Having different versions of a song would mean having different ideas and ways of interpreting things so that means there are differences among them as well. There are several differences between the song “On the Banks of the Ohio” that was recorded by Johnny Cash and that which was recorded by the Kossoy Sisters’. First of all, we can clearly see the difference in both of these musicians use of musical terms. Johnny Cash’s version of the song has a slower melody to it whereas the Kossoy Sisters’ sang with a faster melody. Melody is a tune or string of notes with distinctive rhythm and shape. Johnny Cash sang in the tune that he did because he can relate to the situation. He is the one who is experiencing it. Therefore, he is singing in a slow, depressing, and non- changing voice because he feels a sense of rejection. When he said “I plunged a knife into her breast”, this changes the tone as well as the mood of the song. He is no longer excited to marry who was once the love of his life but rather he is in the state of shock and anger which is why he decided to take her life away.

On the other hand, in the Kossoy Sisters’ recording of the song, we can see that they sang in another person’s perspective which shows that they do not necessary understand everything that is going on because they are not able to connect with it. They are women and the song was sung to a woman so it is quite difficult for them to cope with the situation if they are not the one who is facing it. My point is proven when the song goes, “Crying “Oh Willy!” don’t murder me”. The speaker here is clearly speaking to a man and not a woman. Now that we know this, we can understand why they sang in a fast-paced way. They do not feel the misery and pain that Johnny Cash feels so they sang in a faster and more energetic way which shows the audience no authenticity. In result, Johnny Cash’s recording is more realistic than the one recorded by the Kossoy Sisters’.

The demand for a particular song has to do with authenticity and how real it is. In other words, whether or not a song will attract people to listen to it depends a lot on how real the song is in the eyes of the media. Johnny Cash’s version of the song sticks out more to the audience because his message was more clear especially because of the fact that he himself was the victim so he is able to express that feeling out to the public a little bit better then the Kossoy Sisters’ could have done just because they did not experience it like Cash did. We can now conclude that this is an example of folk music because it was transmitted down from person to person. That is why we see multiple versions of the same song.