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At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
1968
Wikipedia
Reviews
Like a review? Give it a thumb up to help us display relevant reviews!One of the few live albums I've heard where the audience is just as much a part of the performance. The songs are great, Johnny's performance is charmingly flawed, but it's all about the atmosphere created by the little details: the inmate's reactions, Johnny's asides, and the warden's announcements.
(Listened to Before) One of the most genuine and authentic albums I’ve ever heard. I love it when he breaks mid-song to tell a joke or a laugh slips, especially when it’s in contrast to some soul-crushingly melancholy lyrics. I don’t really think there’s a bad track in the bunch. I love this album and the special place it takes me to every time I revisit it. Favorite Tracks: 25 Minutes to Go, Orange Blossom Special, The Long Black Veil, Dirty Old Egg-Suckin’ Dog, Jackson, Greystone Chapel Least Favorite Tracks: I Still Miss Someone
Amazing album! Amazing that it was performed live and the flaws and asides and prison chatter add to the overall vibe, rather than detract. I'm normally not as much a fan of live music, but this was great all the way through.
"This show is being recorded for an album release on Columbia Records, and you can't say 'hell' or 'shit' or anything like that." "How does that grab you, Bob?"
I don't know anyone who doesn't like Johnny Cash, and this is him at his best. I love how it's a live album but he sounds about the same as in the studio, it's authentic as. 5/5.
Look: even if the music wasn't great (which it is), the man sang about taking cocaine and shooting a bad bitch down to a group of cheering convicts, so this may as well get five mics on principle. The concept alone is novel and raw as hell, but once you throw in Cash's devil-may-care stage presence, the atmosphere set by the wardens' announcements over the PA and the more-than-receptive crowd (I'll spare you a line about a "captive audience" because I'm sure plenty of rock critics thought they were the first to come up with that gem), plus the impeccable choice in songs, you end up with one of the most entertaining records I've ever heard. Key Tracks: Cocaine Blues, Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart, Greystone Chapel
Cash proves he is every measure the legend on this record. Even though the vast majority is covers, his crowd work is great and you can hear a pin drop on The Long Black Veil. Jackson is a cool duet. booing the warden on the last track is great
We've had the greatest live album ever from Nirvana but this is bang there with it. Cash is at his best live. And when he combines that with doing this sorta outlaw country stuff he's peerless. Its fucking brilliant and I'm gonna have to bring out the 5 again. A superstar at the top of his game. 5/5
i don't believe there's much to be said here. it's johnny fucking cash at folsom fucking prison, with june fucking carter. to whom, if my chronology isn't way off, he was not yet married - so we witnessed it all, very raw, and very real. i also particularly loved that they didn't cut out the warden's(?) announcements, and what i believe was them slapping johnny in cuffs at the end.
So this album is great. Obviously. And, taken by itself, it's a masterpiece live album against which other live albums should be measured which is why it's earned a 5-star review from me. That said, I'm unclear as to why this list contains both "At Folsom Prison" and "At San Quentin" since they're essentially the same album. The amount of deja vu that I experienced listening to this after having listened to the other was uncomfortable. Sure the tracks (barring one, "Folsom Prison Blues", which is on both albums) are all different but the banter, lyrical content, and delivery is so similar that you'd be hard pressed, if the tracks were mixed up, to tell which song went on which album.
I mean Johnny fucking nails this performance for a number of reasons, but to me one of the standout moments is with June on Jackson, as she surprises me with her power and what it adds to the record. Instant classic.
Fucking visceral. “I shot a man in Reno just to see him die” & they cheer… Best live album ever.
I suppose my detailed comments on the San Quentin review apply here. I have loads of respect for Johnny doing these prison shows. Giving something to people who have nothing deserves our respect. As was the case at San Quentin, he performs a song written by a prisoner in the audience and gives him credit and a piece of the royalties. The song is Greystone Chapel which is a bible thumpin song. Normally not my thing but Johnny used religion to help him get off drugs and booze so it's understandable that this made him a tad evangelical about his religion. I'll leave my different opinion on religion at the door. Highlights from the first 5 songs (I stopped the list after that): Folsum Prison Blues( one of his best songs ever) Cocaine BLues, 25 Min to go Since I gave San Quentin a 5 I can't give another 5 to Johnny.
This was a great listen. I've been aware of this album for a long time and it's place in legend and lore. What little I know about Johnny Cash (nope, haven't seen the well-known documentaries or the super-famous biopic, but I would like to one day), I really like him as a person. As a musician, his appeal is easy to see. He makes it seem all so familiar and casual, but with his own signature sound, style, and of course, voice. I have heard his music in various settings over the years and I like it. It's not something I gravitate strongly towards on a regular basis. I have a feeling if I had ever seen him play live, I'd have been a lifelong huge fan. Seems like that kind of performer and person.
Never listened to the album before though know a good few of the songs. It's bloody good. The context - what he's singing about IN A PRISON - is just great, really adds something
A true legend, a phenomenal performance. The stars aligned perfectly to make this perfect album, a snapshot in time of an artist's career unlike any other.
What a legendary album. I just love his interactions with the inmates, it makes the music even more powerful. I don't remember hearing the announcements and chit chat at the end, I like that they didn't cut that off.
Johnny Cash is the real deal. This is one of the coolest albums I've ever listened to. I love the crowd work, and you can tell he was playing for each individual in that room. Great great great work!
