TS: Johnny Cash vs. James Brown

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both have iconic monikers, served time, affected popular music immeasurably, one warned of the cocaine blues, the other of king heroin. but if you have to choose one, would it be jc or jb?

― suey, Saturday, 31 December 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

James Brown by a mile. Far greater influence. Considerably better music.

― Stephen C (ihope), Saturday, 31 December 2005 18:42 (twenty years ago)

james brown has made better music in the long term, but cash's most classic moments are right up there with brown's best.

― is this an institution of learning or a teenage brothel? (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 31 December 2005 18:49 (twenty years ago)

this is an interesting TS.

― is this an institution of learning or a teenage brothel? (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 31 December 2005 18:50 (twenty years ago)

Interesting juxtaposition in terms of pervasive influence, parallel life experience, contrasting similarities between "hillbilly" (country/folk)and "race" (black music continuum)in American culture.

but in this case the TS format poses a false dichotomy. why choose?

staring at that gun in my face, however, I'd pick JB every time.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 31 December 2005 18:52 (twenty years ago)

Johnny Cash.....he's just simply cooler. That said, ya kinda have to be in the mood for Johnny Cash, whereas James Brown brings to the mood to you. Toughie. They also serve completely different ends.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 31 December 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

I'm a Cash fan but I feel he's become...over-rated isn't the right word but posthomously hyped up into a Mt Rushmore mythic/mystical figure. Musically IMO he's WAY inconsistent, his discography can't really hold a candle to the James Brown corpus but yeah Johnny's highpoints (like the early 60s hits or Folsom Prison or his TV series) were watershed marks in the culture as well as being hugely entertaining. Guess I've just got a thing against those Rick Rubin albums, his comeback was admirable but seemed devoid of the humor and unassuming sense of history than informed his classics.

James Brown is THE significant figure of American 20th century music in my book, ranked right alongside Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington. And thanks, I've already argued this point with Herr Hongro.

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 31 December 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

James Brown casts the longer shadow, but I'd rather listen to Johnny Cash.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Saturday, 31 December 2005 19:08 (twenty years ago)

Johnny Cash

― WillS, Saturday, 31 December 2005 19:13 (twenty years ago)

I'd like to see this as a Marvel Comic.

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Saturday, 31 December 2005 19:15 (twenty years ago)

failing that, at least a Celebrity Deathmatch

― blunt (blunt), Saturday, 31 December 2005 19:27 (twenty years ago)

JB is, for me, the single most important figure in music since Louis Armstrong. His best work - say the Star Time box set - is about as good as it gets. Much as I love Johnny Cash, and have more music by him than nearly anyone, it's not a close contest for me.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 31 December 2005 19:47 (twenty years ago)

Best celebrity knife fight ever.
For longevity, Cash. For influence, Brown.

― Forksclovetofu (Forksclovetofu), Saturday, 31 December 2005 21:21 (twenty years ago)

This would be a much better TS if it weren't in the middle of the current Cash love fest.

JB by a mile. Like Alex said, he brings the mood to you.

― Mitya (mitya), Saturday, 31 December 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

Sex Machine

― Freud Junior (Freud Junior), Saturday, 31 December 2005 22:14 (twenty years ago)

Johnny Cash, because of everything he was NOT.

- Cash never influenced hip-hop
- Cash never influenced disco
- Cash never inspired people to write less melodic music.

Add the fact that, as opposed to Brown, he did write a couple of nice songs, and Cash wins easily. Not that he is among my fave acts in any way, but still.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Saturday, 31 December 2005 22:18 (twenty years ago)

Geir, do you have a sixth sense that detects James Brown being mentioned on the internet?

― ohmyface (Matt Chesnut), Saturday, 31 December 2005 22:35 (twenty years ago)

Cash never inspired people to write less melodic music.

that's an odd thing to say about a guy whose hits included the likes of "get rhythm" and "25 minutes to go."

