Man in Black: Live in Denmark 1971 in Bloomington, MN

Broadcast on Danish television in 1971, this hour-long program is a decent document of
Johnny Cash
in the prime of his media visibility, though it's not the best such thing available. In fact, it's a little like watching an episode of his network variety TV show without as much variety. Done on a simple set before a small audience, the focus is wholly on the music, though
Cash
occasionally cedes the spotlight to a few guests. Seven of the 19 songs on the disc, however, are
solo performances, including well-known numbers like
"I Walk the Line,"
"Man in Black,"
"A Boy Named Sue,"
and
"Guess Things Happen That Way,"
as well as the
Kris Kristofferson
covers
"Me and Bobby McGee"
"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down."
also duets with wife
June Carter Cash
on three tunes, taking in another
Kristofferson
cover (
"Help Me Make It Through the Night"
) and interpretations of songs by
John Sebastian
(
"Darling Companion"
) and
Tim Hardin
"If I Were a Carpenter"
). Also taking turns as featured performers are
Carl Perkins
(with
"Blue Suede Shoes"
"Matchbox"
),
the Statler Brothers
(who do their biggest hit,
"Flowers on the Wall"
), and
the Carter Family
(though the instrumental they offer sounds like a song that's waiting for a lead vocalist to come in). All the performers join together for some spiritual tunes, and
provides the melodramatic narration for
's maudlin
"A Song to Mama,"
complete with an insert of
Maybelle Carter
getting misty-eyed in a corner of the screen. The show as a whole is a little workmanlike (and
's guitar often dangles unplayed), but it's a fair way to get a concentrated dose of the music
Johnny
and his intimates were performing in the early '70s. ~ Richie Unterberger