Quando uma pessoa com um talento real consegue transmitir a verdade dele, com todas as incongruências, defeitos e qualidades, um álbum como esse é o resultado.
One of the greatest live albums of all time. Fact. BT: Folsom Prison Blues, I Still Miss Someone, Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart
I needed this so bad today. This dudes the fucking King. I need more stars...raw, authentic, fuck you. Yes!
For et fantastisk live-album! Følelsene til publikum er så tydelige at man blir transportert til en overfylt kafeteria i et skittent amerikansk fengsel. Cash var nok aldri kriminell, men han spiller rollen perfekt med tøffe kommentarer og bokstavelig talt galge-humor. Folsom Prison Blues er nok høydepunktet, men stemninga holder hele veien, og blir løfta litt ekstra av en kvinnelig vokalist mot slutten.
A deeply emotional and entertaining performance. The energy from the audience & Cash make for an incredible live album.
ICONISCH, Johny met prachtige verhalen in zijn nummers en dat in een gevangenis lets goo Cocaine blues is next level, deze gaat meer opgezet worden!
GET THIS MAN A GLASS OF WATER!!! wat zou ik graag met deze man één wiskey’tje drinken. Het album is mooi en genieten. Ik ben echt fan van zen rustige nummers. Niet te veel honky tonky shit, dat verwacht ik niet van hem. Maar zeker de listen waard
Dit is zoveel meer dan gewoon een album, zoveel meer dan gewoon een optreden. uitblinkers zijn sowieso: - folsom prison blues: gewoon top - flushed from the bathroom of your heart - greystone chapel: het verhaal hierachter is echt top, zeker achter de schrijver (zijn versie is ook goed)
O melhor dele fora da série de versões dos American. A concepção de álbum e do show é fantástica.
Classic for a reason. This is a fantastic album. Does a good job of conveying the energy and comedic wit that he brought to live performances.
Great album of a live performance, Johnny is having a great time laughing in the middle of songs and cracking jokes with the inmates and staff.
I guess I mistakenly thought I knew Johnny Cash, mostly through the radio and general consciousness, and I was not prepared for how incredible and just fuckin metal this album is. This dude is up there singing about murdering dudes to applause from murderers. if your black metal isn't this black, go the fuck home.
I don't like live albums UNLESS they bring something to the table, and this one does exactly that.
johnny cash performs in a prison sings about doing cocaine and shooting his wife the crowd cheers unfathomably based
A perfect album. No skips. What an opening track! This album has it all—great songs, energy, sound, and the audience participation! The way JC interacts with the audience, his band mates… all that, and he was committed to playing for inmates.
Despite being a live album, this s*** rocks! This kind of feels like hip-hop humble beginings. Melodies and rhymes are pretty darn good. 4.5/5
Well, what an album. What a performer. Some gritty themes that increasingly... don't so much offend as carry no value for my ear and listening time. The harmony is Jackson is second to none. Two voices, dancing the eternal dance. Give My Love to Rose is another favorite, which I first listened to from the American Recording production (when Johnny was a few years from death). His voice at Folsom prison is younger, obviously. I'd never noticed Greystone Chapel before, written by an inmate at Folsom.
New to me, but what a perfect album! This one is ironically upbeat in a good way. Great concept executed just right. He had the voice/style/personality to pull it off. I wouldn't listen to it over and over, but I like it for what it is.
Having heard of this famous album, I never realized how it really was live at a prison. The small interluded comments about guards and prisoners were wild.
Not all of my favorite Cash tunes, but some real greats, and the story and legacy of playing for prisoners at prisons and just how cool this and Cash is brings a 4 of an album up to a 5.
I love Johnny Cash and liked most of this album a lot. The songs about executions (the long black veil, 25 minutes to go) are pretty disturbing to me though, and I skip through them. Fun to hear the prison crowd and songs they liked. Struggling between a 4 and 5 on this one. Going 5, cuz it’s The Man in Black.
Live, in una prigione e comincia proprio con 'Folsom Prison Blues' che parla di un assassino: brividi! Poi un live che non sia in uno stadio mantiene sempre una certa qualità, ma include comunque il pubblico e i commenti dell'artista che gli danno fascino. Le prime 5 sono una più bella dell'altra. Comunque tutto lo stile blues in accordo con la caldissima voce di Johnny Cash è fantastico. Jackson con June Carter <3
So much character. Incredible country music recorded pretty well all things considered. Johnny Cash Highlights: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 16.
Wonderful piece! The setlist, the energy, and the way how Johnny and his audience interacts make this album perfect. It’s like a modern ritual. Even the cover shows some type of intimacy: Johnny looking at you from above with his sweat dripping. I love it
Exquisite! I am truly impressed that he was able to do this and that it didn't incite a riot. Great energy in the performance and the song selection is dynamite.
Brilliant album, one of my dad's favourite artists. Folsom prison blues, give my love to rose, the hilarious flushed from the bathroom of your heart, and, of course, Jackson are awesome songs that I just keep coming back to
Such a cool concert, the connection between Cash and the audience is great to hear. And the songs fit with the atmosphere so well.
