At Folsom Prison

This album is great. The location, the prison crowd really bring something to this. Especially how prison life just continues with interruptions in the show for things. I really like when they boo the guard and the one in charge is like “ok settle down”. It’s prison but one of the better days there for some.

lsitened

Ein Klassiker, und was für einer!

Claasic

Imagine waking up in your cell one day and getting to see Johnny fucking Cash, what kind of “punishment” is that supposed to be

Wow, what a ride this one is! I was aware of this existing, but had never listened. To my mind, live albums have never really counted as proper albums for some reason, and why would I want to listen to Johnny Cash in a live venue with crowd noises when I can listen to Johnny Cash in the studio? Little did I understand that the presence of the crowd - the atmosphere in the room - is what makes this album so good. Johnny's banter with the inmates, the choice of a whole lot of prison themed/gallows humour type songs... Thematically it's such a clever idea, that is pulled off flawlessly. The music itself is classic country stuff performed exceptionally well, with an almost effortless feeling imbued by just how funny and relaxed the whole thing is. Johnny is a real comfortable entertainer, and this album is nothing if not entertaining.

I had always known about this album and its history but this is the first time I listened to it and I was blown away! Not just musically, of course, but I love the ad libbing, the background noise, certain inmates being called over the intercom…it really places you in that setting, in that period of time. Excellent!

This was an amazing live album - probably the best I can think of.

Perfection!

This album makes me want to travel back in time, get into a bar fight and get thrown in jail in California just so i could watch this show. Johnny Cash does not screw around, mince words or waste time.

This is the album that got me into Johnny Cash. I really wish I could have seen him before he passed. What a missed opportunity. This is an epic live album. The mood is so intense. You can hear how starved-for-entertainment these guys are; they're so happy to be having a good time, and their vibe is infectious. All the between-song banter is great, especially the bit about the cup of water. And then at the end they bring up the warden and everyone boos him, and the album then just kind of ends unceremoniously as everyone is dismissed to go back to their cells. It would've been great to be in the crowd for thi----actually, maybe not.

This is great, full stop. While I've heard this before, I'd forgotten about the banter between songs and announcements from prison officials peppered throughout. "Folsom Prison Blues" is an all-time classic, "I Still Miss Someone" is among Cash's best, and there's plenty else to like here. The mix of sentimentality, humor (gallows and otherwise), and Johnny Cash's authenticity makes it charming and real. What a legend.

Miglior disco live di sempre

Incredible stuff. Cocaine blues in particular. This whole album is fantastic.

An exercise in knowing your audience. Many of the songs are either about serving time, killing, doing drugs, or staring down your execution. Cash's voice starts cracking by the fourth song, he intermittently coughs from there and then finally asks for a glass of water by the seventh song. It fits perfectly with the panicked nature of Cocaine Blues and the helplessness of 25 Minutes to Go. Jackson, the duet with June Carter, is also a highlight. The inmates hang on every word and respond enthusiastically to every song and bit of banter. Cash cracks up multiple times throughout, whether at the reaction of the crowd, something said by someone in the crowd, or the lyrics he's singing. It is the platonic ideal of a live album, and reminds me of Sam Cooke's Harlem Square Club recording.

This is my second live Cash album. I gave San Quentin 5 stars, and this is somehow even better. With SQ I had no idea what I was going to hear, with this one I roughly knew what to expect but it's still just delivered so we'll. The songs are perfect for the environment. The announcements, the boos for the lieutenant, the side comments and jokes. It's brilliant.

Adding to my list of great live albums

Incredible performance with a legendary history. The crowd sounds and interspersed commentary really add to the overall atmosphere and the accompaniment by June Carter was a terrific surprise to a first time listener.

10/10 classic album for a reason. The concept is really fun.

This album isn’t going to blow you away musically, but it is such a cool snapshot into music history. I love Johnny Cash, I love this record. So much energy and charisma. This record belongs in the pantheon of great American records.

Hot Dog those inmates really loved the harmonica!

Undeniably great. Loved the little asides and interruptions from Johnny Cash. This album was just cool as hell.

Abolutely love it. Excellent vibes, everyone's having fun, the songs are short and to the point. Great!

Powerful

The definitive live album that sets the pace for the rest.

Love this album. Read Johnny’s autobiography and the story behind this. Great music. Great recording. Great story.

I was hanging off every word of this like it was a play. SO, SO GOOD.

Great album. Also great myth-definont show.

Damn good record. Felt like I was in the audience, between the jokes, the boos of the jailhouse staff, and the laughs where their should have been lyrics. What a fine time to be recorded. Fav track: greystone chapel.

There isn't many voices that are as good as Johnny Cash's a true one of a kind talent.

funny as hell and catchy

A real slice of history, the Man in Black belting it out live at Folsom Prison. What a voice, what a stage presence. Some great catchy tracks, Folsom Prison Blues and Jackson (ft June Carter) the standouts. Plenty of topical jailhouse material including a few songs penned by inmates, and lots of banter from the great man.

God damn, but I love me some Johnny Cash!

One of the most iconic recordings of all time, I could listen to this forever. The swagger, the focus on the underclass, the unleashed rebellion that is this album - just the very fact that it happened - incredible. This is a monument to how music should be.

Favs: Folsom Prison Blues; Cocaine Blues; Orange Blossom Special; Greystone Chapel

the best

Phenomenal. Easy 5 stars

Though country as a genre often feels dull and uninspired, Johnny Cash proved its true power with one of the most emotional, funny, and electrifying live albums ever recorded. At Folsom Prison isn’t just a performance; it’s a raw, honest conversation between an artist and his audience, stripped of pretense and full of soul. This was the first album I ever bought on vinyl, and I don’t regret it for a second. 9.5/10.

The Blues, good country album. Live Johnny Cash

Best start to this app for me - loved this version and the asides/interactions with the crowd included throught

I haven't listened to this for ages but what a weird concept and what a cool album. June Carter's voice on Jackson is really something else!

👍👍👍👍👍

I'm not a big fan of country music and I've barely listened to Johnny Cash's music before, but this was so fun. The idea of singing this particular selection of songs in a prison; the stage banter, the engagement of the audience especially during funny moments... this is a very special live album.

Feels incredibly American. The concept is powerful, and the sound (the reverb, the interruptions, the crowd noise, the banter) reinforces it at every step. I've heard a lot of these songs before, but listening all together nearly brought me to tears.

Hands down 5 ⭐ one of the best country albums ever

15/10/2025 Really rate Johnny Cash and really rated this album. Spotify listeners: 12.3 million

Johnny Cash.

Great

Great!

An incredible live performance by an incredible person. Music aside, it is a selfless and empathetic performance. Definitely a deserves the 5 starts.

he’s just as good as everyone says he is

so moving and also funny. nothing like a live album and he has such an amazing and unique voice that tells a story of its own. singing a song from one of the prisoners is the cherry on top. i already loved jackson but loved 25 minutes grey stone chapel and green green grasses of home

Classic

classic

Listened to this over a number of listens. I love the ambiance, the sound quality, the crowd interactions. It transcends the musical content to become a piece of history. I hope there's more Johnny Cash in this list. His storytelling and song composition is incredible. I would choose to listen to this album start to finish any time. - I've listened to this one before, excited to listen again with new ears - Iconic. Even better than I remember, and WOW that sound quality for the 60s - Such a romantic voice - The crowd manages to add to the record! There's a real live presence here. Feels like reliving history - Spent a long time debating this one as a 5 star. Decided it was. Even if some of the songs are not the easiest to connect to, The album as a whole is awesome and there are some serious top-quality songs.

