Folsom Prison Blues
beginner
Folsom Prison Blues
Classic Country
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Chord Chart
A
EE
EE
EE
EE
EE
EE
EE
E7E7
AA
AA
AA
AA
EE
EE
EE
EE
BB
BB
BB
BB
EE
EE
EE
EE
Chords used:
A
B
E
E7
Lyrics
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 blowin', I hang my head and cry
I bet there's rich folks eatin' 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
Demo Videos
About This Song
Folsom Prison Blues is Johnny Cash's signature outlaw country song from 1955, famously recorded live at Folsom Prison in 1968. While not originally a bluegrass tune, it's become a jam session staple that bluegrass musicians have fully adopted, bringing high lonesome harmonies and driving banjo to Cash's tale of regret and longing.