Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Record

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1968 Vinyl release of At Folsom Prison on Discogs.

At Folsom Prison
Live album by
ReleasedMay 1968
RecordedJanuary 13, 1968
VenueFolsom State Prison(Folsom, CA)
Genre
Length
LabelColumbia
ProducerBob Johnston (original)
Bob Irwin (re-release)
Johnny Cash chronology
From Sea to Shining Sea
(1968)
At Folsom Prison
(1968)
Old Golden Throat
(1968)
Singles from Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison
  1. 'Folsom Prison Blues'
    Released: April 30, 1968

At Folsom Prison is a live album by Johnny Cash, released on Columbia Records in May 1968. After his 1955 song 'Folsom Prison Blues', Cash had been interested in recording a performance at a prison. His idea was put on hold until 1967, when personnel changes at Columbia Records put Bob Johnston in charge of producing Cash's material. Cash had recently controlled his drug abuse problems, and was looking to turn his career around after several years of limited commercial success. Backed by June Carter, Carl Perkins and the Tennessee Three, Cash performed two shows at Folsom State Prison in California on January 13, 1968. The album consists of fifteen tracks from the first show and two tracks from the second.

Despite little initial investment by Columbia, At Folsom Prison was a hit in the United States, reaching number one on the country charts and the top 15 of the national album chart. The lead single, a live version of 'Folsom Prison Blues', was a top 40 hit, Cash's first since 1964's 'Understand Your Man'. At Folsom Prison received positive reviews and revitalized Cash's career, becoming the first in a series of live albums recorded at prisons that includes 'At San Quentin' (1969), 'På Österåker' (1973), and 'A Concert Behind Prison Walls' (1976). The album was rereleased with additional tracks in 1999, a three-disc set in 2008, and a five LP box set with bonus rehearsals in 2018 for Record Store Day. It was certified triple platinum in 2003 for US sales exceeding three million.

  • 4Track listing
  • 6Charts

Background[edit]

Johnny Cash became interested in Folsom State Prison, California, while serving in the United States Air Force Security Service. In 1953, his unit watched Crane Wilbur's 1951 film Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison. The film inspired Cash to write a song that reflected his perception of prison life.[1] The result was 'Folsom Prison Blues', Cash's second single on Sun Records. The song became popular among inmates, who would write to Cash, requesting him to perform at their prisons.[2] Cash's first prison performance was at Huntsville State Prison in 1957.[3] Satisfied by the favorable reception, he performed at several other prisons in the years leading up to the Folsom performance in 1968.[3]

A few years after attaining commercial success from songs such as 'I Walk the Line', 'Understand Your Man', and 'Ring of Fire', Cash's popularity waned. This was due in part to his increasing dependence on drugs.[4] In 1967, Cash sought help for his escalating drug problems; by the end of the year, his drug use decreased and he sought to turn his career around.[5] Concurrently, the country portion of Columbia Records underwent major personnel changes. Frank Jones and Don Law, who had produced several of Cash's albums, were ousted in favor of Bob Johnston, who was known for his erratic behavior and willingness to disagree with studio executives.[6] Cash saw this as an opportunity to pitch his idea of recording a live album at a prison; Johnston enthusiastically supported the concept.[7] Johnston called San Quentin State Prison and Folsom, with Folsom being the first to respond.[8]

Recording[edit]

The album was recorded at Folsom State Prison in Folsom, California.

On January 10, 1968, Cash and June Carter checked into the El Rancho Motel in Sacramento, California. They were later accompanied by the Tennessee Three, Carl Perkins, The Statler Brothers, Johnny's father Ray Cash, Reverend Floyd Gressett, pastor of Avenue Community Church in Ventura, California (where Cash often attended services), who counseled inmates at Folsom and helped facilitate the concert, and producer Johnston. The performers rehearsed for two days, an uncommon occurrence for them, sometimes with two or more songs rehearsed concurrently by various combinations of musicians.[9] During the rehearsal sessions on January 12, California governor Ronald Reagan, who was at the hotel for an after-dinner speech, visited the band and offered his encouragement.[10] One focus of the sessions was to learn 'Greystone Chapel', a song written by inmate Glen Sherley. Sherley recorded a version of the song, which he passed on to Rev. Gressett via the prison's recreation director.[11][12] On January 13, the group traveled to Folsom, meeting Los Angeles Times writer Robert Hilburn and Columbia photographer Jim Marshall, who were hired to document the album for the liner notes.[13]