Superb album

This is amazing. Recommended if you're human. You can hear the catharsis in the room, the communal release, what Cash's being there means, the quips, the mistakes played off with jokes, the place the time, how the event was managed. I think you could genuinely say that there's no record like it. Much of Country has put the music back in its truck in the showroom or with the wheels taken off, that doesn't move anywhere meaningful or say anything. Cash stood for living folk song, and Faith and music in the darkest places. Its the ultimate demonstration of walking the walk not just talking the hokey talk. Essential, a record full, of life, hardship, joy. One of the best gigs of all time.

This is so good. A man out of one of his primes clawing back in and performing at a prison is so sick. Him playing a song that a prisoner wrote? Sick. The quality of this recording? Sick. Just a great recording of a great live performance that rightfully helped catapult Cash back to the top of the game. I think it's hard to be negative about this at all. He's funny, he's a great player, he's a great vocalist, whatever. 5.

legendary

Classic Cash

One of the best live albums ever. The band is great and Cash’s voice is iconic. The prisoners’ cheering and reactions are some of the best parts, it’s one of the few live albums of the time to give focus to the audience. Even though it’s not a perfect performance, Cash’s comments and chuckles as well as the crowd reactions make the album sound so alive. 5/5

The greatest live album of all time. The song choices are perfect, the crowd interruptions and announcements actually add to the listening experience, it's basically a concept album. This is how you do live albums. 5 Stars.

Hard not to compare to At San Quentin as I just listened to that recently, definitely enjoy this much more. Hits the right balance of songs/banter with the audience. A prison-themed album recorded live in front of prisoners is already a great concept, the quality of the songs puts it over the top.

Oh man…

So much spirit in this album

One of the greatest albums ever, period

It took me until a few months ago to finally watch Walk the Line, so even though I'd grown up listening to Johnny Cash, I never really appreciated his mythology until now. To listen to Folsom Prison without context seems like you're missing half the story. There's a whole meta narrative in the lyrics, set list, and banter that encapsulates Cash's anti-authority shtick and actually seems to say a lot about the prison industrial complex and predatory penal system. So that's neat.

really enjoyed this

Awesome

this is a golden album imo

On the short list for the greatest live album of all time. Country music was so fucking COOL. If only we could send Morgan Wallen to Folsom Prison

Country music by criminals for criminals. Go jump in the creek with your limp dick try that in a small town ya Nashville cocksuckers.

Now this right here is the stuff! Johnny Cash whooping it up with a raucus show in front of incarcerated inmates at a prison is the stuff of legend. Doesn't hurt that the songs, and the stories they tell, are absolutely excellent too.

All time classic country.

I love Johnny Cash.

Man in black. What more can be said? He got his audience, and they got him! I can hear his empathy through his deep frog-horn call. The duets are soul rendering. I also think the recording has a genuine feel, you can hear the wardens calling for individuals because they had visitations. Overall it’s beautiful: a five star for me.

I think it's a little unfair to have a live album on this list because it adds to the aura of the album. This is very very good, and I wouldn't consider myself a fan of this genre of music.

Well geez what is there to say about this masterpiece. Great voice, great songs. I had heard almost all of the songs but maybe mostly studio versions because I didn’t remember any of the stage patter except his intro before Folsom Prison Blues. His easy camaraderie with the prison audience was impressive. I loved when he cracked up when somebody applauded “I’d been in the arms of my best friend’s wife” in Long Black Veil. Some of the stuff I was wondering how he got AWAY with playing/saying at a prison. Like The Wall, which is a prison escape song(!) I mean, unsuccessful, but still. And at one point he was singing about the guards and laughs and says, “Them mean bastards, ain’t they?” I salute you, sir.

What a great live album!

A classic for sure.

It's a strange feeling to look back with nostalgia on a live album played at a prison, where Cash sings about murder and gets cheers from the crowd. For some twisted reason, you can help but smile at it. Cash uses his talent, fame and relatability to put you in the same seat as the prisoners, bringing some light to them, and also showing the rest of us that even in among the worst of places, there's humanity to be found. And the craziest part is, I can play it in the car with my 3 year old!

The cheers (for Johnny), the jeers (for the associate warden) from inmates, the official prison announcements between songs, and a legendarily cathartic performance from The Man In Black all cement this as one of the most vital live albums ever recorded.

Absolutely fantastic. Such a well crafted album.

I really don't like live albuns butbI can see why this one is on the list. The historical gig of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. What an amazing album! The songs were tailored for audience with amazing storytelling and a voice that captivated everyone. An easy 5

A damn well done live album. This got me thinking more musicians should play prisons these days. But more than the cool setting, it's a great showcase of Johnny Cash's live work. He was such a great performer and songwriter. His banter with the inmate crowd here and there is so natural, and his music as always is great.

Love it

Classic for a reason. I still revile modern commercial country music but The Man in Black is the real deal (and quite funny to boot). I also like he went back to the prison concert well repeatedly.

From the idea of playing a live album in a prison through to the completion, this album is amazing. The interstitial quips to the audience of inmates are an amazing glimpse of both Johnny Cash and the audience. This may be the best live album of all time and top album overall.

This album is everything I could ask for from a live album. Its unpolished nature is endearing and moving. I love hearing Cash’s voice raw, gritty, and warbly in such a tough setting. The banter is fantastic as well. The prison sounds and interruptions as accompaniment give the album such humanity. June Carter Cash brings a sweet spark to the album on the Jackson duet and with her backing vocals. The addition of The Statler Brothers on background vocals was a nice and surprising touch. In addition, I was fascinated to learn that Shel Silverstein wrote 25 Minutes to Go. Cash’s storytelling ability through song was incredibly strong. I was nearly moved to tears with the closing track Greystone Chapel, especially after reading the story behind the song and that the writer was on the front row of the concert with no clue his song was to be played. Beautiful song to close a brilliant album.

Best live album of all time.

Runter von der Autobahn, die Berge tauchen auf und Jhonny shot a man in Reno...Eines meiner mistgehörten Alben, der Cameo June von ist legendär gut. c

Johnny!

This is an album that really got me into traditional country music at a young age. His personality is so funny in this too. Just a damn good time. 5/5

Classic

Folsom Prison Blues - 5/5 Dark as the Dungeon - 5/5 I Still Miss Someone - 5/5 Cocaine Blues - 5/5 25 Minutes to Go - 5/5 Orange Blossom Special - 3/5 The Long Black Veil - 5/5 Send a Picture of Mother - 3/5 The Wall - 4/5 Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog - 4/5 Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart - 5/5 Jackson - 5/5 Give My Love to Rose - 4/5 I Got Stripes - 4/5 Green, Green Grass of Home - 5/5 Greystone Chapel - 5/5 Average score: 4.5/5 (rounding up)

One of the best live albums ever made. Johnny's charisma, crowd presence, and vocals made this damn near perfect. Truly iconic. Top 5: Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, Orange Blossom Blues, I Got Stripes, and Greystone Chapel 4.50-4.75/5

Absolute classic. What a moment in time.

