Reviews (page 6 of 14)
Great album and just so cool to have done this
Death, Cocaine, Misery and Whiskey in a good way.
Can’t go wrong with Johnny cash
Surprised. In our carefully crafted modern culture I had no idea you could have a prison concert and jokingly sing about killing people and dogs. The songs were strong, the live set fun, and the irreverence elevated it.
I'm not sure why but I loved this album.
Top live albums ever made. Gave me chills hearing his smoker lungs sing
I’d go to prison for a Johnny Cash concert
"At Folsom Prison" is the first live album by American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash. Cash had been interested in recording at a prison for a few years after recording "Folsom Prison Blues." Backed by June Carter, Carl Perkins and the Tennessee Three, Cash performed two shows at Folsom Prison from which this album was created. He was looking to turn his career around with recent limited commercial success and personal drug issues. And it did, hitting #1 on the Country Charts and #13 on the Pop Album Charts. What type of music? Well, this is poster child of outlaw country. An album that the Library of Congress added to Nationsl Recording Registry in 2003. "Hello I'm Johnny Cash" and a thunderous applause from the prisoners propels the start of "Folsom County Blues." It's hard to think of a more iconic album-opening moment. Cash's unique voice. The Tennessee Three rolling. "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die." Another giant ovation. A line he had to remove for the single. He tells the story of a man arrested in Juarez, Mexico for cocaine and killing his wife in "Cocaine Blues." Talk about knowing your audience. Needless to say, another crowd favorite. Cash adds a bit of a humorous tone to the grim tale in "25 Minutes to Go" which tells the minute-by-minute story of a man headed to the gallows to be a hung. A Preacher. Waiting for the never-coming pardon. His neck in the noose. Yet somehow, Cash adds lightness. A simple ballad "Send a Picture of Mother" begins side two. Just an acoustic guitar. Not all the songs are about prison. June Carter joins Johnny in "Jackson"." Great interplay between the two. Going to Jackson to get married. "Give My Love to Rose" is a sad love song. Great story telling about a man in prison sending a letter to his love Rose and their son. The last song on the album is appropriately "Greystone Chapel," a song written by Folsom inmate Glen Sherley. More traditional country music. The backing vocals giving a soulful feel. Great guitar solo. A hopeful song about God and faith. The actual album ending is the associate warden telling the inmates to exit through the doors and you hear them exit. Very eery. I don't think you'll find a live album where you're just as interested in the audience reaction as the music. Or a better connection of singer to audience. Or just a performance overall. A one of a kind live album which he would repeat on several subsequent albums and an album everyone needs a listen to.
Fantastic live album
Not usually a fan of live albums but this is excellent. The context of the performance adds to the whole experience too.
At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash is a good album
literally the definition of country, cunt-try if u will
Johnny Cash is a stone cold badass and he once said "You know who would love to hear my music? MURDERERS AND CRIMINALS AND SHIT" and he just went and sang a bunch of songs about DEATH AND BEING HANGED to STONE COLD MOTHERFUCKERS And we get to listen to it today.
Nice sounds, I hate the British.
An album so good he then did one at Sam Quentin
Don't like country, don't like live albums but by god this is good. strangely jolly but also so so sad. You can hear the audience hanging on every word. They're almost an instrument in themselves at times. It's best when Cash is just telling a story - "the Wall" & "Joe Bean" cut deep This is music as it should be no matter the genre - talking directly to people.
Best country album of all time. Favorite track: Cocaine Blues
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
stage presence
A classic
This is a great album from Johnny Cash, probably one of the best live albums of all time.
This actually is legit an album that everyone should hear at least once. Incredible. 5/5
Probably the best live album of all time. The atmosphere is great. Such great performances
Johnny Cash is a badass. What else is there to say? Two Cash albums in (American IV being the first) and I am now a fan. Please excuse me as I look up where to watch his biopic, check YouTube for interviews & concert footage, and blast his greatest hits on Spotify. Standout tracks: At Folsom Prison, Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes to Go (and a lot more, to be honest).
A-
A live album with all the character of Johnny Cash distilled into less than hour
Probably one of the best live albums I've heard. I love how the audience participation is just as important as Johnny's performance (which needless to say, it is really good), and is so funny to see how they interact with, cheer and joke around in a way that feels almost personal. Johnny also seems to have a lot of fun, singing the prisoners' own compositions and cracking up jokes ("please don't say s****, this is being recorded!" *proceeds to sing about a man killing his wife because of his cocaine addiction*) 10/10, I wish I was a male prisoner in 1968...