Cash decided to hold two performances on January 13, one at 9:40 AM and one at 12:40 PM, in case the first performance was unsatisfactory.[14] After an introduction by MCHugh Cherry, who encouraged the prisoners to 'respond' to Cash's performance, Carl Perkins took the stage and performed his hit song 'Blue Suede Shoes'.[15] Following this song, the Statler Brothers sang their hit 'Flowers on the Wall' and the country standard 'This Old House'.[16] Cherry returned to the stage and instructed the inmates not to cheer for Cash until he introduced himself; they obliged.[2]

Cash opened both shows with a rendition of 'Folsom Prison Blues', followed by many songs about prison, including 'The Wall', 'Green, Green Grass of Home', and the gallows humor song '25 Minutes to Go'. Cash also included other songs of despair, such as the Merle Travis song 'Dark as a Dungeon'. Following 'Orange Blossom Special', Cash included a few 'slow, ballad-type songs', including 'Send a Picture of Mother' and 'The Long Black Veil', followed by three novelty songs from his album Everybody Loves A Nut: 'Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog', 'Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart', and 'Joe Bean'.[17]June Carter joined Cash to perform a pair of duets. After a seven-minute version of a song from his Blood, Sweat and Tears album, 'The Legend of John Henry's Hammer', Cash took a break and Carter recited a poem.[17] Cash ended both concerts with Sherley's 'Greystone Chapel'. The second concert was not as fruitful as the first; the musicians were fatigued from the earlier show.[18] Only two songs from the second concert, 'Give My Love to Rose' and 'I Got Stripes,' made it onto the LP release.

  • 'Folsom Prison Blues'
  • 'Busted'
  • 'Dark as a Dungeon'
  • 'I Still Miss Someone'
  • 'Cocaine Blues'
  • '25 Minutes to Go'
  • 'I'm Not in Your Town to Stay'
  • 'Orange Blossom Special'
  • 'The Long Black Veil'
  • 'Send a Picture of Mother'
  • 'The Wall'
  • 'Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog'
  • 'Flushed From The Bathroom of Your Heart'
  • 'Joe Bean'
  • 'Jackson'
  • 'I Got a Woman'
  • 'The Legend of John Henry's Hammer'
  • 'Green, Green Grass of Home'
  • 'Greystone Chapel'
  • 'Folsom Prison Blues'
  • 'Busted'
  • 'Dark as a Dungeon'
  • 'Cocaine Blues'
  • '25 Minutes to Go'
  • 'Orange Blossom Special'
  • 'The Legend of John Henry's Hammer'
  • 'Give My Love to Rose'
  • 'Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog'
  • 'Flushed From The Bathroom of Your Heart'
  • 'Joe Bean'
  • 'Jackson'
  • 'Long Legged Guitar Picking Man'
  • 'I Got Stripes'
  • 'Green, Green Grass of Home
  • 'Greystone Chapel'
  • 'Greystone Chapel' (repeat)

Reception and impact[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic(re-issue) [19]
Pitchfork(Legacy) 9.7/10[20]
PopMatters(Legacy) 10/10[21]
Rolling Stone(Legacy) [22]
Rolling Stone Album Guide(Legacy) [23]