The Godfather of live prison albums, which in my book, means that it pales a bit to The Godfather Part II of live prison albums. But the original Godfather is one of the best movies ever made, just as this is one of the best live albums ever released. The best moment - oh hell, there are a lot of best moments - comes after Cash sings "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die" when a Folsom inmate punctuates the line with a triumphant cheer. It's a vocal cheer that says that guy knew exactly what Johnny Cash was singing about. An excited "been there/done that" affirmation. That recorded moment alone puts this baby at a 5. And I'm pretty sure that same inmate is the one getting a little too excited during certain parts of Cocaine Blues.
Wow, it was was something very different - for album 2, for name +1, for idea +2, so in total 5 due to a good idea where to play and record.
One of the greatest comeback albums of all time. Johnny Cash did not shy away from the uncomfortable and wasn’t afraid to share his spotlight with those cast out by society. This set showcases Cash’s empathy, skill as a live performer, and ability to connect with an audience. June Carter’s appearance is another highlight.
Very much a jam. I loved 25 Minutes to Go and I loved the bit after The Long Black Veil.
One of my favorite albums. It's raucous and full of energy, with a songlist that hits on some of the best of his work. I never get tired of listening to it.
Man, this album makes me remember that we're all human. This guy is over here singing songs about "shooting a bad bitch down" while all the inmates cheer. He cracks some jokes, laughs, asks for water - Johnny Cash just seems like such a down to earth guy. I don't even like country but the book was right for once.. I think my ghost would have been a bit upset if I died without listening to this. Also, I never knew that this album is from 1968. I always thought it was from the late 50s or so.
So many live albums on this list. I'm not complaining, especially if they are ones of the calibre of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. This is the album I would tell people to listen to next if the discovered Johnny Cash through his NIN cover or the bio movie. Really nice cross section of the Man in Black's career until that point. None of his other recordings capture the underlying humour of Cash's music, something that is often overlooked about his work. San Quentin is a perfect follow up to this release so check it out if you haven't already.
Fantastic album. Live albums are a hit or a miss for me, but this one is totally up there for intensity, passion, fun, and great sound.
Möglicherweise das Beste Live-Album als Live-Album. Die Interaktion zwischen Cash und den Insassen, der Jubel bei »just to watch him die«, die währenddessen ununterbrochenen Abläufe des Gefängnisses – einfach unglaublich.
I've loved this album since I got it in a 3 for £20 at East Kent's legendary old record store, Sound House. I said of San Quentin that it's great, but it lacks the driving energy of this superior (if slightly better behaved) live set. And listening today, it holds true A joy from start to end.
This may just be the greatest live album of all time. From "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" to the closing bars of Greystone Chapel and the announcements that follow, this is essential and engaging listening. The recording somehow transports you into the room in Folsom Prison. The energy from the inmates is palpable and it's clear that they are hanging on every Cash's every word. 5/5
Great live album, very entertaining. What worked really well was the rawness of the recording, showing the engagement of the audience and Cash' personality as a performer, and including mundane announcements by the prison management that had nothing to do with the concert itself.
Hello, I love this album. This is classic Cash, punchy, full of attitude and humor, but also tinged with faith and sadness. Cash has a mindfulness of where he is and a clear sense of purpose toward his audience. The love between Johnny Cash and his audience is genuine and it radiates through these songs beautifully. It's a joy to hear. The enthusiastic roars and hollers from the crowd (sometimes at inappropriate times) brings a gallows humor and an exuberance to these songs that doesn't always exist in the studio versions. Cash is charismatic, in excellent voice and the band has great energy. June Carter's presence is an added delight. There is nothing else quite like this in music, and it's a strong candidate for best live album of all time. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, Jackson, I Still Miss Someone, 25 Minutes to Go, The Long Black Veil, Orange Blossom Special, I Got Stripes, Dark as the Dungeon, Green, Green Grass of Home, Greystone Chapel, Send a Picture of Mother, Give My Love to Rose, Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog, The Wall, Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart
Great album throughout- was very interesting hearing the banter with the audience and the prisoners. Great country album and his voice is iconic, will listen to again.
I really liked this album, Johnny cash is quite good and very charismatic during the live performance. Parts of the album were funny and the songs were all nice to listen to despite it technically being country music.
Johnny Cash plays a few country songs for a bunch of convicts. He's charismatic, devilish, and killing it. Classic album.
The most fun live album I've listened to. I love Cash's banter, June Carter's guest appearance, the inmates' cheering and other minor sounds present in the audio, like coughing and laughter.
This album top to bottom is legendary to say the least. From the bone chilling cheering and clapping from the prisoners to the down to earth moments that Johnny Cash has with the audience. The singing is magnificent and the song writing is perfect. Ive always loved this song, ever since i first listened to it on my record player. This album is truly one of a kind, not only because it was played in folsom prison for the prisoners, but also because of how incredible his singing is despite it being live recorded. You feel like you can just reach out and touch him. The album has so many slow sad songs, faster paced light hearted songs, and an underlying theme of being imprisoned in some way shape or form. I cannot say enough good things about this album.
what an awesome album, 9/10 I mean some of these songs fit so perfectly for this performance, they had to be written for this I don’t know, just a really enjoyable experience I saw Walk the Line and I think it’s really cool actually getting to hear what actually happened as if you were there, it’s awesome
I don't think there's an artist in the world, past or present, that could make an album like this. Probably the most crowd interaction you will hear in a live album. The whole thing feels so natural, as if the whole show was meant to be.
