Johnny Cash - Blood, Sweat, and Tears (1963)

Blood, Sweat and Tears is, in essence, a collection of songs about the American working man. It includes "The Legend of John Henry's Hammer" and "Busted", the latter of which would become a single. "Busted" was written by Harlan Howard in 1962, and has been covered by several notable artists, including Ray Charles (also in 1963). The song is about a dirt-poor farmer struggling to support his family, bemoaning a stack of bills, his family's needs, animals that won't produce and land that is barren. He even tries to ask his brother for assistance, but his brother was actually going to come to him for help. Finally, he admits he's going to pack up his family and leave to find a better life.

"The Ballad of Casey Jones" is a traditional song about railroad engineer Casey Jones and his death at the controls of the train he was driving. It tells of how Jones and his fireman Sim Webb raced their locomotive to make up for lost time, but discovered another train ahead of them on the line, and how Jones remained on board to try to stop the train as Webb jumped to safety.