other wonderful songs, too numerous to go into detail, on this classic album, which is essential for all of Johnny's fans."