As lively as a live album can be. You can’t help but feel the excitement of the prisoners cheering at Johnny Cash singing “I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die”. A joy to listen to
Johnny Cash is such a badass. I enjoyed learning about Glen Sherley, the inmate who wrote the final song on the album. Best track: Folsom Prison Blues.
His songs always cheere me up. I love his tales and he‘s a great entertainer. Also, his voice is beautiful 😊.
Absolutely classic, a list of best ofs for Cash coupled with the amazing dialogue between performer and prisoners.
I've only heard the first track, but it's a great concept. Not something I'd always listen to, but I have a soft spot for Johnny Cash. I love that they kept all the quips and dead-space, really puts you there.
Typical Cash album. Not big fan of his muic. I like only some specific songs, but overall liked this album. If I'll randomly stumble onto it again, I'll listen it, but won't purposefully listen to it and not on repeat obviously.
Loved it. Incredibly raw, and the setting catches the moment, artist, and songs so well.
Icon. That hard driving sound was uniquely his. While it was not a marketing playing in a prison helped brand him as a rebel and renegade
You can feel he is enjoying all the way; complicity with audience -which is in constant attention to the lyrics and the man- is almost palpable. Kind of a greatest hits enriched and improved. One of most memorable and original live records ever. 4,5
This album is a little less rough around the edges than the San Quentin offering. I like the song selection, he mixes the tempo up nicely, and they all, in some way, seem suited for a prision audience. I especially like the Long Black Veil and Green Green Grass of Home, which I didn’t realize was a death row song. And of course, "Flushed from the Bathroom of your Heart" is a classic. June Carter didn’t seem to be having one of her best days.
Classic. So damn good. Johnny Cash sings with such heart and has a voice like gravel running through your fingertips
raw. and 25 seconds to go, at folsom, is just fuckin great. Couple of duds but just great. 8.7/10.
Interesting that almost every song on this album is prison-related and dark. It wouldn't seem like prisoners would want to be reminded of their escape, but maybe it helped him connect with them. Seemed different from the San Quentin album, darker somehow.
I Like it...I like it a lot. Great voice and such a unique tone. The recording is supreme too, especially for its time and place. You can close your eyes and almost imagine yourself right there. Wonderful piece of history from The Man In Black. 4 Stars!
Live albums :-( I really like Johnny Cash and the songs are so good that this would be an easy 5 if it were studio recordings. The live versions still get a 4 from me. But I really don't understand why anyone would prefer to listen to the live versions over studio ones.
Johnny Cash is a pretty funny guy which made it more enjoyable, but the music just by itself is kind of boring
Given the circumstances behind the recording, the quality isn’t terrible. Not a huge country fan, but old school country has better depth and meaning to lyrics. Some of the cheering feels forced and noted that it was added in post. Apparently the inmates were scared to cheer or clap, and Johnny actually asks during one song “did someone just clap?” At which point the fake applause queues in. Adding applause gives the album a fake feel and for a live album almost discredits it.
Great album, the songs are great and johnny’s voice sounds is really relaxing, having it recorded live makes it feel that much better with the crowd interactions
The songs are kinda cheesy and outdated but the recording is slick as and proves why Cash was a master of his craft. Also the banter between songs is cool to hear, this dude is charismatic as all hell.
Could not believe it was actually recorded in a prison, sure enough it is and the resulting atmosphere is quite something
It felt weird listening to this. Here’s Cash, famous, singing to the inmates about their troubles. Joking about being hanged and murdering your wife and that sort of stuff. The cheers from the crowd. The songs written by inmates. I can barely get bored of the tunes being so similar because this performance isn’t about the music, it’s about the event, and it’s very thought provoking. Cash has a voice like melted dark chocolate in a huge cup and his stage presence makes him one of the only celebrity singers I could imagine a prison audience not being completely disillusioned by. I thought it was a very interesting album, but not exactly "fun" to listen to.
Simply brilliant show. I love the way Johnny Cash sings and talks to the audience. (8/10) Favorite Tracks: 25 Minutes to Go, Jackson, Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog
I like Johnny cash but not listened to the whole of this album before. Loved his interaction with his audience. He sounds just as good live as in the studio.
Gosh I'm usually kind of over Johnny Cash's main music, it's good but it's fawned over so much and if I don't hear Ring of Fire ever again I wouldn't be upset. But listening to this, gosh dang is it good. Gosh.
Great set of songs to be relevant to the unique audience, and the storytelling (even if by the nature of the music or when borrowed) is excellent throughout. The live element benefits the recording, and Johnny's interactions and tangible rapport with the inmates make it somehow fun. Great mini set of lighter relief songs on the middle, highlighted by Jackson.
- The crowd work of Johnny Cash is second to none - His live performance is on par with all of his studio recordings - There is a reason he's a legend and this is a prime example
johnny being johnny fucking love live at folsom prison cocaine blues and long black veil are a couple faves
Listened to this many times before, pretty uncritically. This time around wrestling a little with how great it is. Am I overrating it because of the whole legend and lore aspect? It certainly hits some heights, it also is certainly sloppy as hell at times, but then again that’s a live album.
I loved this - not just because of the music but the atmosphere and picturing the setting. I think I was aware of this occurence, Cash playing in a prison but had never listened to the recording properly. Its excellent.