The album release of At Folsom Prison was prepared in four months. Despite the recent success of 'Rosanna's Going Wild', a Cash single released just before the Folsom concerts that reached number two on the country charts, Columbia initially invested little in the album or its single 'Folsom Prison Blues'. This was due partially to Columbia's efforts to promote pop stars instead of country artists.[24][25] Nevertheless, the single charted on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 25, 1968; it also hit the country charts a week later.[26][27] The single suffered a setback, however, when Sirhan SirhanassassinatedSenator Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968. Radio stations ceased playing the single due to the macabre line: 'I shot a man in Reno/Just to watch him die'. Reeling in the success prior to the assassination, Columbia demanded Johnston remix the single with the line removed. Despite protests from Cash, the single was edited and re-released. The new version became a success, reaching number one on the country charts and the top forty on the national charts.[28] The single prompted the album to climb the album charts, eventually reaching number one on the Top Country Albums chart and number thirteen on the Pop Albums chart—the forerunner to the Billboard 200.[29] By August 1968, Folsom had shipped over 300,000 copies; two months later it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipping over 500,000.[30][31]

At Folsom Prison received rave reviews. Al Aronowitz of Life stated Cash sang the songs like 'someone who has grown up believing he is one of the people that these songs are about.'[32] For The Village Voice, Ann Fisher wrote that 'every cut is special in its own way' and Richard Goldstein noted the album was 'filled with the kind of emotionalism you seldom find in rock.'[33][34] Fredrick E. Danker of Sing Out! praised At Folsom Prison as 'an album structured an aural experience for us.'[35]

Johnny Cash

The success of At Folsom Prison revitalized Cash's career; according to Cash, 'that's where things really got started for me again'.[4]Sun Records re-dubbed Cash's previous B-side 'Get Rhythm' with applause similar to Folsom's, and it became successful enough to enter the Hot 100.[36] Cash returned to the prison scene in 1969 when he recorded At San Quentin at San Quentin State Prison. At San Quentin became Cash's first album to hit number one on the Pop chart and produced the number two hit 'A Boy Named Sue'. The ensuing popularity from the Folsom concert also prompted ABC to give Cash his own television show.[37]

The album was re-released on October 19, 1999 with three extra tracks excluded from the original LP: 'Busted', 'Joe Bean', and 'The Legend of John Henry's Hammer'. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised the new version, calling it 'the ideal blend of mythmaking and gritty reality.'[38] On May 27, 2003, At Folsom Prison was certified triple platinum by the RIAA for shipping over three million units.[31] Since its release, it has been acknowledged as one of the greatest albums of all time by several sources. In 2003, the album was ranked number 88 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list.[39] Also in 2003, it was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.[40]Country Music Television named it the third greatest album in country music in 2006.[41]Blender listed the album as the 63rd greatest American album of all time and as one of the '500 CDs You Must Own'.[42][43] In 2006, Time listed it among the 100 greatest albums of all time.[44] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[45]

In 2008, Columbia and Legacy Records re-issued At Folsom Prison as a two CD, one DVD set. This so-called 'Legacy Edition' contained both concerts uncut and remastered. The included DVD, produced by Bestor Cram and Michael Streissguth of Northern Light Productions, featured pictures and interviews relevant to the concert. Pitchfork Media lauded the collection, claiming that it had 'the force of empathic endeavors, as if he were doing penance for his notorious bad habits.'[46] Christian Hoard wrote for Rolling Stone that the Legacy edition 'makes for an excellent historical document, highlighting Cash's rapport with prison folk.'[47]

Track listing[edit]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1.'Folsom Prison Blues'Johnny Cash2:42
2.'Dark as the Dungeon'Merle Travis3:05
3.'I Still Miss Someone'J. Cash, Roy Cash Jr.1:38
4.'Cocaine Blues'T.J. Arnall3:01
5.'25 Minutes to Go'Shel Silverstein3:31
6.'Orange Blossom Special'Ervin T. Rouse3:01
7.'The Long Black Veil'Marijohn Wilkin, Danny Dill3:57
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1.'Send a Picture of Mother'Cash2:11
2.'The Wall'Harlan Howard1:49
3.'Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog'Jack H. Clement1:17
4.'Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart'Clement2:39
5.'Jackson' (with June Carter)Billy Edd Wheeler, Jerry Leiber2:56
6.'Give My Love to Rose' (with June Carter)Cash2:41
7.'I Got Stripes'Cash, Charlie Williams1:42
8.'Green, Green Grass of Home'Curly Putman2:57
9.'Greystone Chapel'Glen Sherley5:34

