LogFAQs > #955319443

169. Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
from the albums Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar! And At Folsom Prison

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeZRYhLDLeU

Key lyrics:
I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die

Johnny Cash excelled at myth building, and few songs established his image better than Folsom Prison Blues. His casual delivery really sells his outlaw persona. Taken alone, that famous line about shooting a man in Reno could be taken as over-the-top or trying too hard. But with his half-hearted intonation, its just another fact of his misguided life.

While originally recorded for his first album, Folsom Prison Blues really comes to life thirteen years later. Johnny Cash made a bold move by recording his first live album at the actual Folsom Prison, and this made an obvious opener. Theres something special about hearing those actually going through the Folsom Prison blues cheering along. Though Johnny Cash had been playing the outlaw from the start, this is where he proved the act.

The song itself is a staple of its era, a perfect mix of country and early rock and roll. The rhythm bounces with Cashs unique strumming style; slow, but with force. Beyond the iconic Reno line, Folsom Prison Blues is a desperate lament about a life wasted. Like Hank Williams before him, Johnny Cash plays with Western imagery as a source of isolation. But where Williams crooned in universal terms, Johnny Cash hit a sweet spot by playing the sympathetic villain.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/