Legendario. Pocas interpretaciones en vivo tienen la calidez que transmite Johnny Cash en temas como Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, Give My Love to Rose o Greystone Chapel. Además, los interludios entre canciones le dan ese toque extra que no pueden ser replicados en el estudio. 5/5

Classic, live outlaw country record, setlist amazingly executed 10/10

One of the greatest concert albums ever.

I feel like I don’t see many albums like this anymore, he is so expressive and I love the storytelling and instrumentals, they were so fun. Thanks Johnny

Excelent

very good. awesome that its at a prison.

Classic

Good stuff

I don't normally like live albums, but this one is an exception. It's surreal listening to Cash sing about murder and executions while the literally captive audience cheers and boo when the warden's name is mentioned. LOL

First off this album is so unbelievably well mixed its hard to believe its a live recording. I suppose a lot of credit for that goes to Johnny Cash himself, his vocals are perfect, so honest and emotional throughout. Each song resonates in its own way with the crowd and with the listener. The album itself is just authenticity in its purest form. Not a shred of insincerity or fakeness. Listening from the perspective of a prisoner, it must have been incredibly emotional to hear such vivid descriptions of the outside world, the things they had once known and now lost. For someone to come and speak to them. To show understanding, empathy and to relate to them honestly through music. Really thought provoking. Without the setting and circumstances the album would be good. Musically the songs are enjoyable. But its the other stuff that makes this a true classic. Favourite song - Cociane Blues into 25 minutes to go! 9/10

lovely

This is the album that makes one want to reconsider prison. At Folsom Prison is fantastic from start to finish, the crowd is enjoyably enthusiastic. Johnny Cash only needs a few notes to connect with them. One can feel the energy pouring through the speakers. It all feels so real, so close. 80 procent of this album is filled with prison blues songs and they are all, every single one, entertaining. At Folsom prison truly makes a play for the greatest live album of al time.

Yuh

Johnny cash live album. No complaints

extremely good favorites: jackson, give my loves to rose!!

One of the best live albums. Really connected with his audience.

It’s electric the atmosphere crackles, and America surprises me. The authorities allowed this concert to happen knowing what Johnny cash is about it’s fascinating. Surprised they didn’t riot

One of the most iconic live albums ever.

A fun and hugely important album. The material is first rate and the playing and arrangements are simple and fun and of the highest quality. This is country music of the highest order. 5 stars

Cash was such an incredible performer. The atmosphere here is amazing, and the sound is perfect. Easily a contender for the best live album of all time.

I love when an album starts off with a strong song! I am vaguely familiar with Johnny Cash. But I had never heard this album. I tend not to like live albums, but this one was great! I loved the banter and the announcements from the jail. It could be that I’m a “mood listener” but I enjoyed this album! Fun fact: I live about 30ish minutes away from Folsom Prison! Songs I liked: I Still Miss Someone Orange Blossom Special (for the Harmonica)

★★★★★

Loved it

Familiar with Johnny Cash from my grandfather growing up. Never much liked the music but loved the storytelling in the lyrics. Same is true on today’s listen. But there is something insanely special that comes through on this album especially given the lyrics in this setting. Johnny is sincere, bold, improvisational and you can feel the deep connection and appreciation from the prisoners and administration alike. I cannot imagine the sheer joy and reflection an event like this with songs deeply connected to their prison experience must have brought to attendees. It easy to imagine yourself there listening. And inclusion of the prison announcements throughout are chefs kiss. What a moment in time. What a recording. For the music 3/5. For the lyrics 4/5. For the setting and capture of real history 8/5. Total 5/5

Iconic album! Not a big fan of early JC but this was an electrifying performance. Cocaine Blues was a highlight.

Classic for a reason

Great live album. Hadn’t heard many of these.

I've never been much of a fan of Country and Western music, but when I first heard this album, I was blown away. It's fantastic, and even it's flaws and oddities add to the experience. The man knew how to entertain an audience, going from light-hearted fun to reflective songs. Do yourself a favour, and have a listen to the whole things.

Classic !

Genre: Country One of the best live albums of all time, and one I’d almost consider to be a concept album (“what if we did a live show in a prison?”), presented in a way that humanized one of country’s biggest stars, and put him back on the map. For a time. Johnny Cash has some of his best moments in this record. Beautiful ballads, moments of pure comedy, tremendous takes on true classics, all with the backdrop of a gaggle of prisoners laughing and cheering. The warden sometimes steps to the mic to address certain inmates, while the band resets behind him. It’s such a rewarding listen each and every time, and Johnny Cash’s beautiful bass voice and the easy country stylings make it even more so. 5/5

Johnny Cash is one of the best artist of all!

in love

An incredibly entertaining album, from a great entertainer in an unusual and entertaining setting.

An absolute classic. Who today would record a live album at a prison?

When I was just a baby My mama told me "Son don't you go to prison, or you might hear one if the most legendary album recordings live" And I replied like "Goo goo ga ga" or some shit I don't even live in the US Anyway this man had crazy aura

Ace

really enjoyed listening to this, will definitely listen again

Love Johnny Cash--I'd give it a 4-star for the music alone, but bumping that up to 5 for how visceral and compelling this is.

One of the best live albums on the planet. Brought a smile to my face every time the audience cheered; applause straight from the heart.

I can’t really be objective about this album, because it’s one of my favorite Johnny Cash albums. All the songs are great. The humor and the interstitial bits make it really unique. God bless Johnny Cash for bringing some joy and music to incarcerated folks.

A must-listen.

This album has some great music, though it doesn't have a lot of my favorite Cash sounds even from that era. But it's about the performance and the immersive feel of it and the way he connects with his audience. However edited it may be, it still feels like a moment, an event, and it's iconic.

This has got to be one of the greatest live albums of all time. Cash’s dialogue with the inmates, band and his wife just adds to the flavor. Every song is solid and well done. One of my favorites.

Love it. Johnny is crazy charismatic and the prison as the backdrop cements this an iconic album.

Finally found a country album I like. Maybe I am a little bit country.

'Hello, I'm Johnny Cash.' Hardly a live album: alive is more its tune, since this one gets into your bones. From one to the next, the tracks here roll effortlessly, a set perfectly balanced w/ the upbeat and the tragic. In reality, it's all tragic, the right mode for this captive audience, now clearly feeling the pangs of freedom, at least for the moment. Cash is the definition of an American classic, in the lineage of Hawthorne and Ice Cube: America's dark side, but a vital dark, 'the green green grass of home.'

And yet another great album. It's great how Cash plays with his audience, how he fires things up with his characteristic shuffle, but even more so with a couple of very sentimental songs, 'Give my love to Rose' especially. 'Folsom Prison blues', 'Cocaine blues', 'I got stripes' and 'The wall' are truly great songs and performances. There's also a lowlight, with 'Jackson' and to a lesser extent the silly christian 'Greystone chapel'. Sorry ma'am, but I really can't stand June Carters (Cash') singing...

