“I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.”
These lyrics, which have transcended both the song and album and become a cultural cliché, are probably best heard on Johnny Cash’s classic album At Folsom Prison.
Cash, the ultimate musical rebel, gives fodder to both fans and detractors with the iconoclastic album, recorded in January 1968. The prisoners seem to be enjoying the concert far more than necessary on the release, partially because many of the cheering sounds were dubbed in after, creating a false anarchy within the prison on some songs such as the title track, and making Cash sound like a rabble-rouser—intentionally, of course.
The first side of the album, which ranges from the ballad (“The Long Black Veil”) to the upbeat country-western anthem (“Orange Blossom Special”), is remarkable not only in its variety, but also in Cash’s sheer stamina and range. He successfully empathizes with the audience and even includes a song written by a prisoner named Glen Sherley. “Greystone Chapel” was later re-recorded by Sherley, but the Cash version remains the standard.
Cash’s banter is relaxed and courteous, and he charms the crowd, particularly in summoning his wife, June Carter Cash, onto the stage—a beautiful woman in the midst of an all-male prison.
The second side, which consists of two duets with June Carter and more of Cash’s hits, including “The Green, Green Grass of Home,” is different, but no less exciting. On the original release, “The Legend of John Henry,” another duet with Carter, was cut for time, which is unfortunate considering that the omission of the long, rollicking ballad makes the second half less exciting than the first.
Cash is not considered an American legend for no reason. This album, considered his best, captures the excitement of a live recording and infuses it with his radical rethinking of where music should be played and who should have access to it. At Folsom Prison was the first album recorded in a prison, and encapsulates the spirit of American individualism, radicalism, and rebellion better than any recording in history. Johnny Cash re-imagined his songs, and in the process changed country music and popular songwriting forever.
The album’s recognition includes its acceptance into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2003 and its acknowledgment as the third best country album in history. While the prisoners at Folsom may have longed for “The Green, Green Grass of Home,” Cash created a historical moment and presented something new to the prison-industrial complex—an artistic vision of escape from the drudgery of prison life.
The Deluxe Edition of Johnny Cash’s At Folsom Prison is available on Amazon for $39.99
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