Songwriting
Before we dive into what the lyrics of the song mean, we first should tell you that "Folsom Prison Blues" is by no means a completely original work of songwriting genius. In fact, the lyrics and mu...
Music
Since we've already talked about the two versions of "Folsom Prison Blues" that exist, the original 1955 recording and the live version cut in 1968 at Folsom Prison itself, let's take a look now at...
Title
In his book about Johnny Cash's concert at Folsom Prison, author Michael Streissguth describes the infamous jail as a place from which nightmares are born: "Folsom growls at visitors, however long...
Calling Card
Growing up in a hard-working cotton-farming family in Arkansas in the wake of the Great Depression, Johnny Cash's humble origins helped shape the charismatic man he later became: the all-American b...