I’m not a huge fan of the music, but I love the album. There’s just something about singing about shooting someone to a crowd of dangerous criminals.
Great album, have listened several times. Love the extra conversations with audience and announcements for inmates or requests for water. Nice performances with June Carter.
A tym razem artysta dobrze znany, ale jednak album sluchany pierwszy raz, bo kto przeslucha cala cashowa dyskografie, z 67 studyjnymi albumami, 12 livami i 105 kompilacjami, akurat trafilo na jednego z tych dwunastu livowych nagran, dodatkowo jest to pierwszy livowy album w karierze cashowej, ktorym w swoim rodzaju zresetowal swoja kariere i wrocil na szczyt po maratonie dawania po kablach, plyta nagrana w 68, wiec w okresie w ktorym narodzil sie czlek w czernii, ktory zapoczatkowal takze przejscie z wizerunku outlawowego do czegos bardziej ikonicznego, na 45 minutowym materiale znalazlo sie miejsce na 16 kawalkow z czego 14 nagrane zostalo na jednym koncercie, a jedynie dwie pochodza z drugiego koncertu tego samego dnia, to jest give my love to rose i i got stripes, oba autorstwa casha, bo jednak wiekszosc kawalkow to klasyki outlawowego country, a nie kompozycje casha, ktorych na albumie mozna naliczyc tylko piec, ale w takiej muzycie chodzi o to jak sie ja robi, a nie kto jest akutorem tektsow, a pan cash swietnie odgrywal swoja role outlawa, a jeszcze w takim miejscu jak wiezienie stanowe muzyka nabiera calkiem innego wymiaru, to samo odnosi sie takze do widowni, ktora jest slyszalna w ciagu calego wystepu, bo jak to w muzyce country wszedzie puenty po ktorych ludzie dostaja kociokwiku co buduje atmosfere wieziennego koncertu, w dzisiejszych czasach taki koncert jest nie do pomyslenia, bo jak by to mialo wygladac, murzyny rapujace o czarnym zyciu materujacym, czy o tym ze wszystkie copy to bastardy, kurla, kiedys nawet zloczyncy mieli wiecej klasy i gracji w swych wystepkach, a raczej w ich odsiadywaniu, wiec niezwykle nagranie w stylu pozdrowienia do wiezienia, jesli chodzi o akompaniament instrumentalny, to poza gitarka i harmonijka pana casha, mozna takie uslyszec elektryki, drumsy i basa, do tego dochodza chorki i jeden wokal zenski, z plejkowych pickow na plejce musi sie znalezc tytulowy folsom prison blues, czyli kawalek z 55 i jeden z klasycznych numerow poczatkow kariery cashowej, do tego kolejny blues, tym razem kokainowy autorstwa T.J. Arnall, 16 piosenek i ich kolejnosc tworzy pewien rollercoster podczas odsluchu, raz kawalki o kokainowym szalenstwie, mordach i gwaltach, tylko zeby potem sluchac o tym co czeka na biedakow w krainie mlekiem i miodem plynacej za tymi murami, a potem jeszcze love songi o dogach, w reakcjach jakie wydaja na nie wiezniarze slychac, ze muzyka potrafi trawic do wnetrza czlowieka i go dotknac, a to najwazniejsze
Pretty cool album. I think a little better than the other prison album of his "At San Quentin". Still, not a big fan of live albums in general. Songs are good, but live versions of songs when you're not actually there in person to hear them lack something. 3.5 stars.
Hard nosed country songs of loss and longing and love, and fighting and jail and oppression - perfectly judged, heartfelt performances, finishing with a wonderful version of Greystone Chapel, which was written by Glen Sherley, who was an inmate at Folsom. Glen had a hard knock life - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Sherley 4 stars
Solid country album. Usually don’t prefer live albums but given the theme of the album and the setting it does fit. There are times where the live interruptions do take away from the songs. However this album has many classic hits and is classic Cash. 7.7/10
I like the upbeat songs. The slower ones like I Still Miss Someone sound like he's singing hymns to me. Fun album.
This album defines outlaw country for me. Johnny Cash is known for being a hardened badass, and I think it traces back to this album. He doesn’t just come off as tough, but rather he seems to take it a step further. It feels as if he is firmly Team Inmate. Of course inmates are people too, and deserve to be treated as such. I admire that he played Greystone Chapel, a song written by inmate Glen Sherley. The song is good regardless who wrote it, but Cash including it shows another side of an inmate capable of something positive. I had not realized that Shel Silverstein wrote 25 Minutes To Go, which fits with both his humor and Johnny Cash’s empathetic embrace of the outlaw inmates. A couple song highlights for me are Jackson, Folsom Prison Blues, and I Still Miss Someone. My one negative is that there are too many slow songs on the whole. I enjoy the slow songs individually, but overall it’s too much.
A good live country album with a great atmosphere with the prison setting. Favorites: Folsom Prison Blues, Cochise Blues, 25 Minutes to Go
Loved it. The best part of the record is hearing the prisoners constant presence in the background
This is a historic album that even folks who are fairly music ignorant know about. Folsom Prison Blues is iconic, and I got a kick out of 25 Minutes to Go. Johnny isn't really my cup of tea, but it was still a pleasure to give this album a total listen.