Re-release (1999)[edit]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1.'Folsom Prison Blues'Johnny Cash2:42
2.'Busted'Harlan Howard1:25
3.'Dark as a Dungeon'Merle Travis3:04
4.'I Still Miss Someone'J. Cash, Roy Cash Jr.1:38
5.'Cocaine Blues'T.J. Arnall3:01
6.'25 Minutes to Go'Shel Silverstein3:31
7.'Orange Blossom Special'Ervin T. Rouse3:01
8.'The Long Black Veil'Marijohn Wilkin, Danny Dill3:58
9.'Send a Picture of Mother'Cash2:10
10.'The Wall'Howard1:36
11.'Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog'Jack H. Clement1:30
12.'Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart'Clement2:17
13.'Joe Bean'Bud Freeman, Leon Pober2:25
14.'Jackson' (with June Carter)Billy Edd Wheeler, Jerry Leiber (as Gaby Rodgers)3:12
15.'Give My Love to Rose' (with June Carter)Cash2:41
16.'I Got Stripes'Cash, Charlie Williams1:57
17.'The Legend of John Henry's Hammer'Cash, Carter7:08
18.'Green, Green Grass of Home'Curly Putman2:29
19.'Greystone Chapel'Glen Sherley6:02

Legacy Edition (2008)[edit]

Disc 1 – Show One
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1.'Opening announcements from Hugh Cherry'1:01
2.'Blue Suede Shoes' (performed by Carl Perkins)Carl Perkins3:31
3.'This Ole House' (performed by The Statler Brothers)Stuart Hamblen (miscredited as 'D. Morgan-D. Pfrimmer-F. Meyers')1:38
4.'Announcements and Johnny Cash intro from Hugh Cherry'1:04
5.'Folsom Prison Blues'Johnny Cash2:36
6.'Busted'Harlan Howard1:24
7.'Dark as a Dungeon'Merle Travis3:07
8.'I Still Miss Someone'J. Cash, Roy Cash Jr.1:36
9.'Cocaine Blues'T.J. Arnall2:49
10.'25 Minutes to Go'Shel Silverstein2:57
11.'I'm Here to Get My Baby Out of Jail'Karl Davis, Harty Taylor3:31
12.'Orange Blossom Special'Ervin T. Rouse3:36
13.'The Long Black Veil'Marijohn Wilkin, Danny Dill3:43
14.'Send a Picture of Mother'Cash2:10
15.'The Wall'Howard1:54
16.'Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog'Jack H. Clement1:17
17.'Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart'Clement2:24
18.'Joe Bean'Bud Freeman, Leon Pober2:30
19.'Jackson' (with June Carter)Billy Edd Wheeler, Jerry Leiber (as Gaby Rodgers)3:12
20.'I Got a Woman' (with June Carter)Ray Charles, Renald Richard4:37
21.'The Legend of John Henry's Hammer'Cash, Carter7:06
22.'June's Poem' (performed by June Carter)0:58
23.'Green, Green Grass of Home'Curly Putman3:19
24.'Greystone Chapel'Glen Sherley2:49
25.'Closing announcements'1:42
Total length:65:31
Folsom
Disc 2 – Show Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1.'The Old Spinning Wheel' (performed by Carl Perkins)Billy Hill1:33
2.'Opening announcements from Hugh Cherry'1:16
3.'Matchbox' (performed by Carl Perkins)Perkins2:41
4.'Blue Suede Shoes' (performed by Carl Perkins)Perkins2:14
5.'You Can't Have Your Kate and Edith, Too' (performed by The Statler Brothers)Bobby Braddock, Curly Putnam2:23
6.'Flowers on the Wall' (performed by The Statler Brothers)Lew DeWitt2:20
7.'How Great Thou Art' (performed by The Statler Brothers)Stuart K. Hine3:23
8.'Announcements and Johnny Cash intro from Hugh Cherry'2:38
9.'Folsom Prison Blues'Cash2:40
10.'Busted'Howard1:21
11.'Dark as a Dungeon'Travis2:51
12.'Cocaine Blues'Arnall2:49
13.'25 Minutes To Go'Silverstein2:57
14.'Orange Blossom Special'Rouse3:36
15.'The Legend of John Henry's Hammer'Cash, Carter6:52
16.'Give My Love to Rose' (with June Carter)Cash2:43
17.'Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog'Clement4:38
18.'Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart'Clement3:06
19.'Joe Bean'Freeman, Pober2:27
20.'Jackson' (with June Carter)Wheeler, Leiber (as Rodgers)3:10
21.'Long-Legged Guitar Pickin' Man' (with June Carter)Perkins2:36
22.'I Got Stripes'Cash, Leadbelly 'On a Monday'1:43
23.'Green, Green Grass Of Home'Putman3:24
24.'Greystone Chapel'Sherley3:35
25.'Greystone Chapel'Sherley2:38
26.'Hugh Cherry Introduces Johnny's father, Ray Cash, Associate Warden Walter E. Craven and Floyd Gressett, and closing announcements'3:10
Total length:75:58
DVD
No.TitleLength
1.'Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison – documentary film (2 hours, 10 minutes)'
2.'Interviews
  • Marty Stuart
  • Rosanne Cash
  • Marshall Grant'
3.'Bob Irwin: 'Remixing the Folsom Recording'
4.'Marty Stuart: Performance of 'Hangman'
5.'Ronda Sherley: 'Glen Sherley's My Last Day'
6.'Folsom Inmate Lefty: 'Orange Blossom Special Harmonica'

