Chicken In Black By Johnny Cash.

Saw on a Country and Western TV Station recently a song done by the late Johnny Cash.

Being a bit of a JC fan I didn’t initially think it was one of his best but it bought a smile to my face and a lot of admiration to the guy and his lovely ‘warped’ sense of Humour.

As you probably know he has come across in the past as a bit of a sombre character (despite a history of humorous songs) especially for his characteristic trait of always wearing black. He has even written a song called “The Man In Black” explaining his reasons for doing so.

However in this particular song clip that I saw, called, ”Chicken in Black,” you get to see a side of him rarely shown. In it you get to see a chicken dressed in black, while Old J C himself, gets to run around in a colourful outfit of tights and cape, al la a Superman type of “getout”, and having a ball sending himself up.

As far as songs go, it is rather inane, and as implied earlier, not one of his greatest, but one had to admire the man in that although he has long and steadfast convictions for his actions of for always doing something in his own particular way and style (wearing black), he was not above himself in it and prepared to take "the mickey" out of himself and not take himself too seriously.

Oh yes he took his cause seriously, but not himself.

What about us? Do we at times take ourselves a little more seriously than we ought? Are there times when like Johnny, we should just lighten up a little and see the funny side? Even when it is at our expense?

Having said that, there is no way that you will ever catch me running around in a costume like that. How about you though? Not in wearing a colourful costume, but in lightning up a little, when needed? I’m not saying that we need to make a clown of ourselves all the time, but maybe, just maybe, once in a while it may pay our cause, just to lighten up a little and have a little fun. You never know when the change, as well as amusing people, may even help to get your original message across even better.

I believe we must always take our work and tasks seriously, but not ourselves, and that it doesn’t hurt to occasionally have a little fun doing it, providing you chose your moments. I am in no way suggesting you do it all the time, just to consider it, even if only like Johnny, once in a while! What say you? Walter