The prison crowd and Cash's relatable lyrics make for a really good listen if you're a fan
Buen disco! Lo único que me bajo un poco es el enterarme que muchos de los aplausos fueron agregados post-producción, pensaba que eran reacciones espontáneas del público :(
Great genuine, authentic outlaw country - I love it. My top pick is the opening track, but I also like 'Jackson', and 'Green, Green Grass of Home'. Loved the audience interactions - "This show is being recorded for an album release on Columbia Records, and you can't say 'hell' or 'shit' or anything like that."
Western folk meets bluegrass rock, creating 'At Folsom Prison' with Johnny Cash's unique panache. The album is quite streamlined and organized, as its live quality brings Cash's distinctive baritone vocals to the foreground. An inviting listen of an album that ultimately enkindles themes of life; that of Cash's personal experiences.
I hate live albums, but there are always exceptions to the rules. Exception: Johnny fucking Cash. It was a great idea that was executed brilliantly. Felt like a prisoner by the end of it, but that was the point right?
3.7 + A fun palate cleanser. Cash sounds loose and intimate, cracking jokes with the audience often at the expense of the prison administration. June Carter sounds sassy on "Jackson." Apparently the crowd noises were added in post-production (Folsom prison required silence of the inmates), which was a huge letdown when I first learned of it. But now I think the crowd sounds are so vital to the record that I can no longer imagine it without the audience as a central performer.
Wow this has sooo much energy - I love it! The 25 minutes to go song was moving - especially if anyone on death row was attending that concert. What a great listen.
Perfect live performance and connection to a crowd. Each song is specifically selected for the crowd and performed with such care and passion as Cash demonstrates a sense of compassion as he believed in redemption for all. Produced really well and sounds clear.
initial thoughts: even the songs I didn’t love were great. I love the interactive aspect of this album fav off album: I Still Miss Someone or Cocaine Blues
Fantastic, obviously. Think this might've been the first country album I listened to in full.
I mean, it's Johnny Cash. Can't really be bad to that. Classic live album but I do feel like I need to be in the right mood to listen to this.
Rockabilly. Country. Oddly comforting though, even though I'm not usually into country. Really liked that it was a live performance and the rapport he seemed to have with the incarcerated folks.
Ivica Gotovina je prava sirovina. Općenito on, njegova glazba, najviše paše u tom nekom ljetnom/žega periodu. Čudan je osjećaj slušati ovo dok zatvorenici (ubojice, lopovi, prevaranti...) reagiraju na pjesme koje je on baš odabrao za ovaj live koncert (gdje bi se oni mogli naći u tim pjesmama) - gdje netko nekog ubija, vara, krade - a najviše ćeš čuti reagiranje na pjesmama: Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes to Go (vrijeme ističe, tik tok), The Long Black Veil (pogotovo na stih: "I'd been in the arms of my best friend's wife" pa čuješ reagiranje na tihi aplauz). Druga strana albuma je koliko je rekao da će krenuti romantične svirati, bome je više prisutna komedija, i zatvorenici odlično reagiraju na to. Ali pjesma The Wall tho...tužno pravo, a opet mi nekako najdraža sa ovog live nastupa. Treba to doživit (mislim bar da budeš ovako gledatelj, posmatrač, a ne iz zatvorenikove perspektive). Odličan live nastup, veoma kultan i s razlogom! P.S. previše dobrih albuma zaredanih.
Das Album hat so ein geiles Konzept, also like: Ich singe im Gefängnis über Straftaten auch wenn ich gesagt hab ich macht das nicht (hehe) und alle gröhlen. Musikalisch geht das teilweise richtig nach vorne, hat dann aber auch ne klare Grenze wo mehr so Balladen können. Finde dieses eingespielte Lachen so geil, es wirkt so reingemischt aber trotzdem authentisch. Glaube gutes Einsteiger Ding auch für Cash!
Das hat ne unvergleichliche Atmosphäre, die fast unmöglich rein musikalisch bewertbar macht. Vor allem der 25 minutes Track erzeugt in dem Kontext richtig Gänsehaut. Macht jedenfalls sau Spaß und mir extrem viel mehr bock bei Cash mal mehr einzusteigen.
ein ziemlich gutes livealbum! das publikum ist teil der performance und johnny cashs kommentare sind auch kultig. ein paar songs haben mir echt gut gefallen, obwohl es country ist. kann man sich echt gut anhören!
Allein für die Geschichte dahinter ist das was besonderes. Musikalisch ist da nicht so viel für mich dabei, aber die Reaktion der Insassen da zu hören hebt das auf ne ganz andere Ebene. Bisschen komisch alles aber das ist gewollt 7/10
This was good, but not quite as good as I expected it to be. I love the wit in Johnny Cash's music, and his voice is incredible, but this album was missing some of the soul and emotion that you get from his other work. Give My Love To Rose has it in buckets, but there's not so much other than that. Also, I thought it could done with a bit more of the back and forth with the crowd - the big thing about this album is that it's recorded live at the prison, but you lose a lot of the interaction and the energy from that. There's a recording of A Boy Named Sue that he did at San Quentin Prison which captures that perfectly - this album doesn't reach the same heights as that. 4 on 5.
This one's much better than the later San Quentin album. This list doesn't need them both: keep Folsom.
Quite good! Fun to hear Johnny Cash acting pretty casual while recording the music. To this day I still don't know exactly why I like Johnny Cash, he seems to me like a sub-par singer but I like his voice enough that somehow it works? An odd phenom.
