So much of the Christmas season, for me, is all about the music. I have no problems with you if you want to start your Christmas celebrations a little early. After Halloween seems excessive. After Thanksgiving is fair game. Then let’s bring on the real Christmas songs and the fake ones, too. I don’t discriminate. From Dec 16-31, it’s all Christmas music playing on Mental Jukebox.

Cash’s deep baritone vocals is always the highlight on any of his recordings – from “Ring of Fire” to “Hurt”. But it’s appropriate that the second most iconic aspect of “The Little Drummer Boy” from Cash’s first Christmas album is the drum part. It’s notable that the drum kit sounds raw, basic and unpolished – almost unsuitable for a recording of this stature. But this is Johnny Cash. There’s no flair or production finagling. It’s all about the rawness and gravity of the nativity moment. The gift presented to baby Jesus, after all, isn’t about instrument’s quality, it’s solely about the gift of music.

“Come they told me (pa-rum pum pum pum). A newborn King to see (pa-rum pum pum pum). Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum pum pum pum.”