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Johnny Cash - I See A Darkness

Johnny Cash - I See A Darkness Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: American III: Solitary Man
Released: 2000

I See A Darkness Lyrics

Well, you're my friend
And you can see
May times we've been out drinking
Many times we've shared our thoughts
Did you ever, ever notice, the kind of thoughts I got
Well you know I have a love, for everyone I know
And you know I have a drive, for life that won't let go
But sometimes the opposition come rising up in me
This terrible imposition, comes blacking through my mind

And then I See A Darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Do you know how much I love you
Cause I'm hoping some day soon
You'll save me from this darkness

Well, I hope that someday soon
We'll find peace in our lives
Together or apart
Alone or with our wives
And we can stop our whoring
And draw the smiles inside
And light it up forever
And never go to sleep
My best unbeaten brother
That isn't all I see

And then I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Do you know how much I love you
Cause I'm hoping someday soon
You'll save me from this darkness

Writer/s: WILL OLDHAM
Publisher: BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

I See A Darkness

This was written by the American singer-songwriter Will Oldham. He recorded it for the title track of his 1999 sixth album, the first on which he used his 'Bonnie Prince Billy' moniker. Oldham provided background vocals for Cash's Rick Rubin produced version, which can be found on American III: Solitary Man.

Oldham recalled Cash covering his song to Mojo October 2013: "I actually heard about my song being on the album from a friend of mine who plays guitar with me," he said; "He'd talked to Rick Rubin who said, 'Oh yeah, Johnny Cash just recorded I see a darkness.' A couple of weeks later I met Rick and we arranged I could meet Johnny Cash. And when I did, Johnny said, 'I want to redo my vocals on that song, Why don't we work on it together? That was really exciting, and we did it that same day, worked together on 'I See a Darkness.'"

"It was a situation we were both very comfortable with, which is working on music," Oldham continued. "We only spoke when we had something to say that the other person wanted to hear, so it was one of the few times when I actually felt I was in the correct company. And that's not trying to give myself excessive grace. He would ask the questions about the song; a couple of grammatical questions he wanted to clear up."

Cash's health prior to the recording of American III: Solitary Man had been poor and he'd even been hospitalized for pneumonia. The album contained the Man in Black's response to his illness. Mojo asked Oldham if he felt spooky that someone who was seriously ill was singing about darkness? He replied: "No, it didn't, because the song is about seeing darkness and asking for friendship and support... it seemed good he was singing the song...at that time (it seemed like) an essential statement."