I mean it's Johnny Cash, you already know it's good. Hits many of the same notes as At San Quentin and here, as there, the atmosphere is as important as the music.
Don't have much Johnny Cash records, but, At Folsom Prison is my absolute favorite! What can be better than Johnny performing in front of prisoners at a prison with a set of "appeasing the audience" appropriate songs ! Wow, still a classic!
Prison is no punishment these days, they’ve all got flat screen TVs with all the channels and PlayStation 4 and Johnny Cash recording an album, it’s like a holiday camp for gods sake
Such a neat album. The instrumentals are really nothing special, but the songwriting and storytelling of the lyrics on this thing are so interesting and kept me into it the whole time. Also the inclusion of the inmates cheering and yelling adds quite a bit of authenticity. 7/10
Always liked the concept of give concerts at jails. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_Folsom_Prison
It blows my mind that Johnny just knows and is in harmony with his audience here. That connection is so complete that it transforms the songs and their lyrics--becoming something more. The reaction of the crowd matters more than the content of the songs. They find a home, not in literal acceptance but in audacity. The audacity of swearing, of being there, riding the edge of crassness, and understanding something that they all share. The twang and railroad beat make this feel both fictitious and absolutely real.
Really enjoyed this, felt like it told a story and the audience involvement oddly added to it
Really fun listening to his banter with the crowd (inmates!) and how composed his performance is around what seems like a fairly chaotic setting. I love the interruptions by the warden. However, I'm not a huge fan of the songs themselves, so this is something I would see as a curio, rather than a record I would return to often.
I do enjoy Johnny Cash and respect his music. Not something that I just turn on though
Anyone think it's a bit fucked how whenever he mentions murder or anything illegal all the boys in the crowd are like "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaahhhh". A three more because of the iconic nature and event than the music. They do blend into one lots of the time.
I respect Cash for his ability to connect with the audience and his showmanship but I’m not a fan of Country and this is pretty Deep South Country. Respect and Acknowledgement, but I wouldn’t seek it out to be honest
Was für ein Event, ehe man solche Auftritte als solches zu nee nennen angefangen hat. Diese warmherzige Verbrüderung mit den Knackis ist rührend, da mag man sich nicht vorstellen müssen, wofür die Kerle alles einsitzen.
Prefer live Cash stuff to the studio albums. The interaction with the crowd/prisoners brings it to life.
Something warm and familiar with these standards. Not likely to listen much again, though.
Solid album, I do like his unique voice and incredible storytelling in his songs. However, his voice can get a bit repetitive as he doesn't always change up how he sounds (always sounds a bit solemn) so it can cause the songs to blend in with each other and lose their meaning when you listen to the full album straight.
Johnny Cash is alright. Still not a fan of live albums. It's exactly what you expect. He sings, he interrupts the songs to laugh and ask for a drink of water. The inmates cheer. I'd rather hear a studio album. I love the fact that he records a new song at the end, written by one of the inmates.
Loved hearing the interaction with the prison audience. I found many of the songs very repetitive in form, but an entertaining record nonetheless. 3.5 rounded down
Johnny Cash's showmanship elevates this album to iconic status. Not necessarily representative of his best songwriting work.
It was pretty cool to hear Johnny Cash's performance to the inmates at Folsom. A performance I've always heard about but never took the time to listen to.
I would get country for my first album of this bruh. But this is older country and doesn't have what I hate about a lot of newer pop country. So first song in and I'm enjoying it a good amount.
'I still miss someone' is schitterend maar ik heb wel eens beters van Johnny gehoord. Toch ben ik fan.
Ik vond dit een rommelig album en Cash is hier niet op z'n best. Maar het blijft natuurlijk wel Johnny Cash.
Ja, best leuk en echt een klassieker natuurlijk, maar dit ga ik toch echt niet vaak draaien helaas...
Good old country. Performing a concert in prison about all the ways one can break the law is a pretty neat PR idea.
At the end of the day, it's a live Johnny Cash album, nothing much more to it. It has Johnny Cash, which is great, and it has aspects of live albums, of which I generally dislike. This album doesn't change either of those two things. Favorite track: Dark as the Dungeon
Fine. Interesting how the logistics/patter were kept. Don't think it'd be that way now.
Not bad but actually somewhat boring. Slow pace, similar style of all the songs, just not memorable
was pretty good! pretty samey but I loved that it was a live version, you can hear how much it meant to the inmates. my fav track was the wall, I’ll definitely revisit this soon.