Personnel[edit]

  • Johnny Cash – vocals, guitar, harmonica
  • June Carter – vocal
  • Marshall Grant – bass guitar
  • W.S. Holland – drums
  • Carl Perkins – electric guitar, vocals on track 2.
  • Luther Perkins – electric guitar
  • The Statler Brothers (Lew DeWitt, Don Reid, Harold Reid, Phil Balsley) – vocals
  • Bob Johnston – producer
  • Bob Breault – engineer
  • Bill Britain – engineer
  • Jim Marshall – photography

Credited on 1999 re-issue

  • Bob Irwin – producer
  • Steven Berkowitz – producer, A&R
  • Vic Aneseni – mixing
  • Howard Fritzson – art direction
  • Darcy Proper – mastering
  • Frank Tozour – PQ editing
  • John Henry Jackson – product manager
  • Randall Martin – packaging manager
  • Darren Salmieri – A&R
  • Tim Smith – A&R
  • Nick Shaffran – consultant

At Folsom Prison

Charts[edit]

Chart (1968)Peak
Position
Norwegian Albums Chart[48]7
UK Albums Chart[49]7
U.S.Pop Albums[29]13
U.S.Top Country Albums[29]1
Chart (1969)Peak
Position
Canada RPM LP Chart[50]27

Certifications[edit]

RegionCertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[51]Platinum100,000^
Ireland (IRMA)[52]Gold7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI)[53]Gold100,000^
United States (RIAA)[54]3× Platinum3,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Citations[edit]

