“Scroll down to the end of the article to listen to music.”
Introduction
When you listen to “Committed to Parkview” by the Highwaymen, it’s like stepping into a hauntingly beautiful narrative of broken dreams and weary souls. The song paints a vivid picture of life within the walls of an institution, a place where people—once full of life and potential—are now confined due to their struggles with mental illness. The emotion runs deep here, and as a listener, you can’t help but feel a profound empathy for these individuals who’ve lost their way in the labyrinth of their own minds.
Sung by Johnny Cash, the storytelling is raw and direct. Cash’s voice, with its unmistakable depth, gives the lyrics an added layer of poignancy. It’s as if he’s not just singing about these people, but he’s actually there with them, living through the same pain and isolation. That’s what makes this song so powerful—it doesn’t judge, it doesn’t pity; it simply reflects the reality of those who are caught in the darkness of their minds. And when Johnny Cash delivers the words, it feels like he’s sharing a piece of his own soul, shaped by his own experiences and struggles.
What’s fascinating about “Committed to Parkview” is that it isn’t just a song about sadness or despair. It’s also a deeply human reflection on vulnerability. The song reminds us that no one is immune to hardship, no matter how successful or talented they may have been. There’s a line that resonates deeply: “Some are here because they cheated, some are here because they lied. Some are here because they broke somebody’s heart.” It’s a sobering reminder that behind every person in this institution is a story—a story that led them to this place, often full of mistakes and regrets, but still deeply human.
The song doesn’t shy away from the difficult subject of mental health, either. During the time this song was written, mental illness was often misunderstood or stigmatized. But here, through this powerful composition, we are reminded that mental illness doesn’t discriminate. It can affect anyone, and it often does in the most unexpected ways. Cash and the Highwaymen take the listener on a journey of empathy and awareness, revealing the frailty of the human spirit but also its quiet resilience.
Musically, the song is stripped-down and minimalist, which allows the listener to focus on the lyrics. There’s an almost eerie stillness to it, which reflects the somber mood of the subject matter. The instrumentation is sparse, yet it serves the narrative perfectly—there’s no need for embellishment when the story being told is so heavy and real.
“Committed to Parkview” lingers with you long after the final note. It’s a song that not only tells a story but also invites you to sit with your thoughts, to reflect on the fragility of life and the thin line between sanity and despair. This song is a reminder that, at the end of the day, we’re all human, and sometimes the road life takes us down is harder than we ever could have imagined.
Video
Lyrics
There’s a man across the hall
Who sits starin’ at the floor
And he thinks he’s Hank Williams
Hear him singin’ through the door
There’s a girl in 202
Who stops by to visit me
And she talks about her songs
And the star that she should be
There’s a lot of real fine talent
Stayin’ in or passin’ through
And for one thing or another
They’re committed to Parkview
There’s a girl in 207
Comin’ down on thorazine
And a superstar’s ex-drummer
Tryin’ to kick benzedrine
There’s a real fine country singer
Who has tried and tried and tried
They just brought him in this morning
An attempted suicide
There are those who never made it
Those who did and now are through
Some came of their own good choosin’
Some committed to Parkview
There’s a girl who cries above me
Loud enough to wake the dead
They don’t know what she has taken
That has scrambled up her head
There’s a boy just down below me
Who’s the son of some well-known
He was brought in by his mother
‘Cause his daddy’s always gone
There’s a bum from down on broadway
And a few quite well-to-do
Who have withdrawn from the rat race
And committed to Parkview
They wake me about six-thirty
Just before the morning meal
While they’re takin’ my blood pressure
They ask me how I feel
And I always say “fantastic!”
There ain’t nothing wrong with me
And then they give me my injection
And I go right back to sleep
And my days’re kinda foggy
And my nights’re dreamy too
For they’re taking good care of me
While committed to Parkview