Johnny Cash at his best.
I loved this project. I had heard many cuts from it before, but never the whole thing from start to finish. I look forward to playing it again and again.
Really enjoyed, first intro into Cash
Johnny Cash is a treasure and this album sums up the guy pretty well. If modern country music sounded like this, maybe I would listen to it.
Somehow better than I imagined
It's a great album. Hard to put anything less than 5 for what it means and how it sounds.
One of the best live albums I've heard. And I usually don't like live albums
One of my favorite live albums
I'm not going to lie I was shocked. I always thought Johnny Cash was overrated because I basically only ever heard Hurt and Ring of Fire. After listening to this all the way through I can see why he was as big as he was. The voice and the music was very very talented.
This is one of the most amazing live albums ever recorded. I don't have the right words to describe it, but it's incredible to hear these simple folk/country songs performed by this incredible talent for this unique audience. The appreciation they have for it and the bond between performer and audience are apparent. I miss the days when we could acknowledge that even the lowest among us, including convicted criminals, were still human beings. This album is a good reminder of that. Truly a special experience listening to this. 5 stars.
What can I say about this album that hasn’t been written before. Perfect, just perfect. Also inspired me to watch the Johnny Cash episode of Columbo
This man’s portfolios are ridiculous. The interaction with the crowd, the live mistakes, the warden announcements… and that’s before you consider the music & lyrics
I can’t think of another live album which so viscerally places in you in the setting of a concert. Perhaps more than any other American singer, Johnny Cash embodies the struggles of this country-and the ideals we aspire to.
Classic
Honestly enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I respect Johnny Cash and admire his influence, but in general wouldn't voluntarily listen to much of his music. It's not really my cup of tea, even if I enjoy a lot of the country music today that was inspired by this sort of thing. That being said, the atmosphere created (singing about crime in a prison to a pretty engaged audience, in a pretty engaging way) was remarkable. I teetered for a bit...4 or 5? But by the end I was sold.
I'm loving these Johnny Cash albums. He's a great performer and knows how to work the crowd. The songs feel carefully selected for his inmate audience. Most of the songs are about imprisonment, loneliness, betrayal and guilt. He keeps them short and sweet too; sometimes I get the impression that he wraps up a song and moves the show along to make sure he keeps the crowd's attention. June Carter has similar crowd-pleasing instincts too. She's not on the album much but she really goes for it on "Jackson." She wants to make sure these guys get a good show. Johnny Cash is a great singer but I can't say enough what a great performer he is. He handles interruptions from the crowd with humility and humor. Like on "The Long Black Veil," one of the saddest songs I know, he pauses to laugh at the reaction to the line "I had been in the arms of my best friend's wife." There's a lot of humor in the songs too. "25 Minutes to Go" is really fun and "Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart" has some great one-liners.
His wit and banter really make Johnny Cash a one of a kind performer, totally meant to have live albums like this. I love how he caters to his audience in every way, and handles everything with humor. 5 for the music. 5 for the charisma.
After reading Steve's review of Cash's "At San Quentin" I realized that there were several of these live-in-prison albums so I was gushing over a different one when I meant to be gushing over this one. They are both fantastic though and I think deserving of their spots in this 1001 list. This album is excellent and has everything that I would want in a country folk singer songwriting record. I love the energy, the banter, the recording quality, and the performance overall is stellar.
Interesting. First Johnny Cash album
This album was already in my heavy rotation list, but I'd never really taken the time to think about the end-to-end album (and the event itself) all that much. It's really quite remarkable that a well-established artist from any musical genre would opt to setup inside of a prison and perform a whole show for the prisoners. I very seriously doubt there is any modern musician with an established career and the courage to do the same (especially any country musician). I could be wrong, but I doubt I am. So, then the show gets started, and instead of rolling off a series of radio-worn popular tunes, the band plays a setlist of songs that tell the tales of criminals. Each song honestly, and often sympathetically, portrays the personhood and humanity of the criminal, without romanticizing or pitying. And in an amongst all of it, Johnny is chatting up the crowd and making jokes just like it's nothing. It's an enjoyable and voyeuristic musical experience, with a very subtle underlying tragedy that, when explored enough, challenges the listener to think of the humanity of the people that have been locked away from society.
This is just wonderful. So much humour, so much love.