  1. ^Pond, Steve (December 10, 1992). 'Johnny Cash'. Rolling Stone.
  2. ^ abSimmons, Sylvia (January 2003). 'Outta My Way'. Mojo.
  3. ^ abJohnny Cash (1975). Man In Black. Warner Books. p. 110. Retrieved September 15, 2013.
  4. ^ abHilburn, Robert (March 1, 1973). 'Nothing Can Take The Place of the Human Heart: A Conversation with Johnny Cash'. Rolling Stone.
  5. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 37
  6. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 59
  7. ^Cash, Johnny. At Folsom Prison liner notes. Columbia Records, CS–9639, 1968.
  8. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 61
  9. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 65
  10. ^Govoni 1970, pp. 29–30
  11. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 66
  12. ^Beley, Gene (Winter 2005). 'Folsom Prison Blues'. Virginia Quarterly Review. pp. 218–227. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  13. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 69
  14. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 63
  15. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 80
  16. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 88
  17. ^ abStreissguth 2004, p. 108
  18. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 100
  19. ^'At Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash'. AllMusic.
  20. ^Deusner, Stephen M. 'Johnny Cash: Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: Legacy Edition Album Review'. pitchfork.com. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  21. ^'Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison Legacy Edition'. popmatters.com.
  22. ^'At Folsom Prison: Legacy Edition : Johnny Cash : Review : Rolling Stone'. archive.org. April 21, 2009. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009.
  23. ^Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. p. 145. ISBN9780743201698.
  24. ^'Hot Country Singles'. Billboard. January 27, 1968.
  25. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 127, 132
  26. ^'The Hot 100'. Billboard. May 25, 1968.
  27. ^'Hot Country Singles'. Billboard. June 1, 1968.
  28. ^Streissguth 2004, pp. 137–8
  29. ^ abc'At Folsom Prison (1999 Expanded Edition) > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums'. AllMusic. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  30. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 142
  31. ^ ab'RIAA — Gold & Platinum Searchable Database'. Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  32. ^Aronowitz, Alfred G. (August 16, 1968). 'Music Behind the Bars: Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison'. Life.
  33. ^Fisher, Annie (October 17, 1968). 'Riffs'. The Village Voice.
  34. ^Goldstein, Richard (June 6, 1968). 'Pop Eye'. The Village Voice.
  35. ^Danker, Frederick E. (September 1968). 'Johnny Cash: A Certain Tragic Sense of Life'. Sing Out!.
  36. ^'The Hot 100'. Billboard. November 15, 1969.
  37. ^Cash & Carr 1997, p. 58
  38. ^Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. 'At Folsom Prison (1999 Expanded Edition) (review)'. AllMusic. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  39. ^'500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time'. Rolling Stone. 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  40. ^'The National Recording Registry 2003'. The Library of Congress. October 25, 2006. Archived from the original on November 18, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  41. ^'The Greatest: CMT 40 Greatest Albums'. CMT 40 Greatest Albums. Nashville, Tennessee. 2006. Viacom. Country Music Television.
  42. ^Aizelwood, John (February 2002). 'The 100 Greatest American Albums of All time'. Blender. Archived from the original on April 19, 2002. Accessed via webarchive November 8, 2008.
  43. ^'500 CDs You Must Own'. Blender. April 2003. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved November 22, 2008.Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  44. ^'The All-TIME 100 Albums'. Time. November 13, 2006. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2008.
  45. ^Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (February 7, 2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN0-7893-1371-5.
  46. ^Deusner, Stephen M. (October 23, 2008). 'Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: Legacy Edition (review)'. Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on November 3, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
  47. ^Hoard, Christian (October 16, 2008). 'At Folsom Prison: Legacy Edition (review)'. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 29, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2008.
  48. ^'Johnny Cash — At Folsom Prison (Album)'. Norwegiancharts.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
  49. ^'At Folsom Prison'. Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
  50. ^'LP Chart'. RPM. 12 (8). October 18, 1969. Retrieved February 3, 2009.
  51. ^'Canadian album certifications – Johnny Cash – At Folsom prison'. Music Canada.
  52. ^'Irish album certifications – Johnny Cash – At Folsom prison'. Irish Recorded Music Association.
  53. ^'British album certifications – Johnny Cash – At Folsom prison'. British Phonographic Industry.Select albums in the Format field.Select Gold in the Certification field.Type At Folsom prison in the 'Search BPI Awards' field and then press Enter.
  54. ^'American album certifications – Johnny Cash – At Folsom prison'. Recording Industry Association of America.If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.

References[edit]

Why Did Johnny Cash Go To Prison

  • Cash, Johnny; Carr, Patrick (1997). Cash: The Autobiography (1st ed.). New York, NY: Harper San Francisco. ISBN0-06-072753-5.
  • Govoni, Albert (1970). A Boy Named Cash: The Johnny Cash Story (1st ed.). New York, NY: Lancer Books.
  • Streissguth, Michael (2004). Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: The Making of a Masterpiece (1st ed.). Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press. ISBN0-306-81453-6.

