At Folsom Prison

I want to go to prison

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.

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.

johnny cash performs in a prison sings about doing cocaine and shooting his wife the crowd cheers unfathomably based

"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?"

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

Fucking visceral. “I shot a man in Reno just to see him die” & they cheer… Best live album ever.

(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.

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.

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

I needed this so bad today. This dudes the fucking King. I need more stars...raw, authentic, fuck you. Yes!

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

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

not bad, but too samey and I lost focus on this one

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.

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.

Not bad but actually somewhat boring. Slow pace, similar style of all the songs, just not memorable

listening to convicted criminals giggle over a song about killing your wife under cocaine is an amazing experience. liked not so much the album as the reactions of the prisoners, little Johny Cashs' inserts...literally and indescribable atmosphere

Solid live album, especially considering the location and difficulties to make it happen. Some great gems throughout the set list, although there are a few songs that just kind of pass into the background. Clearly groundbreaking, but not quite a 5-star for me.

It's really good. Songs about prison, crime, dying, and retribution.

Well, it's pretty darn good.

just perfect. Johnny Cash did more for incarcerated rights than any celebrity has, and he did it by seeing them as people who deserved to hear some live music. it’s not a revolutionary idea, but still feels monumental. this album is so silly and goofy and funny but also heartbreaking and deeply sad. Johnny Cash always blended those two moods together so well, and for it to come across in this live recording.. art!

if this album is the result of the carceral state, maybe I'm not an abolitionist after all (ACAB)

CAN I GET A GLASS OF WATER

Really excellent

I feel like I’m sitting right there in the prison with the guys watching the show—the most heartfelt, candid show I’ve ever heard. Not only is Cash an unparalleled storyteller, he’s really got a heart for the prisoners he’s playing for. I really like how the guys applaud, letting me know exactly what lyrics or licks best tickle the imprisoned listeners. The music rollicks along, but there are quite chilling moments, too, like when the voice announces normal prison business over the PA. Whenever I finish listening to this album, I have mixed feelings: I go on with my life, but those guys all go back to their cells.

Ace

An enjoyable listen with a strong social (prison) reform message.

I loved this. The music, the banter, the announcements with inmate numbers, the laughing mid track, the lyrics, just all of it. I’ve somehow never listened to this despite always liking Johnny Cash, and it is such a great record. The recording it incredibly good for being recorded in what I assume is a prison cafeteria or auditorium. The singing comes through beautifully but none of the instruments are overshadowed. I rest can’t think of a bad thing about this. Really great.

Really entertaining - one of the best live album atmospheres I've heard captured on record. Started off thinking it might make a interesting listen but nothing more, and ended up being the fastest I've bought an album from this list. Great stuff [edit: "Hot Rats" currently holds the instant classic title, but this is still 2nd]

makes you wanna take a shot of cocaine and shoot a man in reno

Johnny Cash is so badass. Dude had just come off of a hard fought battle with addiction and is looking to return to the music industry. Mind you, he had been out of the limelight for years. So he does the sensible thing and… makes a live album? From a prison? Hell yes. The audience noise and commentary makes you feel like you’re actually at the show. He’s singing about doing cocaine and shooting people and the crowd is loving it. Amazing record.

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.

The best live album ever recorded. Bar none.

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.

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.

Really good stuff. I might just go and get obsessed with Johnny Cash now

Pretty good record

A fun listen to an artist that captured a snapshot of a time and place. They don’t make musicians like this anymore and they certainly don’t have concerts like this anymore.

One of the most badass albums ever recorded.

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.

jhonnnyyyy

Was only ever going to be an instant 5. Best way to do a live album. Johnny doesn't waste much time talking and he sounds just as good as in the studio

Salvation lies within.

i didn't know how I was going to feel about it, but I enjoyed it thoroughly. I find it fascinating that there are only two modes for women in old school country though-- they're either bad bitches that deserve to be shot or the steadfast and beautiful object of affection.

Fantastic piece of historical music, recorded live in a prison. Johnny sings directly to his primary audience with an absolute banger of a setlist. I have nostalgia for this album and enjoyed growing up with appreciation for it. The man in black never disappoints. Production value is pretty darn high for 1968 too and the mix is quite literally perfect for this style of music and on analog from this era.

Whoever told him to have his first live concert at a prison and let him sing songs about murder in front of all these prisoners is a genius. Ngl the whole concept was funny to me. The entire album was so engaging. Those prisoners were having a blast. lol

Performing a song about murdering a man in Reno to the wild applause of actual convicted murderers. Thats dark, dark as the dungeon that held them...

One of the best live albums ever. Loved just sitting down and listening to the whole thing.