Ahh, Johnny. Love Johnny Cash. Truly the kind of artist that makes people question if they really hate country music after all (for the record, I don't, but it gets a bad rap thanks to racist fans--looking at you, Wallen stans). But for real, this whole album is incredible. Johnny Cash is an excellent storyteller with the perfect voice for country lore. I love the fact this was recorded live at a prison, and that he devoted so much of his career to making music that everyone loves. Everyone deserves good music and he knew that. Fave track could be Folsom Prison Blues or Cocaine Blues. You can't go wrong with any track here, though. No skips.
5 stars. Love this one, listened to it lots. Love how simple the songs are and the ambiance of the prison audience. The announcements here and there are just great. This works as foreground and background for me.
An album I already own - and it's a corker. Shame that this list also includes the San Quentin set - really, amidst the 1,001 albums to listen to before you die, how many Johnny Cash jailhouse performances does a body need? Nonetheless, taken in isolation, this one crackles with a rare electricity. A lovely setlist, and Cash sounds like a man fully in command of everything he surveys, even when he cracks up during 'Dark as the Dungeon'. What a voice, an Old Testament voice.
This was awesome - even better than "At San Quentin". Loved the strong narrative many of the songs had. Fave track - "25 Minutes to Go" - morbid!
I dont usually like live albums but these are great songs and a great performance. Johnny was a master of his craft and just had so much charisma. A very interesting idea for a live album as well. A real gem.
Loved hearing the commentary in between sets
What an awesome album, Johnny Cash is a fantastic performer and musician. I was completely enthralled by his excellent story telling and sense of humor. I loved this album.
Incredible.
One of the best live albums ever. Great songs and you can feel the atmosphere
Legendary. Enough said.
This is the album that captured Johnny Cash the icon best for me. The song selection given the setting is superb.
Extremely well executed. Cash is charming, funny and sincere in this performance and I wish I could have seen him live. The stories in these songs are great and while sometimes the arrangements were a bit too sparse for my taste, I have to say they were well crafted. I’d probably give this a 4.5 if I could but I can’t.
As lively as a live album can be. You can’t help but feel the excitement of the prisoners cheering at Johnny Cash singing “I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die”. A joy to listen to
Sån banger... ett av de mest effektiva live-albumen jag nånsin hört.
I don't think there's an artist in the world, past or present, that could make an album like this. Probably the most crowd interaction you will hear in a live album. The whole thing feels so natural, as if the whole show was meant to be.
This is one of the best known live albums of all time. It's great. I prefer the live album he did at San Quentin, but you can't go wrong with either.
what an awesome album, 9/10 I mean some of these songs fit so perfectly for this performance, they had to be written for this I don’t know, just a really enjoyable experience I saw Walk the Line and I think it’s really cool actually getting to hear what actually happened as if you were there, it’s awesome
Hello I'm Jimmy cash
This album top to bottom is legendary to say the least. From the bone chilling cheering and clapping from the prisoners to the down to earth moments that Johnny Cash has with the audience. The singing is magnificent and the song writing is perfect. Ive always loved this song, ever since i first listened to it on my record player. This album is truly one of a kind, not only because it was played in folsom prison for the prisoners, but also because of how incredible his singing is despite it being live recorded. You feel like you can just reach out and touch him. The album has so many slow sad songs, faster paced light hearted songs, and an underlying theme of being imprisoned in some way shape or form. I cannot say enough good things about this album.
Grande cash!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Classic. Such a great album.
The most fun live album I've listened to. I love Cash's banter, June Carter's guest appearance, the inmates' cheering and other minor sounds present in the audio, like coughing and laughter.
I really really dig it
You know it.
9/10. But we love us some Johnny Cash.
5/5. Legendary. Iconic. Thanks Johnny 🤠
Favorite live album.
Sounds really good. This is prob worth the 5 stars.
Super album and great to hear the banter between Cash and audience
Johnny Cash plays a few country songs for a bunch of convicts. He's charismatic, devilish, and killing it. Classic album.
Live albums have never been my thing but this will always be the exception.
10/10 amazing energy , cash and his backing band both giving legendary performances
10/10. This was so heavy, even compared to at San Quentin.
I really liked this album, Johnny cash is quite good and very charismatic during the live performance. Parts of the album were funny and the songs were all nice to listen to despite it technically being country music.
Great album throughout- was very interesting hearing the banter with the audience and the prisoners. Great country album and his voice is iconic, will listen to again.
