About the song
“Folsom Prison Blues” is an iconic song by American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, written in 1953 and first recorded in 1955. This legendary track has become one of Cash’s signature songs, combining elements of two popular folk styles, the train song and the prison song. The song’s inspiration came from Cash’s experience watching the movie “Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison” while serving in the United States Air Force in West Germany. The famous line “But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die” was born from Cash’s attempt to think of the worst reason for killing someone.
Interestingly, Cash borrowed the melody and many lyrics from Gordon Jenkins’ 1953 song “Crescent City Blues,” which led to a lawsuit and a settlement of $75,000 in the early 1970s. The original recording was done at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, with Cash on vocals and guitar, Luther Perkins on guitar, and Marshall Grant on bass. The song’s unique sound, which blends country, rockabilly, and rock and roll, has been praised by critics and fans alike.
In 1968, Cash performed “Folsom Prison Blues” live at Folsom State Prison, which was recorded and released as a live album titled “At Folsom Prison.” This version became a No. 1 hit on the country music charts and reached No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100. The live performance won Cash the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male, in 1969. “Folsom Prison Blues” has been ranked No. 51 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest country songs of all time and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. This song has become an integral part of Cash’s legacy, and its enduring popularity is a testament to his genius as a songwriter and performer.
Video
Lyrics
Hello, I’m Johnny Cash
I hear the train a-comin’, it’s rolling ’round the bend
And I ain’t seen the sunshine since I don’t know when
I’m stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps draggin’ on
But that train keeps a-rollin’ on down to San Antone
When I was just a baby my mama told me, “Son
Always be a good boy, don’t ever play with guns”
But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die
When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry
I bet there’s rich folks eating in a fancy dining car
They’re probably drinkin’ coffee and smoking big cigars
Well I know I had it coming, I know I can’t be free
But those people keep a-movin’ and that’s what tortures me
Well if they freed me from this prison, if that railroad train was mine
I bet I’d move it on a little farther down the line
Far from Folsom prison, that’s where I want to stay
And I’d let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away