Che piacevole sorpresa. Di solito non mi piacciono i live, ma questo è speciale e autentico. Alcune canzoni me le sono salvate nella mia playlist

I haven't heard this album since I was young. I remember riding in the back seat of the car (not wearing a seat belt and probably fighting with my brothers) going to visit my Grandma after church on Sunday and listening to this on 8-track. She lived about an hour away, so plenty of time to listen to the entire album. I have so many memories associated with this one. And the banter between songs, during songs, the prison announcements, and the crowd's reactions just help make this an extraordinary album. This is Johnny at his peak. Favorites (then and now): Folsom Prison Blues, 25 Minutes To Go, Send a Picture of Mother, Jackson, Give My Love to Rose, Green, Green Grass of Home

This is a perfect argument for why album experiences are so important, none of these songs on their own would be five starts except maybe Folsom prison blues, but together along with all of the banter, noise, and applause it makes for a wonderful experience that put a smile on my face, whether that was from genuine emotion of the songs being delivered to prisoners or when everyone started cheering during the song about being on cocaine and killing your wife. No notes.

This record somehow manages to make the listener part of the prison crowd. It's a little rowdy, a little gritty, feels off the cuff. A fun slice of americana that we would do well to appreciate.

Legend

A classic Johnny Cash album. I'd only heard the original release of this, but I listened to the Legacy edition this time. It was perhaps a little too long--it could have done without the outtakes at the end. But it does add some flavour that the regular one lacks. But anyway, the original is great, and is Johnny Cash at his prime. I'm not a country fan at all, but Cash is the man.

Listening to this record, you'd think Johnny was at the peak of his popularity. It's interesting to learn the back story, but even on its own, it's a classic concert full of energy and excitement that nobody bought a ticket to see. It's a thoughtful set list with a couple of JC hits and a bunch of tunes chosen specifically for this audience, sequenced beautifully (not sure if that's how it happened for real, but on the record it's just jim-dandy) so that even the two jokey Cowboy Jack Clement songs have an impact. You can just feel how he's somehow both simultaneously invested in the stories he's telling and how the audience is receiving them... how he can get caught in a laugh during the dirge "Long Black Veil", how he knows when to crack wise or go for the tear-jerker. The humanitarian shines through. For those that don't know, the last song was written by a convict and a tape of it was played for Johnny the night before the show by the prison chaplain, and Johnny insisted he learn it and teach it to the band that night and play it the next day. How incredible. The inmate's story ultimately is a tragic one, which I suppose isn't surprising. Glad to have heard this record all the way through after only hearing bits and pieces through the years (and hearing "Folsom" repeatedly). Cool cover too, with the sweat running down his cheek. Johnny was a special one.

The best reason to be in prison

Bob Dylan described Johnny Cash as having a "voice from the middle of the earth". That's true, his voice is elemental. The prison setting is pretty unique, and it makes this record an incredible document. B.B. King, Big Mama Thornton and the Sex Pistols apparently did live albums in prisons too, but this might have been the first? 5 stars.

First time hearing and it’s clearly a landmark recording. Cash’s delivery is unparalleled and the unique recording location cements its legacy.

I didn't realize this was JC's first live album. Feels like such a perfect pairing. I wish more artists did live recordings outside of music venues. The atmosphere adds so much texture. Undeniable!

I’ve been listening to this album since I first knew what an album was. This is a top 10 best favorite album of all time for me, but I haven’t thought about it in years. It’s weird to hear it all together now, instead of having to flip the record or the cassette in the middle. The inmates cheering is thrilling. The interruptions of guard announcements, the jokes between Johnny and the inmates makes me feel like a tough guy too. What did these guys do to get in there, and what do they think seeing Johnny now? Were there other concerts in jails? Was this a common thing? Were there uso shows in jails? Did anyone in the audience know cash when he was locked up there too? It’s hard not to get lost in thought about where and when and for whom this album was recorded. It’s exciting. The fraternity between Johnny and June and the inmates is joyful. This has got to be the best live album ever recorded no second place. The song list is a best-of album, every song was a part of my childhood. the inmates booing the warden gives this album a wildness that is real and tangible . I love it.

I had San Quentin but have never listened to Fulsom before. In some ways it's more raw, and the combination of songs and crowd is really powerful. I've marked down live albums here a few times because they don't offer anything extra but this is about the whole combination and experience and it's an incredible moment to have preserved.

Makes me feel like a felon

I guess I like country music now! Johnny Cash is so funny, charming and charismatic here in both song and talk, what a delight. Favourites - title track, Orange Blossom Special, and Give My Love To Rose

Story telling is off the charts and relatable. Beacon of joy for prisoners and a live performance worth listening. Individually I would not listen to most of the album but listening to as a cohesive piece makes it enjoyable and catered to the prisoners’ lives

Incredibly unique, amazing storytelling. I can’t believe I haven’t listened in full before. Truly one of the best albums of all time.

It was so good, I want to give you a 10. But that’s not possible, so I give you a 5.