Hello, I love this album. This is classic Cash, punchy, full of attitude and humor, but also tinged with faith and sadness. Cash has a mindfulness of where he is and a clear sense of purpose toward his audience. The love between Johnny Cash and his audience is genuine and it radiates through these songs beautifully. It's a joy to hear. The enthusiastic roars and hollers from the crowd (sometimes at inappropriate times) brings a gallows humor and an exuberance to these songs that doesn't always exist in the studio versions. Cash is charismatic, in excellent voice and the band has great energy. June Carter's presence is an added delight. There is nothing else quite like this in music, and it's a strong candidate for best live album of all time. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, Jackson, I Still Miss Someone, 25 Minutes to Go, The Long Black Veil, Orange Blossom Special, I Got Stripes, Dark as the Dungeon, Green, Green Grass of Home, Greystone Chapel, Send a Picture of Mother, Give My Love to Rose, Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog, The Wall, Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart
Great live album, very entertaining. What worked really well was the rawness of the recording, showing the engagement of the audience and Cash' personality as a performer, and including mundane announcements by the prison management that had nothing to do with the concert itself.
This guy bucks, the cocaine song was good
This may just be the greatest live album of all time. From "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" to the closing bars of Greystone Chapel and the announcements that follow, this is essential and engaging listening. The recording somehow transports you into the room in Folsom Prison. The energy from the inmates is palpable and it's clear that they are hanging on every Cash's every word. 5/5
I've loved this album since I got it in a 3 for £20 at East Kent's legendary old record store, Sound House. I said of San Quentin that it's great, but it lacks the driving energy of this superior (if slightly better behaved) live set. And listening today, it holds true A joy from start to end.
What a guy
Essential country/live album. Need I say more?
Fantastic album. Live albums are a hit or a miss for me, but this one is totally up there for intensity, passion, fun, and great sound.
So many live albums on this list. I'm not complaining, especially if they are ones of the calibre of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. This is the album I would tell people to listen to next if the discovered Johnny Cash through his NIN cover or the bio movie. Really nice cross section of the Man in Black's career until that point. None of his other recordings capture the underlying humour of Cash's music, something that is often overlooked about his work. San Quentin is a perfect follow up to this release so check it out if you haven't already.
Hello, I’m Johnny Cash. Iconic. Absolutely brilliant album!
One of the greatest live albums, heck, albums in general of all time.
Man, this album makes me remember that we're all human. This guy is over here singing songs about "shooting a bad bitch down" while all the inmates cheer. He cracks some jokes, laughs, asks for water - Johnny Cash just seems like such a down to earth guy. I don't even like country but the book was right for once.. I think my ghost would have been a bit upset if I died without listening to this. Also, I never knew that this album is from 1968. I always thought it was from the late 50s or so.
One of my favorite albums. It's raucous and full of energy, with a songlist that hits on some of the best of his work. I never get tired of listening to it.
Very much a jam. I loved 25 Minutes to Go and I loved the bit after The Long Black Veil.
immediate love for this album
Such a classic!
One of the greatest comeback albums of all time. Johnny Cash did not shy away from the uncomfortable and wasn’t afraid to share his spotlight with those cast out by society. This set showcases Cash’s empathy, skill as a live performer, and ability to connect with an audience. June Carter’s appearance is another highlight.
Wow, it was was something very different - for album 2, for name +1, for idea +2, so in total 5 due to a good idea where to play and record.
one of my faves
The Godfather of live prison albums, which in my book, means that it pales a bit to The Godfather Part II of live prison albums. But the original Godfather is one of the best movies ever made, just as this is one of the best live albums ever released. The best moment - oh hell, there are a lot of best moments - comes after Cash sings "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die" when a Folsom inmate punctuates the line with a triumphant cheer. It's a vocal cheer that says that guy knew exactly what Johnny Cash was singing about. An excited "been there/done that" affirmation. That recorded moment alone puts this baby at a 5. And I'm pretty sure that same inmate is the one getting a little too excited during certain parts of Cocaine Blues.
Such a good album! Love Johnny Cash!
GOAT
An outstanding classic.
Such a cool concert, the connection between Cash and the audience is great to hear. And the songs fit with the atmosphere so well.
Classic
Brilliant album, one of my dad's favourite artists. Folsom prison blues, give my love to rose, the hilarious flushed from the bathroom of your heart, and, of course, Jackson are awesome songs that I just keep coming back to
Exquisite! I am truly impressed that he was able to do this and that it didn't incite a riot. Great energy in the performance and the song selection is dynamite.
