Lyrics A Boy Named Sue

WriteOut of Her Mind

As I look back on one of the best summers ever, there is a memory that will stay with my family for a long time. No doubt it was emotionally detrimental enough to have scarred my children for a lifetime. But when you are stuck with the Carpenter and I as your parents, it should be expected the journey to adulthood has embarrassing musical accompaniment.

It happened during the drive from Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island. It was a gloomy, rainy day. We were in need of good driving tunes to lighten our spirits. I should mention we were on a budget and had only a CD player in the car. It’s not an excuse, but it was the inspiration for the horror show to follow.

The Carpenter and I bought Johnny Cash’s greatest hits on sale for $5. What a deal. What an ordeal for the two minor-aged passengers who had to listen to their parents sing Johnny in unison, off key and off kilter.

It might seem like a bizarre musical choice for us, but I was raised on the music of the big man with the deep voice and that hypnotic train rhythm:  simple country blues. That’s right, I was tortured too. My Dad and Johnny Cash singing silly prison songs of hardship and woe was the soundtrack of many car trips in my memory (don’t even get me started on my mother’s Conway Twitty addiction).

I remember the look of surprise on the Carpenter’s face when we watched the Hollywood movie of Cash’s life and I knew the words of every single song. My husband realized he, too, knew a lot of the music, hence the motive behind the purchase of the CD collection on that fateful day. We are both twisted parents.

If only you could have seen what I saw in the rearview mirror as the first song, Ring of Fire began, leading into a full-on chorus in horrendous harmony from the two adults in the front seat, slapping knees and stomping feet, while belting out the lyrics like we were in a karaoke bar.

Moore to the Point – “A Boy Named Sue,” by Johnny Cash

By Russell D. Moore. Russell D. Moore serves as the teaching pastor at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky. In addition, Dr. Moore is the Dean of the School of Theology and Senior Vice President for Academic Administration at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Find sermons and other resources to help Christians engage the culture from a biblical worldview at www.russellmoore.com. “A Boy Named Sue,” by Johnny Cash — Friday, September 2nd, 2011 —

For some time now I’ve been concerned that Christians are not paying serious enough attention to a temptation the apostles warn against constantly. That temptation is “pugilism” or “quarrelsomeness.” It is, you might say, the draw toward hyper-masculinity, in which assertion and aggression itself is defined as “manhood.” You can see that in everything from Hip-Hop lyrics to some evangelical sermons about Jesus.

And, man, is it dangerous.

In this week’s episode (below) of “ The Cross and the Jukebox ,” we take a look at another song by Johnny Cash, “A Boy Named Sue.” This is a lighter song of Cash’s—certainly not on the level of a song we examined last week, “Hurt” —but I don’t think the issue in the song is merely of a father’s naming his son “Sue” in order that he might grow up to be “tough” and “mean.” The key matter isn’t just the name. It’s that the father left. The son had to prove himself a man, without a father there to affirm that manhood.

This song, I think, ought to prompt a question about what it means to affirm a holistic masculinity, in which manhood is defined in terms of Jesus Christ, and not the other way around. Listen in, and join the conversation.

This was a good message, Dr. Moore, and a very entertaining song. My thoughts from hearing your message is that I’m curious to hear your thoughts regarding Biblical manhood in the church in terms of women teaching boy’s in church Sunday Schools. Its one of those subjects not often addressed, but definitely something that comes to mind.

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