In 2002, a collection of legendary artists influenced by Johnny Cash contributed covers for Kindred Spirits, a tribute album to The Man in Black.
Bruce Springsteen was among the artists represented, and his contribution was a lovely recording of Cash’s 1957 country hit, “Give My Love to Rose.”
A haunting romantic ballad about an ailing ex-convict desperately trying to reunite with his love before he dies, “Give My Love to Rose” sounds exactly like a song Bruce might have written for The Ghost of Tom Joad or Nebraska.
Originally recorded in 1957, “Give My Love to Rose” only rose to #13 on the Country & Western chart, but Cash refused to let it go, recording it several more times over his career. In 2002, just a year before his death, Cash recorded it a final time and brought home his final Grammy Award as a result.
Bruce’s recording of “Give My Love to Rose” came out that same year on Kindred Spirits, but he’d been moved to record it a few years prior for a Johnny Cash tribute television special in April 1999.
But Bruce’s performance pre-dates that show, too.
Bruce actually recorded and self-produced “Give My Love to Rose” at his home studio on February 12, 1999. He donated the video to the televised tribute show (which aired on TNT on April 18th), but the audio stayed in the vault until the release of Kindred Spirits three years later.
Long out of print, “Give My Love to Rose” remains one of the rarer officially released Springsteen recordings to chase down in physical form, but it can be easily found on most streaming services for your listening pleasure.
Give My Love to Rose
Recorded: February 12, 1999
Released: Kindred Spirits (2002)
Never performed
Really nice!