Johnny Cash fans think they have found song that ‘nobody has heard before’

Fans of the legendary songwriter Johnny Cash believe they have found a song that “nobody has heard before.”

Cash recorded dozens of songs across his decades-long career, and it is believed a few are yet to be released. One fan taking to the r/JohnnyCash subreddit believes they stumbled onto a song barely any of his fans will have heard. A fan asked: “Is it possible I found an Johnny Cash song that no one has ever heard before?” A few listeners cast doubts over the origins of the song though others have tried to pinpoint the time of recording and where it could have come from. A potential origin story for the song was found in a separate thread posted to the same subreddit.

The latest post, where a YouTube upload of the song, Time to Roll, was shared, had fans casting their doubts over whether Cash had recorded it. One user wrote: “First time for me.” Another suggested the original poster had stumbled onto an unheard Cash song, though proof it was a real recording was needed. They wrote: “Maybe, assuming this is real?

“I’d be interested in any publishing information that came with the CD. There is no reference of the song in the Cash sessionography (which contains lots of unreleased material). Can’t find the lyrics associated with any song by anyone. 

“Cash did help out a lot of friends and young songwriters. Maybe this publisher had a song by some songwriter that Cash was trying to help out. I can imagine him going into someone else’s studio in Nashville as a favour to record a quick demo.”

Though there are doubts over whether the song is artificially generated, the original uploaded, Mike I, claimed it was Cash’s voice on the song, and not an AI. He wrote: “To anyone who thinks this is AI-generated: It is not. This song came into my possession 14 years before AI was a thing.

“This Johnny Cash song was on a compilation CD of various artists that was sent to my ad agency around 2009 from a publishing company trying to get their tracks used in commercials. I lost the CD, so don’t have more details. Please post if you have any information on this song. Never seen or heard it anywhere else on the interwebs.”

In a separate post to the r/JohnnyCash subreddit, a user claimed: “I was working in an ad agency around 2008, and these music publishing companies would send up compilation CDS. On one of them was a Johnny Cash song called Time to Roll.

“I’m sure that was the exact title. It had a verse that included lyrics about ‘one of these days the Lord is going open up his arms and take me’ and the chorus starts with ‘Roll like the thunder.’ I am 100% certain I did not hallucinate this, but I can’t find the song anywhere. Anyone else ever heard of it?”

The song has not featured in any of historian John L Smith’s books, casting doubt over the origins of the so-called “unheard” Cash song. One user added: “It’s certainly not one that I’ve heard. Sounds like a Mercury era song, late 80s or early 90s, with a very different backing band.

“Would make sense given you got it from a production music CD. John’s son, John Carter Cash, might be able to tell you more about it. I do appreciate you sharing it, I’m going to add it to my little collection of Cash music.”

John Carter Cash has been contacted for comment.