American V: A Hundred Highways cover art

  Studio Album · No. 43

American V: A Hundred Highways Songwriting Credits by Johnny Cash

2006 American Recordings/Lost Highway 12 tracks 43 min
American Recordings/Lost Highway CountryFolkAmericanaGospel
25%
Authorship
Co-Performer

Holds writing credit on 3 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 3 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Johnny Cash carries a lyricist or composer credit.

25%
3 trackswritten by Johnny Cash 9 tracksoutside writers
Johnny Cash's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist25%
Composer25%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
12
Lyricists
1
Producers
500,000
US Copies Sold
2006
Released

Awards & Recognition 1

Best Music Video (God's Gonna Cut You Down) (2008)
Data Insight

Recorded in Cash's final months and released posthumously in 2006, American V mixes Cash originals with covers chosen for their themes of mortality and faith. Cash wrote 'Like the 309,' reportedly the last song he composed, and 'I Came to Believe.' The covers include Larry Gatlin's 'Help Me,' Gordon Lightfoot's 'If You Could Read My Mind,' Bruce Springsteen's 'Further on Up the Road,' Hank Williams' 'On the Evening Train,' Rod McKuen's 'Love's Been Good to Me,' and Ian Tyson's 'Four Strong Winds,' plus the traditional 'God's Gonna Cut You Down.' Produced by Rick Rubin, it became Cash's first number-one album in 37 years.

American V: A Hundred Highways is a 2006 country and Americana album by Johnny Cash, released July 4 posthumously on American Recordings and produced by Rick Rubin. The fifth album in the American series, it features "God's Gonna Cut You Down," Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me," Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind," Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds," and "Like the 309," the final song Cash wrote. It became his first number one album in 37 years, topping both the Billboard 200 and the Top Country Albums chart and selling 88,000 copies in its first week. The RIAA certified it Gold in August 2006, with further Gold certifications across Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, and the UK. The sessions were recorded between May and August 2003 in the final months of Cash's life.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Help Me
Larry Gatlin Larry Gatlin Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
2
God's Gonna Cut You Down
Traditional Traditional Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
3
Like the 309
Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
4
I Came to Believe
Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
5
A Legend in My Time
Don Gibson Don Gibson Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
6
Further On (Up the Road)
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
7
On the Evening Train
Hank Williams Hank Williams Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
8
I'm Free from the Chain Gang Now
Lou HerscherSaul Klein Lou HerscherSaul Klein Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
9
Love's Been Good to Me
Rod McKuen Rod McKuen Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
10
Four Strong Winds
Ian Tyson Ian Tyson Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
11
Satisfied Mind
Joe HayesJack Rhodes Joe HayesJack Rhodes Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)
12
I Corinthians 15:55
Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Rick Rubin Johnny Cash (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 13 contributors

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With His Hot and Blue Guitar!
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The Fabulous Johnny Cash
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Songs of Our Soil
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1960 50%
Ride This Train
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Now, There Was a Song!
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1962 25%
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1964 38%
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I Walk the Line
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1965 42%
Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West
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1965 17%
Orange Blossom Special
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1966 60%
Everybody Loves a Nut
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10 tracks
1966 30%
Happiness Is You
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1968 100%
From Sea to Shining Sea
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12 tracks
1969 100%
The Holy Land
Columbia
15 tracks
1970 70%
Hello, I'm Johnny Cash
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10 tracks
1971 60%
Man in Black
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1972 80%
A Thing Called Love
Columbia
10 tracks
1973 40%
Any Old Wind That Blows
Columbia Records
10 tracks
1974 100%
Ragged Old Flag
Columbia Records
12 tracksProd. Charlie Bragg
1975 70%
John R. Cash
Columbia Records
10 tracks
1975 60%
Look at Them Beans
Columbia Records
10 tracks
1976 80%
One Piece at a Time
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10 tracks
1977 70%
The Last Gunfighter Ballad
Columbia
10 tracks
1977 100%
The Rambler
Columbia
7 tracks
1978 78%
Gone Girl
Columbia
9 tracks
1979 56%
Silver
Columbia
9 tracks
1980 91%
Rockabilly Blues
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11 tracks
1981 50%
The Baron
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10 tracks
1982 56%
Adventures of Johnny Cash
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9 tracks
1983 0%
Johnny 99
Columbia Records
10 tracksProd. Brian Ahern
1985 30%
Rainbow
Columbia Records
10 tracks
1986 70%
Believe in Him
Word Records
10 tracks
1988 44%
Water from the Wells of Home
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9 tracks
1990 60%
Boom Chicka Boom
Mercury Records
10 tracks
1991 70%
The Mystery of Life
Mercury Records
10 tracks
1994 38%
American Recordings
American Recordings
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1996 21%
Unchained
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2000 38%
American III: Solitary Man
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2002 20%
The Man Comes Around
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2010 10%
American VI: Ain't No Grave
American Recordings/Lost Highway
10 tracks

Frequently Asked Questions American V: A Hundred Highways

Is American V: A Hundred Highways a posthumous album?
Yes. Johnny Cash recorded the songs in his final months before his death in September 2003, and the album was released in July 2006. Rick Rubin and John Carter Cash completed the production.
Which songs did Johnny Cash write on American V?
Cash wrote 'Like the 309,' which is often cited as the last song he ever composed, and 'I Came to Believe.' The rest of the album consists of covers and a traditional song.
Did American V: A Hundred Highways reach number one?
Yes. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming Johnny Cash's first chart-topping album in 37 years. It was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Who wrote 'God's Gonna Cut You Down' on American V?
'God's Gonna Cut You Down' is a traditional folk song, also known as 'Run On,' with no single credited author. Cash's recording later received an acclaimed music video featuring numerous celebrities.
Did 'God's Gonna Cut You Down' win any awards?
Yes. The black-and-white music video, directed by Tony Kaye and released in 2006, won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video in 2008.
Who wrote 'Further on Up the Road' that Cash covered on American V?
'Further on Up the Road' was written by Bruce Springsteen and appears on his album The Rising. Cash recorded it for American V.

Sources