Further reading[edit]

  • Cash, Johnny (1976). Man in Black (1st ed.). New York, NY: Warner Books. ISBN0-446-89086-3.
  • Geary, Daniel. 'The Way I Would Feel About San Quentin': Johnny Cash and the Politics of Country Music,' Daedalus, 142 (Fall 2013), 64-72.
  • Levy, Joe (2005). The 500 Greatest Albums of All Times (1st ed.). New York, NY: Wenner Books. ISBN1-932958-61-4.
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=At_Folsom_Prison&oldid=917319683'
'Folsom Prison Blues'
Single by Johnny Cash
from the album Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar!
B-side'So Doggone Lonesome'
ReleasedDecember 15, 1955
April 1968(re-recording)
Format7' single
RecordedJuly 30, 1955, Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee
GenreRock and roll,[1][2]rockabilly,[3][4]country[5]
Length2:50
LabelSun
Songwriter(s)Johnny Cash
Producer(s)Sam Phillips
Johnny Cash singles chronology
'Hey, Porter'
(1955)
'Folsom Prison Blues'
(1955)
'I Walk the Line'
(1956)
From the album At Folsom Prison. The most popular live version of the song.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

'Folsom Prison Blues' is a song written in 1953[6] and first recorded in 1955 by American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. The song combines elements from two popular folk styles, the train song and the prison song, both of which Cash continued to use for the rest of his career. It was one of Cash's signature songs. It was the eleventh track on his debut album With His Hot and Blue Guitar and it was also included (same version) on All Aboard the Blue Train. A live version, recorded among inmates at Folsom State Prison itself, became a No. 1 hit on the country music charts in 1968. In June 2014, Rolling Stone ranked it No. 51 on its list of the 100 greatest country songs of all time.[7]

  • 2Live recording, 1968

Original recording, 1955[edit]

Cash was inspired to write this song after seeing the movie Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison (1951) while serving in West Germany in the United States Air Force at Landsberg, Bavaria (itself the location of a famous prison). Cash recounted how he came up with the line 'But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die': 'I sat with my pen in my hand, trying to think up the worst reason a person could have for killing another person, and that's what came to mind.'[8]

Cash took the melody for the song and many of the lyrics from Gordon Jenkins's 1953 Seven Dreamsconcept album, specifically the song 'Crescent City Blues'.[9] Jenkins was not credited on the original record, which was issued by Sun Records. In the early 1970s, after the song became popular, Cash paid Jenkins a settlement of approximately US$75,000 following a lawsuit.[10]

The song was recorded at the Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee on July 30, 1955. The producer was Sam Phillips, and the musicians were Cash (vocals, guitar), Luther Perkins (guitar), and Marshall Grant (bass).[11] Like other songs recorded during his early Sun Records sessions, Cash had no drummer in the studio, but replicated the snare drum sound by inserting a piece of paper (like a dollar bill) under the guitar strings and strumming the snare rhythm on his guitar. The song was released as a single with another song recorded at the same session, 'So Doggone Lonesome'. Early in 1956, both sides reached No. 4 on the Billboard C&W Best Sellers chart.[12]

When photographer Jim Marshall asked Cash why the song's main character was serving time in California's Folsom Prison after shooting a man in Reno, Nevada, he responded, 'That's called poetic license.'[13]

Live recording, 1968[edit]

Cash opened almost all of his concerts with 'Folsom Prison Blues,' after greeting the audience with his trademark introduction, 'Hello, I'm Johnny Cash,' for decades. Cash performed the song at Folsom Prison itself on January 13, 1968, and this version was eventually released on the At Folsom Prison album the same year. That opening version of the song is more up-tempo than the original Sun recording. According to Michael Streissguth, the cheering from the audience following the line 'But I shot a man in Reno / just to watch him die' was added in post-production. A special on the Walk the LineDVD indicates that the prisoners were careful not to cheer at any of Cash's comments about the prison itself, fearing reprisal from guards. The performance again featured Cash, Perkins and Grant, as on the original recording, together with W.S. Holland (drums).[11]

Johnny

Released as a single, the live version reached number 1 on the country singles chart, and number 32 on the Hot 100, in 1968.[12]Pitchfork Media placed this live version at number 8 on its list of 'The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s.'[14] The live performance of the song won Cash the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male, the first of four he won in his career, at the 1969 Grammy Awards.

