"Jackson"

No, not Michael. He can hit the road, Jack. I mean the real "Jackson":

We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout,
We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out.
I'm goin' to Jackson, I'm gonna mess around,
Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson,
Look out Jackson town.

Well, go on down to Jackson; go ahead and wreck your health.
Go play your hand you big-talkin' man, make a big fool of yourself,
Yeah, go to Jackson; go comb your hair!
Honey, I'm gonna snowball Jackson.
See if I care.

When I breeze into that city, people gonna stoop and bow. (Hah!)
All them women gonna make me, teach 'em what they don't know how,
I'm goin' to Jackson, you turn-a loose-a my coat.
'Cos I'm goin' to Jackson.
"Goodbye," that's all she wrote.

But they'll laugh at you in Jackson, and I'll be dancin' on a Pony Keg.
They'll lead you 'round town like a scalded hound,
With your tail tucked between your legs,
Yeah, go to Jackson, you big-talkin' man.
And I'll be waitin' in Jackson, behind my Jaypan Fan,

Well now, we got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper Sprout,
We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went.
I'm goin' to Jackson, and that's a fact.
Yeah, we're goin' to Jackson, ain't never comin' back.

Well, we got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout
And we've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went...

I was watching the online video to this song very early this Saturday morning when my wife grumbled in, glanced at what I was doing, and muttered, "More Cash? You're obsessive."

I just smiled and said, "This ain't Cash," but she had already shuffled off to shower and wake up.

I turned my attention back to the video. And I admit that I lied about this being the real "Jackson." It ain't Cash and June at all, but Phoenix and Witherspoon, who happen to do a credible job on the song. Phoenix even has Cash's vocal and physical mannerisms down so pat that I find myself almost believing that Cash has returned.

If you're interested, click here, and when you reach the website, you'll find under "Videos" that you can click on "Jackson" and enjoy a performance from the film Walk the Line. First, though, you have to endure Kermit the frog challenge some cowboy-hatted guitarist to a contest of dueling banjo-and-guitar. That got a bit tiresome after the twentieth time that I'd sat through it waiting for "Jackson."

What? No, I don't consider listening to "Jackson" twenty times in a row 'obsessive' even if my wife, who is usually right about things, agrees with you on this.

I just wish that I had a video of the real Cash and June performing it. The only other song that compares with them doing "Jackson" is Ray Charles singing "Hit the Road Jack" with . . . uh . . . with . . . um . . . who the hell did he sing that with, anyway?