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Saturday, 31 December 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

it's funny everyone saying "i pick brown cos he's more influential" as if anyone actually weighs things like that AT ALL into their liking of something ("my favorite food is rice because it's the most important food in the world!"). i pick brown for the first ten years or so but i'm more likely to like a post-1975 cash track than a brown one.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 31 December 2005 22:47 (twenty years ago)

you pick brown rice ? I'm confused.

― blunt (blunt), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:06 (twenty years ago)

no contest at all: James Brown

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:13 (twenty years ago)

well that's a shockah

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:15 (twenty years ago)

not from me, not from most anyone, really

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:17 (twenty years ago)

i would pick james brown drum breaks over johnny cash.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:22 (twenty years ago)

and, you know, i like johnny cash and all...

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:28 (twenty years ago)

i love james brown but the "JB is an unimpeachable god whose worst track is superior to anyone else's best" treatment he gets from pretty much everyone around here (geir aside, but "geir aside" is kind of a given on these threads) really gets on my nerves sometimes. is there anyone who WOULDN'T get a "no contest: JB" response?

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:32 (twenty years ago)

not everyone picked james brown.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:37 (twenty years ago)

We could always try TS: James Brown vs. Also James Brown.

xpost

― John Justen (johnjusten), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

i might pick duke ellington or charles mingus or john coltrane over james brown. maybe. i don't really like choosing. but i wasn't kidding about the drum breaks. james brown SAMPLES mean more to me than johnny cash. let alone whole songs or albums.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:40 (twenty years ago)

James Brown's worst tracks are fucking horrible, dude, so don't even put that on me.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:44 (twenty years ago)

James Brown or David Bowie?

― Stephen C (ihope), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:44 (twenty years ago)

James Brown vs. Stravinksy, James Brown vs. Sun Ra

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:45 (twenty years ago)

there are just more people i would pick over johnny cash than james brown. i would take sinatra over johnny cash. or hank williams. it's a long list. to be honest, sly stone has had more influence on me in my life than james brown, but i would still pick james. in an imaginary on-line game of taking sides anyway.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:51 (twenty years ago)

i wouldn't pick james OR sly to drive me home though.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

"James Brown vs. Stravinksy, James Brown vs. Sun Ra"

i might have to pick mahler over jb. and i would pick just about anyone over sun ra.

― scott seward (scott seward), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:53 (twenty years ago)

scott when you start a religion I'll be your disciple

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Saturday, 31 December 2005 23:59 (twenty years ago)

james brown

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Sunday, 1 January 2006 00:18 (twenty years ago)

James Brown or David Bowie?

Bowie

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 1 January 2006 00:18 (twenty years ago)

Johnny Cash was a bad motherfucker, but of course it's James Brown. it is a contest, however, between whose *really* bad songs are worse--JB may well win that one.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Sunday, 1 January 2006 00:31 (twenty years ago)

i prefer johnny cash's personality over james brown's.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Sunday, 1 January 2006 00:38 (twenty years ago)

Oh, by the way, my winner tally is Johnny Cash, David Bowie, and Sun Ra.

He beats out Stravinsky, though. Stravinsky is a played-out sucka.

― John Justen (johnjusten), Sunday, 1 January 2006 00:47 (twenty years ago)

New Kids On The Block were probably as influential on popular music from the past 15 years as James Brown was.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 1 January 2006 03:04 (twenty years ago)

You are completely crack-smoking insane.

― John Justen (johnjusten), Sunday, 1 January 2006 03:08 (twenty years ago)

How does that work?

I'd go for James Brown, as he's influenced more of the music I love today. Sure he's done some bad songs, but so has Cash.

― Bn1 (Bn1), Sunday, 1 January 2006 03:38 (twenty years ago)

Lovebug OTM (except when he wants to join the Church of Scott), Matos OTM. James, no contest.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Sunday, 1 January 2006 03:53 (twenty years ago)

No one cares, Geir.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Sunday, 1 January 2006 06:55 (twenty years ago)

johnny cash is more impt to me, and i listen to him more,

― anthony easton (anthony), Sunday, 1 January 2006 07:12 (twenty years ago)

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