Classic, give me an album of my man just yapping and it's getting 5 stars.

"I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die" "Woooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!" Listened to B4? Yes Tracks Already Saved on Spotify: 2 - Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues Standout Tracks: Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, Jackson (90/100)

Ok, so I guess I'm not actually opposed to live albums in the list, as this one is iconic and clearly worthy of inclusion. Great songs, great performance, great recording, great story

Magnânimo. Não sou fã de álbuns gravados ao vivo, mas este aqui é outra coisa. É outro mundo. É o molde que todo outro disco assim deveria seguir. Neste álbum, a platéia é basicamente mais um instrumento da orquestra. E as interações de Cash com a platéia vende completamente o LP, essas interações são engraçadas e elas transbordam carisma. O homem conquista e envolve a multidão de forma leve e jocosa. Não é difícil se imaginar ali no meio, sendo um dos detentos, ouvindo estas lindas canções performadas tão perfeitamente, às vezes ornamentadas por algum anúncio no PA de um guarda. A voz de Johnny Cash se assemelha a voz de um anjo, as letras são profundas e contam histórias fascinantes e envolventes. A banda não falha em um único momento. E olha só Bob Dylan, uma gaita que não nos estupra!! Aqui temos, sem dúvida, o suprassumo do Country. Um disco obrigatório na coleção de todo mundo, e um que se deve ouvir de acordo com as temporadas, de vez em quando, com moderação para que, toda vez que você o ouça, você ainda seja pego de surpresa tanto pela beleza das faixas quanto pelas colocações inesperadas de Johnny. Ótimo! 5/5

You can’t beat Cash singing about being a criminal, love at a prison. This album is an all timer

Creo que es uno de los mejores en su especie, este álbum es también para Cash un punto culminante de su carrera, su despegue absoluto, de allí...

Great album

All-timer

Favorites: (All of them?) Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog, Flushed from the bathroom of your heart, Jackson, I got stripes, Greystone Chapel Probably the greatest live record of all time. No skips.

Epitome of outlaw and punk. No one else but the man in black would have the balls to walk into a prison snd sing about murder, drugs, and walking death row

Awesome.

I dislike country but this is a perfect album. The story, the performance, songs selected and the prder in which they were arranged. All in all a perfect conbination of music that I can't hate onnpr find amy flaws not to give it a 5. Its the best country album ever

The only time I’m proud to be an American is when I listen to Johnny cash

Great album. Good sound, every track is solid. Old country

I love this album. Johnny Cash is great as always, but more than that, the way he is able to connect with the prisoners is so nice and I always felt like this was significant to them. The little snip-it's of prison announcements and him between songs, it's just so cool to be able to experience. The music is great, but what this album represents makes it so much more.

I mean what’s there to say? Perhaps the most iconic opening to an album. Cash at his peak. Candid moments of laughter and snatches of conversation. Very well recorded and preserved. 10/10

Literally at Folsom prison!

Love this album.

My favorite Johnny Cash album.

51/1001. I am not a big fan of country music but Johnny Cash is an exception and this album is the best live album in the world, period. Anyone not agreeing with this should spend some time in their local prison and wait in vain for such a gig to happen. Love that it includes all the interruptions, booing to the prison staff, hickups and mistakes and stories. The atmosphere is thick with imprisoned joy and anger. I feel this could have lead to a riot.

Найвідоміший запис живого виступу Кеша, що повернув йому колишню славу. Того року він одружився з Джун Картер, яка допомогла йому подолати залежність від амфетамінів, та записав цей приголомшливий виступ. Як ви напевно здогадались по назві - виступ відбувався у суворій каліфорнійській тюрмі та був заряджений неймовірною напругою. Усі ці вигуки енергійної тюремної публіки буквально є тут частиною самої музики та додають емоційності та атмосфери не менше ніж спів самого Джонні. Пісні по тематиці тут також обирались не випадково. Концерт відкриває Folsom Prison Blues, що була особливо близька слухачам у залі. Кеш ніби одразу каже «Хлопці я свій!», особливо коли зухвало співає “Я засміявся шерифу в обличчя й плюнув йому в око”. Після цього чути рев схвалення, та стає зрозуміла, що межа між артистом та публікою майже стерта. Далі лунають душевні речі про спокуту, здобуту через болючі уроки втрат: від пронизливих зізнань помираючого колишнього в’язня в Give My Love to Rose до «сильної» Greystone Chapel, що присвячена тюремній каплиці. Найціквіший на найбільш аутентичний запис живого концерту який я чув на сьогоднішній день, шедевр та класика яку потрібно послухати кожному, обов’язково вчитуючись в текст.

Highlight Song/s: Folsom Prison Blues, Dark as the Dungeon, The Long Black Veil, Give My Love to Rose and Greystone Chapel When it comes to live albums it probably doesn't get more infamous than this one; the one where Johnny Cash and his crew showed their humanity to the prisoners. Big fan of the track picks for this album which of course have prison, death and longing as themes. I am also a big fan of the stage banter on this one (especially on Dark as the Dungeon), it gives the album such a lighthearted feel to it.

I especially like when the inmates cheer when he talks about cocaine and killing people An incredible live album, Johnny Cash has an amazing voice and then you add June Carter in there and it’s perfect! Fav songs: Folsom Prison Blues, Orange Blossom Special, Jackson

Listened on vinyl

Glad to listen to him! This was great! Cool idea of recording at the prison

This is just a classic album. The performance is iconic. Cash is in great form during this performance. I would run out of superlatives describing Live at Folsom Prison. I like all the songs, and the haunting way he sings 25 Minutes to Go gets me everytime. Top notch all around by Cash. This is a 5 rating for me. 5/5

Best country

What can I say about this album that hasn't already been said, other than the "oh hell yes" I uncontrollably uttered when it popped up as today's selection? Everything that is good and vibrant about the American country music tradition is present here - empathy, longing, tragedy, murder, dirty jokes, gallows humor, family ties, faithless and faithful women and men, poorly behaved dogs, the erasure of the boundary between the speaker and the hearer. Most of all honesty, real as the beads of sweat dripping down the side of Cash's face on the album cover. There but for the grace of God goes he.

I really liked it :] I enjoyed his voice,with and story telling. Seemed like the crowd enjoyed it as well ^_^

Classic in all possible ways!

Never been a fan of live albums, or particularly a fan of Cash, but that's now changed! What an incredible record. Raw, visceral, violent and very, very funny.

Love it!! One of my few favorite live albums.

Stripped down and raw. Singing about dark subjects in front of a crowd of prisoners. It doesn't get much better than this. I've mentioned before that I'm not the biggest fan of country music, but Johnny is one of the few that gets beyond the "country" label. A legendary performance by a legendary musician.

At first 8 was against Live albums on this list, as I feel we should just explore studio works. But the nice thing about the live albums that have popped up so far, is they are more than just a live album, but they have a story and include a piece for musical history.