Chart performance[edit]

Chart (1968)Peak
position
Canadian RPM Country Tracks1
Canadian RPM Top Singles17
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[15]1
US Billboard Hot 100[16]32
US BillboardAdult Contemporary[17]39

Certifications[edit]

RegionCertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[18]Silver200,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Live At Folsom Prison

Other versions[edit]

  • Blues musician Slim Harpo released a version as a single in 1968.[19]
  • Organist Lenny Dee include an instrumental version on his 1969 Decca Records release, Turn Around, Look At Me. It was also released as a promotional 45 RPM single with the title track.[20]
  • Jerry Lee Lewis included the song on his 1981 album, Killer Country[21]
  • South African singer Ray Dylan included the song on his album Goeie Ou Country - Op Aanvraag.[22]
  • Artist Everlast included the song on his album Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford[23]
  • Jerry Reed covered and included the song in his 1973 album: Lord, Mr. Ford[24]
  • The Reverend Horton Heat Included the song on the their 1999 Sub Pop release : Holy Roller [17]
  • Johnny Cash recorded another version of the song in 1988 and it is on his Classic Cash: Hall of Fame Series album.
  • German EBM band Accessory featured this track on their 2007 album Underbeat. [25]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^'Prison Tracks: 'Folsom Prison Blues' - Sierra Detention Systems'. Sierracompanies.com. 1968-01-13. Retrieved 2015-08-25.[dead link]
  2. ^Lambert, James. ''Folsom Prison Blues': 5 Things About This Johnny Cash Hit'. Country Daily. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  3. ^Bill Janovitz. 'Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash | Song Info'. AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  4. ^'Johnny Cash Biography | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum'. Rockhall.com. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  5. ^Davies, David Martin (October 13, 2017). 'Johnny Cash And The Story Behind 'Folsom Prison Blues''. Texas Public Radio. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  6. ^'The Real Story Behind Johnny Cash & Folsom Prison Blues'. folsomcasharttrail.com. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  7. ^'100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time'. Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 15, 2018.
  8. ^Anedotage.comArchived May 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^Robert Hilburn (2010-02-21). 'Roots of Cash's hit tunes - latimes'. Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  10. ^Streissguth 2004, p. 19–21.
  11. ^ abPragueFrank's Country Music Discography: Johnny Cash, Part 1A. Retrieved 25 August 2015
  12. ^ abJoel Whitburn, Top Country Singles 1944-1993, Record Research Inc., 1994, p.62
  13. ^Schleuter, Roger (2017-12-30). 'Johnny Cash song leaves some with a burning question'. Belleville News-Democrat. Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  14. ^'Staff Lists: The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s | Features'. Pitchfork. 2006-08-18. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  15. ^'Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)'. Billboard.
  16. ^'Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot 100)'. Billboard.
  17. ^Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 44.
  18. ^'British single certifications – Johnny Cash – Folsom Prison Blues'. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 26 July 2019.Select singles in the Format field.Select Silver in the Certification field.Type Folsom Prison Blues in the 'Search BPI Awards' field and then press Enter.
  19. ^'Illustrated Slim Harpo discography'. Wirz.de. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  20. ^'Lenny Dee (2) - Turn Around, Look At Me / Folsom Prison Blues (Vinyl)'. Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-08-22.
  21. ^'Killer Country [Elektra] - Jerry Lee Lewis | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards'. AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-08-25.
  22. ^Musica.co.zaArchived June 6, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  23. ^Love War & The Ghost of Whitey Ford, Three Ring Project, 2008-09-23, retrieved 2018-05-25
  24. ^https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8IFFQ9-GFA
  25. ^https://www.discogs.com/Accessory-Underbeat/master/346248

References[edit]

  • Streissguth, Michael. Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: The Making of a Masterpiece, Da Capo Press (2004). ISBN0-306-81338-6.

External links[edit]

  • Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Folsom_Prison_Blues&oldid=917397957'