The Mystery of Life, again produced by "Cowboy" Jack Clement, emphasized Cash's own songwriting, e.g. "The Greatest Cowboy of Them All" and "I'm An Easy Rider," while also dipping into the songbooks of Tom T. Hall and John Prine. The songs featured are culled from both recent sessions and from leftovers from Cash's first Mercury session in 1986 for the album Johnny Cash is Coming to Town. It includes new recordings of two songs already associated with him from his Sun and Columbia days, "Hey Porter" and "Wanted Man." "I'll Go Somewhere and Sing My Songs Again" is a duet with Tom T. Hall. This was Johnny's 77th album, released in 1991, and his last for Mercury Records.

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