I absolutely love this album. It isn't something I'll listen to every day, but I return to it once or twice a year because it's one of the most ingenious and charismatic live albums. I might give a slight edge to Live at San Quentin because I like the song selection more, but the interactions with the "fans" at Folsom are fantastic. Callback to that terrible James Brown live album, but this is evidence that you can incorporate crowd-sounds without it being grating to listen to

One of the all time great live albums. Cash’s energy, his authenticity, the play with the audience. I’ve been listening while driving, so no in depth notes, but this is a masterpiece! I particularly love the way his sense of humor shines through.

LOVE

BANGER! Just some absolute country tunes one one of the best live albums of all time.

So much to like about this: the song selection being catered basically entirely to the inmates, the casual interruptions from the prison staff, the banter between Johnny and the audience… have always loved this one. I know there are other live records he did after this, but to me this has always been the one.

Johnny Cash at his best and one of the best live albums ever. However, i question why we have more than one Johnny Cash live album included on this list if they are going to limit it to the critical albums you need to hear before you die. Seems like a list of this nature should include only one of these albums as this album and San Quentin live are more or less the same, with the same grit, same irreverence and largely the same playlist.

Brilliant. Love the prisoner announcements .

Amazing songs, but the album is like a mixtape, or a radio. 5 stars.

One of the greats

Fantastic Cash. He always reminds me of dad. He liked Johnny Cash.

I've loved this album for years. I haven't it played it in a long time, but it hasn't lost any of its appeal. The live versions of these songs are my favorite versions; something about how and when the crowd decides to respond to passages adds so much contextual storytelling to the record. I also just love the simplicity of the songs themselves. 5/5

Fun revisit. i perform 2 of these

Do we need two prison albums from Cash? They both are good, I wouldn't be the guy making the pick, but I'm pretty sure we can live with only one in the list. This live is a bit less chaotic compared to St Quentin but Cash is still bantering a lot with the audience. The sound quality is pretty good. And it's a good best of for the guy.

Have it on vinyl.

Decent

A timeless classic.

Unbelievable. So so so good

SO AWESOME WOW. Just incredible songs performed so well and gosh he’s so charming. An incredible live album that sets the standard for all to come after it.

certainly one of the most unassumingly emotionally provocative records ive ever heard. its not exactly hard to talk about as a regular album but it does feel kind of stupid when its clearly about The Experience, but it also feels kind of stupid to talk about The Experience when everyone already has. more than anything it is just extremely good music, one that walks all across the spectrum from pitch black humor to crushing sadness to spiritual salvation...there is simply no redundancy in the material despite the surface level conceit. for as Metal as it is to hear the cheering about murder and stuff, theres still a radical kindness and humanism in the chest of this record that makes me feel like ive stumbled into some kind of religious text. im prob not saying anything new lol but the record rly does speak for itself...i enjoyed it in the moment, but it only grows in power when youre on the other side of it

One of the best live albums ever made, can just imagine the spirit of the prison crowd and the production of the live acoustics is very impressive.

An excellent album as well as an immersive experience. Legend!

Love Johnny Cash. This doesn't skip a beat. The songwriting is next level in terms of emotion and the place Cash was at personally and physically. The fact it is live so you hear the reactions and interference from the crowd makes it more special. 5/5 if ever there was one.

Peak Cash. Genialt live album, selv om San Quentin er enda bedre.

I know in my heart some of these songs aren't essential to hear, but damn it, 5* it is! :) It's Johnny Cash, an important gig and he crushes it, I can't give it 4! :)

This album is perfect. I know I complain about songs feelings very samey on a record, and this album has some of that, but it doesn't bother me as much here. His lyrics really are hitting, and the environment of the prison makes for such a cool concert. Whatever producer decided to leave in the swearing, audience banter, and prison announcements knew what they were doing. It is a perfect touch of humanity. 25 Minutes to Go is such a hauntingly beautiful song, I remember the first time I ever heard it. I was watching a lyric video on YouTube for the song, and it felt like a man was dying in front of me. An underrated masterpiece.

Top

Not sure I trust anyone giving this less than 5 stars

The live recording adds to the power of the songs, 'cause this crowd can directly relate to these themes (as can Johnny)

One of the few live albums I like! Great recording of great songs. Appreciate the activism

This was great!

Let me preface this by saying that I don’t like country music and never listened to Johnny Cash. Probably I will never listen to this record again either. But. This was an engaging and entertaining record. The lyrics were clever and funny and occasionally sad and touching. I liked the interaction between Johnny and the audience. It’s a great ride! But more importantly it was an uplifting and touching experience - even if you’re not a member of the imprisoned live audience. Somehow, this is a very profound album, a hallmark that is bigger than music. I understand why this is included in the 1001 albums even if it is not my usual taste and something I’d never listen to again. That is a new situation for me and it makes it difficult for me to rate this album. Can I give it 5 stars although I will not re-listen to it? I think so.

9/10… country / outlaw country

Great stuff. Johnny's voice is like no other. The darkness of it is beautiful. Can't but give him a 5 and the setting adds up it

I had never listened to this in full. Only ever single tracks. This was fantastic. The banter between Johnny and the Inmates. The interruptions. All amazing! Can you beleive he was only 36 when he did this album!

I like this album

it is a classic and a cornerstone in the history of music. Everyone needs to listen to this album. Not one bad song, and a beautiful recording (and even better watching the live version)

this is quite literally the best album ever made and i will cry if i think about Johnny for too long.

I've never wanted to be in a prison more

I've listened to this one a couple of times and it's so damned charming. I always think the twangy guitars and similarity of the songs will cause my attention to wander, but it always holds me. Plus the iconic status of the album gets it to the top for me. Personally it's probably a 4.5

Worth going to prison for.

I have this on vinyl. It is a classic.

5/5. This is the greatest live album of all time. No one has this much charm and the audience makes it that much more engaging. The choice to make all the songs related to prison, loneliness, or a similar dark theme in some way is beautiful. He even wrote some songs related to this prison already which is just so unique in any live album. With each song, you can't help but smile, as he lays out the bs with the prison system while still relating to every man in that prison about life and the human condition. And ending the album on a song a prisoner wrote is wholesome especially when the rest of the prison is cheering for it. It ends on a hollow note though, as the prisoners shuffle away, and you are reminded that they must go back, after a small reprieve from hell. It's funny, sad, heartfelt, silly, serious, and just good music in general. It's amazing and deserves to be listened to. Best Song: Folsom Prison Blues, Jackson, Cocaine Blues, Green Green Grass of Home

Loved it

One of my all-time favorite albums. Raw lyricism.

Excellent album.

Cash at the top of his game, doesn’t get much more real than this.. 5 Star

Well this was something. Im not usually a live album guy. I like live music but a recording of a live performance just is the outer shell of what a live show is. But this is remembered as one of the best for a reason. You get little interactions with cash and the crowd. They call out numbers to go visit custody or whatever. The prisoners are yelling out at all sorts of things. How did this happen? Who set this up? What a master of planning. Wow and the songs are fun and funny alot of the time. Alot of them are about prison and getting in trouble. And when his wife comes out to duet and they go bonkers. Its fun. Just all around

One of the best if not the best live album I've listen to

Lol, Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart. This album fully deserved its iconic status. That was a fun listen. Johnny Cash might be one of the coolest dudes to ever live, that's just my opinion but it's true.