now i am admittedly not the biggest johnny cash fan, i think the concept of him singing at a prison is interesting but also makes me wonder if the recording of it is necessary. But that being said I do really enjoy the snippets of him interacting with the crowd which is usually something i dislike about live albums. Favourites on the album: Green, Green Grass of Home, Send a Picture to Mother, Jackson, Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog Overall its your classic run of the mill 1960s country album I would love a bit more production on the tracks for some distinction but also given the context of the album i think that the simplicity works fine. /bagcloud
Coincidence or providence? Interesting that this LP came up for review today. I’m working in a job that I don’t particularly enjoy very much anymore, but I’m dependent on for paying the bills and carrying insurance and such; and, my marriage is completely broken to the point that my wife and I occupy the same house, but different rooms. We seldom eat together. Our conversation usually ends in a fight. I’m not technically in prison (and cannot begin to imagine the horrors of that atmosphere), but I do very much feel imprisoned by the consequences of my own bad, habitual behavior. Long story short: I was never taught, never mentored, never learned how to deal with adversity maturely, and instead unfortunately took it out on my wife in the form of emotional and verbal abuse. And I could feel it was going in a more physical direction if I didn’t get some help. I did, and am, but there’s been a lot of damage done, and there are consequences I must now bear. The chickens have come home to roost, as they say. So, in my own way, I listened to 'At Folsom Prison' as a prisoner, along with the rest of the live incarcerated audience on this recording. And the vast majority of these songs- I would categorize them as country blues- are about life in prison, including even death in prison, either by planned execution or in a failed escape attempt. Even the second to last cut, the country classic ‘Green, Green Grass of Home,’ concerns a poor fellow dreaming he’s back home only to awake and find he’s still in prison. The only way he’ll make it back home is when he’s dead and they lay his body to rest underneath that green, green grass . This is Johnny Cash at his most comfortable because of his own personal familiarity with prison life. These are truly his people, probably for the most part poor, uneducated, underprivileged, abused, traumatized, and genetically predisposed to things like alcoholism and drug abuse. The sort most of us model citizens wouldn’t want anything to do with. But the final song is when Johnny segues from entertainer to evangelist, and the audience becomes his congregation. The prison church, ‘Greystone Chapel,’ is described as ‘a flower of light in a field of darkness.’ And the lyricist testifies that ‘it’s given me the strength to carry one. Inside the walls of prison my body may be, but the Lord has set my soul free.’ One’s material body may be ‘stuck in Folsom prison,’ but one’s spirit does not have to share in the bondage. I’m reminded of the early disciples of Jesus who also found themselves imprisoned, sometimes severely beaten; but chose to sing hymns of thanksgiving and praise to God for the release of their spirits. Their inner freedom was universally expansive, far beyond the exterior movement restricted by chains and barred cells. God’s even in prison, too, Johnny shockingly testifies, and offers you a share in the salvation that has snuck in like a file smuggled in a loaf of bread. There is hope. Johnny Cash has never really been my bag. I appreciate the talent, but the music is pretty hokey and dated, and Cash’s nervous energy is, at times, distracting. And listening to this LP isn’t going to magically make my job better, nor will it miraculously save my marriage. It’s a very cold, snowy day today where I live, with most outside movement at a standstill. I’m currently stuck in my room, alone and lonely, isolated, abandoned, and looking through the blinds/bars across my window, contemplating how and why I ended up in this place. Like most prisoners, I want to cry foul, unjustly accused, and all that. But in my heart I know the truth. ‘I know I had it comin’,’ as Cash sings on the opening song. And having been tried and convicted I’m now serving my sentence, with no release in sight. But 'At Folsom Prison' does give me hope in the possibility of spiritual rehabilitation even while I’m paying off my debt.
I’m just gonna say these boys in prison prob don’t want to hear a song about waiting to be hanged. Just play Boy Named Sue, John. Also the last Cash album I got on my list I listened to on the way to get my third COVID shot. So that’s still working well!
Cash is absolutely fine by me but I've never really been properly grabbed by his work. I suspect I'll enjoy it more in certain times/places/moods but at others less so. Not sure I'll stretch to 5 on it.
I think this is the second of 2 prison albums..... like.... did he play to the inmates? What kind of prisoners did the jail incarcerate? Can't imagine playing to an audience of murderers. Anyway. As live albums go, this is fine. Give my love to Rose being particularly poignant. Can't get away from the feeling that this album is most notable for where it was played rather than the recording itself
Classic Johnny Cash album that I had not listened to for many years. It is a fine album but a liitle boring as the songs sound a bit similar.
They all sound the same. Even managed to suck the soul out of Green, Green Grass of Home!
Country ist einfach nicht meine Welt. Es war schon vorher klar, dass es nicht schön ist, in Knast zu sitzen, romantische Verklärung braucht das nicht.
A couple of things going against this album. First, the genre is country, and Johnny Cash falls into the bucket of folks that I don't enjoy much in that genre; second, the album is live, and Johnny Cash's voice is only so-so here. Once again, I have to give something... 2 stars. This is your last chance, albumgenerator. Give me something worth listening to, or we're done.
While country still isn't for me, there's much more charm to Cash's stuff, and the iconic nature of the show was fun. Don't want to list things I personally don't like about such a legendary figure, so I'll leave it there.
I can respect Cash's work and this album but it isn't really my thing at all. His voice is overdone and his guitarwork isn't terribly memorable. The prison gimmick definitely adds to this live album though I will say.
Hated it. As if Johnny Cash studio recordings weren't bad enough, it's even worse live. Don't get it at all.
Most country really doesn't do it for me, especially the overly simple bass rhythm give all the tracks a very uninteresting vibe. And although I quite like Johnny cash's singing, the live recording with the audience chiming in like a if it all was a sitcom makes this feel more like disconnected sections of a comedy audiobook than an album.
Dark as the Dungeon is hilarious Surprisingly entertaining audience and performance
Pretty good, lively
Tremendu!
This is one of my favorite albums to sit through. I love the energy he brings to the show, and you can feel the electricity in the air there. The announcements and banter make it all more special.