They don’t make prison albums like they used to

Johnny Cash at his best and one of my favourite live albums. When I hear the studio versions of some of these songs, they just don't sound right without the prison announcements.

Banged up the slammer.

Absolutely incredible - no notes

Anna - There's a reason this album is iconic. The music is humble, the lyrics witty, and everything in-between makes it so special. Dan - simplicity and brilliance

Imo one of the best folk/country albums ever

Live recorded albums rule forever. Also. Wow first time listening to Johnny cash ever; this rules

Absolut ikoniskt album! Musikaliskt är det kanske en stark 3a, saknar ett antal av hans bästa låtar. Men allt runt omkring albumet förhöjer det så otroligt mycket. Svårt att komma på andra situationer som skulle vara jämförbara. Någonstans mellan 4a och 5. Känner mig generös

Amazing idea to go into a prison for a live concert! Really impressed by this record. It's one of those, where the songs are already pretty good on their own, but it is the context and the vibes that just carry it through the roof. Many songs are a bit samey and Cash's performance was far from flawless, but taking the circumstances into consideration, this is certainly not that important. A weak 5.

It’s one of these albums were the context is more important than the musuc

A great piece of rock and roll history.

This is one of the greatest live albums off all time. Do you hear a train a comin'? No, that is just the steady tones of Johnny Cash. This album is a piece of America herself!

One of my favourite live albums. The whole thing is dripping with atmosphere, between the crowd, Johnny's jokes and anecdotes and the warden announcements. There's something darkly funny about him singing "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die" and doing coke and shooting his wife and the crowd going wild, whistling and applauding. All of this could've detracted from the album but it actually tops it off and completes it The actual performance sometimes isn't perfect either, but that just adds to the genuine atmosphere and the character of the whole thing, especially when Johnny laughs in the middle of a song. A lot of the performances on here are the definitive versions of these songs, like Folsom Prison Blues Highlights: Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, Jackson

5 estrelas

Man of the people. Prisoners deserve entertainment too.

Classic Johnny Cash.

Supreme set from a legend. Funny, moving, sassy, and a great lesson in how to work a crowd. Surely this and San Quentin must be in a tussle for best ever live album. Masterful.

Just the best.

So great. The presence of the audience noise is additive rather than distracting, because there's so much chemistry between Cash and the inmates. It's so humanising, in a scenario which is anything but. One of the best live albums I have ever heard.

Johnny Cash at his iconic best.

Most badass live album ever recorded.

Some live albums make you wonder if the live element makes an actual difference. That is not the case for At Folsom Prison. Raw, alive and at times chaotic - there’s just no faking the energy of Cash and the inmates of Folsom Prison.

i love to say that all live albums are bad except for the grateful dead but Folsom prison and san quentin are of course also exceptions to the rule

Johnny Cash at his flawed best. Probably one of the best live albums, the crowd (inmates) are like another instrument and add a depth to the recording often missed in other live recordings

This album is awesome. Have never heard of the concept, and the live album brings you back to the time. You hear the flaws which makes the album special. It is basically listening to a concert, and feels like you should listen to the whole album at once, which is what I think makes a strong album. Also singing about some crazy stuff!

I’ve generally been indifferent to the live albums on this list as even if the music is good I fail to see why I’d want to listen to a concert over the studio versions. But hearing the way Johnny banters and jokes with the audience and how the audience reacts to him really adds something to this. Like I feel like I’m transported to this performance in a way. Plus, it’s Johnny Cash music. Easy 5

vicces, hogy az outlaw-tapasztalat mennyire a középpontjában van a countrynak meg a bluesnak is, aztán ő volt az első, akinek eszébe jutott, hogy ez a zene hova való. nem vagyok nagy rajongója a fiatal Johnny Cashnek, ez a koncert mindblowing ❤️

What do you have to criticize about this? That the singer isn't exactly on key or something? It's a live performance, moron. Favs: 25 Minutes to Go, Jackson, Greystone Chapel Least Favs: N/A

One of my all time favorites

When seeking authenticity in music, this title says it all. Not only was Cash an artist who brimmed with authenticity, but this album was a high water mark for him. A novel idea he'd been knocking around for over 10 years and finally sober enough to pull it off, this lives on as a document of rebel-country's anti-authoritarian stance as Cash relates and connects with his thrilled audience of inmates. The music is pulled off well but this is as raw as you'd expect it to be, with all the shit talking, jeering, and sneering banter you'd want. It didn't matter what these inmates did, their sentence length, or the overall functionality of their moral compasses, it had been a long time since someone came into their walls and treated them with the dignity that any human deserves. Not every inmate deserves their freedom, but music doesn't discriminate. This album captures that shared understanding between Cash & his audience, a circumstance that elevates this live album so highly beyond the great caliber performances and content of the songwriting alone.

Good stuff

Awesomee