Johnny Cash might have had a dip in the quality of his records in the 1980s, but Cash in any other era is always 4-5 star material. And this record, with the added interaction with the prisoners- it's brilliant.

This guys got range and he’s such an entertainer! Wish I could have been there (not in prison)

The balls to pull this off in a prison, incredible. The announcements and crowd add so much. How can you not want to be a criminal after cocaine blues make it sound/feel so cool.

Johnny Cash's best album. If you don't like this we can't be friends.

Absolutely a fantastic album.

Very good. Quite staggering that they let him do this and I'm not sure they would today. The lyrics are really quite amazing and I found the song with the countdown both funny and harrowing - I particularly enjoyed the line about contacting the Mayor but he was having lunch.

A shame a lot of shops won't accept his payments anymore.

Quality!

This is the kind of prison reform I can get behind Most familiar with the San Quentin one, This one hits harder It's starker, darker Imagine being in prison and this Taylor Swift performing..

Was für ein geiles Album, da kann man nur 5 Sterne geben

Gangster Shit

Thanks to the magic of modern recording technology, you no longer need to commit crimes to hear Johnny Cash in concert!

Hello, I'm Listie Cashdows. Y'know, I've plenty made my case about live albums before now: from capturing a sound that just simply couldn't be produced in the studio, to preverserving what would be a historic moment, to just being a good show. This album is the latter two points, but it also has something that, until now, I don't think has been all too important in any of the live albums my group has gotten so far: the audience and ambience. And it feels a bit silly to say that that hasn't been important, right? After all, the audience's presence is a large part of what makes a live album a live album. In fact, if you wanna talk about the audience being an integral part to the album, just go look at James Brown's LIVE AT THE APOLLO. As a fellow group member said about it, they're practically an instrument unto themselves on that thing. What's different here, though, that I feel the need to even bring it up is, well... Besides literally the other Johnny Cash prison album, none of them have had such an intimate and close connection between artist and audience. You can hear it all over this thing, from the way the crowd cheers loudly at some lines, to something as simple as Cash's asides to them. He's not just performing to any old crowd — he's performing for **them** specifically. And he's performing songs about getting hopped up on coke and shooting that bad bitch down! And they're **fucking loving it**. There's such an energy that happens between Cash and the audience and it's irresistible. I mean, it's clear so much how much he feels for them, and it's great. It's the smaller things as well. I can imagine how someone would groan at the fact that the last three minutes of the last track — over half of it! — is dedicated to the warden making announcements, taking a picture with Cash, and then the PA announcing when everyone can go back to their cells... But that's the other half of it, like I said: the ambience. It makes it sound like you're really there, sitting among all of these convicts and watching this show. And what a show it is, too. Like, believe me, it's not just the audience and ambience that make this live album as legendary as it is: the setlist and performances themselves are just killer. Honestly, it kind of makes me wonder why there's even a second Johnny Cash prison album on this list at all, AT SAN QUENTIN. It's not like it's a bad show, but the song selection there cannot even compare to what you've got here, and that's not even commenting on how they included two back-to-back performances of "San Quentin". On this album, well, of course you've got all-timers like "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Jackson"... But then you've also got stuff like "Cocaine Blues", and that's great. You've got the lighter, comedy-tinted numbers like "25 Minutes To Go", "Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog" and "Flushed From The Bathroom Of Your Heart", and that's all really amusing. And then you've got the more serious numbers, like "The Long Black Veil", "The Wall", "Green, Green Grass Of Home"... And it's such good stuff. It's **so good**. And Cash and his band all pull it off so masterfully. It's just a wonder to listen to. I wanna highlight "Greystone Chapel" specifically, too. That song was actually written by one of the inmates at Folsom, Glen Sherley, and the first time it was performed, Sherley was in the front row and completely unaware that it was going to happen. I can only imagine how much of a thrill it must have been to hear **Johnny fuckin' Cash** of all people perform **your song**. I mean, I'unno how the rest of the cons must've reacted, but if I were Sherley, that would've been the highlight of my life. One that would, unfortunately, be cut off all too soon, when Sherley took his life only ten years after this album dropped, at age 42. With all of this context in mind, I really have a hard time imagining how anyone could hate this album as a live record. I know that plenty of people on this here website ain't much a fan of live albums, and, y'know... Like, if people wanna hate this on the basis of it being a country album, I get it. As popular a genre as country is, I know for damn certain not everyone can tune into it. But as a **live album**? Like, to truly, truly despise it as a live album, given all of the context surrounding it? I cannot fathom it. And being fair, I had to scroll down a **long** way through reviews before I found the ones that weren't just a straight 5/5, and even the one 3/5 I found mixed in was more about people whistling at the violence against women and not the fact that it's a live album itself. So if this is one the one exception to all of the live album hate I see... Well, it's a damn good exception to have. 'Coz really, it's more than just a live album. It's a candid, heartfelt performance, with Johnny Cash singing to the people he truly had his heart out for — and in fact, I really do, truly believe that this is one of the greatest records of all time. It might even be the single greatest live album in this whole book, and that is **saying something** given it exists alongside LIVE AT THE APOLLO, LIVE AT LEEDS and NO SLEEP 'TIL HAMMERSMITH. It's just... Gosh, I don't even know what else I wanna say. Hell, I might have even said a bit too much, 'coz if you put this thing on and hear that "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" followed by the burst of cheers... Well, either you're sucked in or you're not, and if you ain't, I just don't know what to say to you.

One of the best damn live albums there'll ever be. Solid 5 Stars.

I’m at a 5. Weirdly, I think I prefer parts of “At San Quentin” more, mainly in the moments where Johnny gets to more directly interact with the crowd and show off a lot of that outlaw country charisma that made him famous… but this is probably the better setlist, and a really fitting one for a prison album. It’s the first prison album he recorded, though the second one we’ve gotten on the list – everything I said about “At San Quentin” applies here, with a little more emphasis on the musical side of things. The little gravelly tones in his voice, the punch in the percussion, and the overall energy of the band / backing vocalists comes through really clearly. That said, I love the way this album really gives some space to the prison crowd itself – the announcements for prisoners, the crowd popping for certain lines, and perhaps most effectively, the silence in the room when Johnny’s in the middle of a great storytelling track. They’re hung onto his every word, and there’s a reverence in the air for the guy that comes through because of it. Their presence feels like an enhancement to Johnny’s performance here, as opposed to the more “typical” sounding crowd of fans vibe that “In San Quentin” gave off. It just creates a different atmosphere, that when combined with the longer runtime, really makes the prison feel more intimidating, cold, & real, which makes Johnny’s choice to go there all the more interesting & entertaining. Is it THE best live album ever recorded? I don’t know if I’m qualified to answer that, given that I don’t listen to too many live albums. From what we’ve gotten on the list so far, I think there are some that I prefer, but that’s just because I’m a sucker for an electric crowd atmosphere & some fun stuff that you can only do in a live setting. Something like “Live At The Harlem Square Club” by Sam Cooke comes to mind. I’d also be remiss to not point at Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged album. With that said, it certainly feels like one of the best live albums ever recorded, and I’m not gonna argue with anyone who says it’s THE best. It’s way, way up there, and it’s just a kick-ass album regardless. I enjoyed this a lot – it’s Johnny Cash singing in a damn prison. It was always gonna get a 5, and it earned it in spades. Great, great stuff here.

Has to be on the Mt. Rushmore of live albums. "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die" is one of my favorite Cash lyrics, and hearing a crowd of prisoners cheer after he sings it gets me so, so excited to hear the rest of the record. And the band is tight and his voice sounds great. What a landmark.

Wow, this is something. Not sure what to make of this. First I have to say I’m not a fan of Johnny Cash. I mean, his deep voice is amazing but the songs are always super simple and samey and monotone and one note and just plain boring. So judging this as a collection of songs means it’s a mediocre collection of songs by an influential artist, classic three stars. But this is not what it is. This is such a unique artistic endeavor. Cash is coming out saying “you know how I like singing about outlaw life? Here are the outlaws I sing about, what do you think about that?”. I mean just the setting is such a strong artistic statement. Then we start getting more of that when the crowd cheers for “shooting a man in Reno just to watch him die”, then we start getting the prison warden calling inmates over the PA, then Cash hits us with The Wall. Finally we get the prison warden telling the inmates to stay seated while the artist leaves, giving us a very stark reminder that despite of the unique experience of the show, the inmates are still inmates and the artist is still an artist singing about their lives. This is such a powerful exploration of art, life, and love. Incredible. One star for music, three stars for notability, but five stars for the artistic statement.

The best albums tell a story and boy does this one. Johnny Cash singing about murder, cocaine, executions and redemption to a bunch of real convicts at Folsom Prison is riveting. This album lives and breaths, and takes you to a different time and place. Standouts: Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, The Long Black Veil, Give My Love to Rose. Rating: 2.75/5

This is an album I know I like because I listen to without being prompted. The most novel of concepts - playing to prisoners about everything from murder while high on cocaine to being executed for crimes. Cash sounds his best, from his calm opening “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash” that builds right into “Folsom Prison Blues.” He never looks back. This is a classic album. Cash is a true legend.

This is simply one of the best albums, period, and has to be seriously considered for best live album of all time.

Crazy that this happened. Perfectly executed for what it's going for, more fun than I was expecting. For some reason I imagine sharing songs off this with my unborn son.

Everything about this album works. the music, energy, live performance, lyrics tied to being in prison, etc. Favorite track: Folsom Prison Blues other picks: I still miss someone, cocaine blues, Jackson

A classic! Few live albums deserve a place on this list but I think this one does. The smalltalk between performances and the audience bring something special to this record. There are plenty of great tracks on here, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “Cocaine Blues”, “25 Minutes to Go” and ballads like “The Long Black Veil” (complete with inappropriate laughs). If I have any criticism is that the songs are very similar in structure. However the story-telling is on point and really the main thing. Though more variety in stories would help a bit too. The album drags a bit in the second half but then you get hit with “Jackson” (great addition with June Carter”), “Give My Love to Rose” and “I got Stripes” and it feels ok again. Probably a strong 4 but because the setting, audience and just the story behind it a 5.

First time listening to the entire album

Inget värdigt hem kan vara utan denna skiva.

I always knew of this, but didn't think I would like it. It's fascinating.

One of the best live albums of all time!

10/10 It's wild! A great live album gives you an inkling if what it was like to be in the audience, and none does it better than this one.

Before: Johnny Cash is soooo me when I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. I’ve never listened to At Folsom Prison! I am super interested in the prison system and people’s experiences in prisons, so hearing a live recording from prison is fascinating to me and I have been finding myself wondering about how they figured that out logistically. But ANYWAY, I didn’t know as much Johnny Cash as I should have. Some helpful context that informed my review was that my dad was in prison as I was growing up. He was in and out until he tragically passed. We were close and visited, called, and wrote lots of letters back and forth, so the idea of freedom and imprisonment is one that is important to me and hits home. This record was an absolute delight. Every track had a prominent and meaningful theme or message, the candid sounds of live music (speaking to the crowd, hearing their cheers, Johnny’s laughter), and showcased his raw talent. For an unedited acoustic set played from a prison with presumably no sound engineering, this sounded beautiful. You could have told me this was an acoustic studio recording and, save the audience sounds, I fully would have believed it. Johnny’s voice is insanely impressive, velvety, and buttery. His singing sounds like a warm hug. Of course “Folsom Prison Blues” is a classic that speaks for itself and makes for an amazing start to this record. “The Long Black Veil” is a melancholy song that showcases themes about justice. Cash’s banter and the cheers of the audience added so much to the authenticity and personality here. This one really stood out to me. If you thought “The Long Black Veil” was melancholy and a little sad though… just wait for “Send a Picture of Mother.” As a certified mama’s girl, this song (amongst many others on this album) hit SO close to home. I listened to this record at work and, after this song, I had to quickly wipe the tears from my cheeks when my coworkers walked in. “Give My Love to Rose” left me with a very similar feeling and with similar tears, serving as a very vulnerable and tragic song to his wife (or girlfriend) and son from his prison. The lyrics demonstrate a selfless, pure love. There were a couple of more comedic, tongue-in-cheek tracks. “Dirty Old Egg-Suckin Dog” was the first one and it was by far my least favorite. Not because I’m against a schlocky, goofy song, but because he was so mean to the dog in his lyrics :( leave that baby alone!! I felt differently about the other song in this category though, “Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart.” It had some depth but was a nice light hearted break. Hearing the laughter from the audience made me smile and made it feel a lot more genuine. The final track, “Greystone Chapel,” is a great song that illustrates hope in a dark situation, describing the church as a “flower of light in a field of darkness.” I don’t have as much to say about this record from a technical standpoint as I normally would because it’s so acoustic and stripped down, but goddamn it was good and will probably stand the test of time as one of my favorite albums moving forward. It’s beautiful, genuine, personal, and Cash’s vocal talent and acoustic guitar playing shone through in the perfect way. Lots of us really take our freedom for granted and I found myself thinking about some of these lyrics and themes long after I finished listening. At the end, the crowd is cheering and Johnny is giving his “thank you”s, and I’m so happy this was included. It made the whole thing feel more intimate and personal, almost making you feel like you were there. Can you imagine how iconic it would be to have been live at that performance? What a flex. Easy 5/5. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty damn close. Standout tracks: Folsom Prison Blues Long Black Veil Send a Picture of Mother Standout lyrics: “The judge said, ‘what is your alibi? If you were somewhere else, then you won’t have to die’” - The Long Black Veil “Say hello to dad and shake his hardworkin’ hand, and send a picture of mother if you can. I’m happy for you that you got your freedom, but stay with me just another minute or so” - Send a Picture of Mother “Tell my boy his daddy’s so proud of him, and don’t forget to give my love to Rose.” - Give My Love to Rose “Take her all my money, tell her to buy some pretty clothes.” - Give My Love to Rose “Won’t you tell them I said thanks for waiting for me? Tell my boy to help his mom at home, tell my Rose to try to find another.” - Give My Love to Rose “It takes a ring of keys to move here at Folsom, but the door to the House of God is never locked. Inside the walls of prison my body may be, but my Lord has set my soul free.” - Greystone Chapel “Well they’re hanging Joe Bean this morning for killing a man in Arkansas. Funny thing about it, Joe Bean never heard of the man. In fact, Joe Bean has never been to Arkansas. On top of that, today is Joe Bean’s twentieth birthday.” - Flushed from the Bathroom of your Heart *Find me on RYM @annainaz!

One of the most raucous, alive live albums ever recorded. Johnny was never more of a rockstar here, and you'll rarely hear a happier audience. More punk rock than punk rock.

I grew up listening to Cash, my mom is a huge John R Cash fan and I am too. The idea of preforming/recording a live album for inmates in a prison is awesome, the energy of this is special in my opinion. Somehow I own multiple copies of this album, not intentionally but through the years people have given me records they were unloading so I own at least 3 copies. I did not know about the 3 disc and 5 LP sets, will probably have to look into acquiring the latter. 5 stars, no question for me.

Significant for the live element, and the audience reaction. The lyrics are all the more poignant for those list lives listening.

I'm not a country fan but I always have time for Johnny Cash

Classic. No skips.

From the iconic self introduction through the ending visit to Greystone Chapel, we get an intimate tour of life at Folsom Prison through the eyes of Johnny Cash. The album isn't just a perfect representation of prison life though, it also serves as a perfect self portrait of the man himself. The tough guy deals with loss and despair. He faces mortality, and addiction. He brings June out to sing with him and compliments her, exposing a lighter side and the importance of family. His on stage banter is humorous and profane and shows his connection to his audience. You learn everything there is to know about Johnny Cash during these 45 minutes, encased in these classic songs. I don't know what has happened to bring about the suckification of country music since the times when this was recorded, but my guess is Mr. Johnny Cash would gladly give his middle finger to it... This is an essential work and thankfully it is recognized as such.

Terrific showcase of Cash, the original punk rocker

I have grown up listening to Johnny Cash. I loved this album. The man is true legend and the staple of country music.

Legend-fucking-dary! Quintessential live album

Badass! Listened a couple times and plan to listen a couple times more. Freakin legend!

Dude is a legend! Not necessarily something I would say I’m longing to hear…for his time and the culture he made this music he was cutting edge and pushing the boundaries of popular music and culture! The music is simplistic but yet great! Love the lyrics! This guy pushed forward change! Easy 5 stars!

I am one lucky bastard for drawing this one on my first day. I might be biased, because I love the man in black more than I love my own father, but alas, what a masterpiece. One of, if not the, best live albums ever.

Très bien. À réécouter. Matin Magic puis dépose voile génois et bibliothèque pour livre de math. après midi Marc, ps4 Astérix et lecture

JOHNNY CASH.

One of the best albums of all time probably. I’ve probably listened to it upwards of 300 times. In my top 10 of all time, maybe top 5. Nothing to else to say really. I pretty much like every song the same amount.

Best album to fit its audience ever!!!!

Real, Raw, Cool

OK, nice It's a 10/10 Have a great day (If you have a hard time feeling something lately, just go and listen to "Give my Love to Rose", thank me later)

Johnny sounds great, the prison crowd adds an element, and June is one of a kind.

This is incredible

I think a way to tell if an album is good (or a concert) ... is that it's over before you want it to be. I was enjoying it so much, I didn't realize it was over ...

Safe to say that the legend of Johnny Cash continues to carry the "Nashville sound" to this day - and a huge part of that legend stems from this album. Absolutely electric performance from Johnny and his band, not to mention a lovely duet performance with June Carter.

A phenomenal concept executed to perfection.

One of the greatest live albums, incredible from start to finish, great energy

This is probably the most important country/western album ever recorded. It's also probably the most important live album ever recorded. That it's also really fucking good is just icing on the cake.

Why does anyone give a shit about live albums? If you're purchasing a record, you should be judging that album on its own merits. Otherwise, if you're just looking for a few great songs, you should just pick up the greatest hits compilation. Personally I think the answer is the same reason anyone gives a shit about live shows: hypothetically you'll be getting the most perfect version of any artist on record, but with live music there's always the tension that something could go wrong at any time. Of course, on a live album, that tension can be manipulated the way it can't with an in person concert. But even as a live album lover maybe no album better manipulates that tension than At Folsom Prison. You hear it immediately with the alleged, certainly edited prison applause roaring for “I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die” followed immediately by the at least slightly more off the cuff bleeped-out swearing incident on “Dark as the Dungeon”, and later with the loose laughter of “The Long Black Veil”. What can’t be manipulated is that, in spite of it all, Johnny Cash sounds best at his rawest, and here he sounds raw as hell with the Tennessee Three backing him for some hard ass honky tonk. The bonus comes from the added support of Carl Perkins and June Carter Cash, who all may as well share star billing with Johnny the way they bring their absolute A-game. I’ll give special credit to June, whose wailing on “Jackson” sends shivers down my spine every time. But, ultimately if any great album puts you in the headspace of its sound for its running time, any great live album should put you right in the moment of when that show happened, and in spite of any trickery that happens, goddamn does it put you right in Johnny Cash’s shoes in 1968 California.

immaculate vibes

This is a classic for a reason. The background audio including announcements throughout adds to the ambiance and authenticity.

Great albumv9/10

thank you johnny cash

Funny, a few days ago I wrote in my review how much I dislike live recordings, but I guess the audience for this one makes it a bit more special. Enjoyed it a lot, Cash is the rare country star who I adore.

One of the few live albums which is actually excellent.

I've always enjoyed Johnny Cash, but this album is just another level. It's live, so the recording isn't amazing, but the rawness of it just shines. Extremely good. Great songwriting. The album is 45 minutes, but has 16 songs, so it doesn't feel like anything drags on.

5/5 really liked the album. would rate higher

I liked the interaction with and responses from the audience--that makes this album. Songs have a lot of humor but are a little same-same at times. I'm not a country fan at all, but this was fun.

This is a great live album. The recording, even though it’s done quite a while ago, makes you feel like you are there. In the joint, the clink, the slammer. Peak Cash before his heart was broken. Then he peaked again. Choice cut: Cocaine Blues

This is the perfect live album in my opinion. Great songs, great recording, and I love the interaction with the crowd.

Classic Johnny Cash.

5 stars just for novelty alone!

I met Johnny Cash once. In Utah. He was hitchhiking. I picked him up. We smoked cigarettes and talked about Bigfoot and I dropped him off at a little honky tonk just west of the salt flats. Just kidding. 5

Memories abound with this album.

So simple yet so powerful. The live aspect at Folsom Prison, especially hearing the cheers of the inmates, adds immeasurable depth. Makes me want to re-watch Walk the Line.

Such an awesome live album – it was being played in a cafe I went to this morning too which was a weird coincidence.

What can you say that hasn't already been said. This and San Quentin are two of the best live albums of all time.