Un classique qui mérite amplement ça note. 5
Wonderful piece! The setlist, the energy, and the way how Johnny and his audience interacts make this album perfect. It’s like a modern ritual. Even the cover shows some type of intimacy: Johnny looking at you from above with his sweat dripping. I love it
So much character. Incredible country music recorded pretty well all things considered. Johnny Cash Highlights: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, and 16.
Live, in una prigione e comincia proprio con 'Folsom Prison Blues' che parla di un assassino: brividi! Poi un live che non sia in uno stadio mantiene sempre una certa qualità, ma include comunque il pubblico e i commenti dell'artista che gli danno fascino. Le prime 5 sono una più bella dell'altra. Comunque tutto lo stile blues in accordo con la caldissima voce di Johnny Cash è fantastico. Jackson con June Carter <3
I love Johnny Cash and liked most of this album a lot. The songs about executions (the long black veil, 25 minutes to go) are pretty disturbing to me though, and I skip through them. Fun to hear the prison crowd and songs they liked. Struggling between a 4 and 5 on this one. Going 5, cuz it’s The Man in Black.
Not all of my favorite Cash tunes, but some real greats, and the story and legacy of playing for prisoners at prisons and just how cool this and Cash is brings a 4 of an album up to a 5.
Cool story behind this album. Great music, love Johnny singing the blues
Brilliant album - real, honest & fun.
Having heard of this famous album, I never realized how it really was live at a prison. The small interluded comments about guards and prisoners were wild.
NO SKIPS. ALL FUN. great album tho fr
Great live album
New to me, but what a perfect album! This one is ironically upbeat in a good way. Great concept executed just right. He had the voice/style/personality to pull it off. I wouldn't listen to it over and over, but I like it for what it is.
Well, what an album. What a performer. Some gritty themes that increasingly... don't so much offend as carry no value for my ear and listening time. The harmony is Jackson is second to none. Two voices, dancing the eternal dance. Give My Love to Rose is another favorite, which I first listened to from the American Recording production (when Johnny was a few years from death). His voice at Folsom prison is younger, obviously. I'd never noticed Greystone Chapel before, written by an inmate at Folsom.
Despite being a live album, this s*** rocks! This kind of feels like hip-hop humble beginings. Melodies and rhymes are pretty darn good. 4.5/5
I think it's safe to say that anyone on 1001 has a passion for music and a shared disgust for the marketing machine. The industry that controls access, dictates what we should listen to and often steals from artists is abhorrent and easy to hate. Truth be told tho, I wouldn't have given Johnny Cash any attention without the marketing machine in the 90's. When Rick Rubin started working with Cash, a movie was developed and suddenly Cash, a relic of the past, was cool, relevant and wow, a badass. "Mistakes are beautiful," my daughter often reminds me. Cash's direct address to the crowd, the hooting and hollering, the cheers, the missteps and imperfections are refreshing. Cash's live prison recordings are remarkable because of how personal, simple and real they are. This music seems as far from the machine as you can get.
A perfect album. No skips. What an opening track! This album has it all—great songs, energy, sound, and the audience participation! The way JC interacts with the audience, his band mates… all that, and he was committed to playing for inmates.
One word: Atmosphere
Listened!
Such a good album. Brings a smile to my face.
Fuck yeah.
I hate country, but now.... I love it. The record is very good.
I don't like live albums UNLESS they bring something to the table, and this one does exactly that.
I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.
I've known about this album for years but never actually listened to it. I loved it from start to finish. The whole performance is spectacular. All the little mistakes and jokes and bits just add to its charm. And there's something about prisoners cheering so loudly to songs about prison that makes you smile. Very special album. 25 minutes to go is my fave.
Alto rock and roll de guitarra acustica.
Couple of total classics, live from a prison too, so points for effort
100 stars. As iconic an album as exists.
Great album of a live performance, Johnny is having a great time laughing in the middle of songs and cracking jokes with the inmates and staff.
Classic for a reason. This is a fantastic album. Does a good job of conveying the energy and comedic wit that he brought to live performances.
O melhor dele fora da série de versões dos American. A concepção de álbum e do show é fantástica.
What a legend, what an album, what a venue, what a performance!
Dit is zoveel meer dan gewoon een album, zoveel meer dan gewoon een optreden. uitblinkers zijn sowieso: - folsom prison blues: gewoon top - flushed from the bathroom of your heart - greystone chapel: het verhaal hierachter is echt top, zeker achter de schrijver (zijn versie is ook goed)
GET THIS MAN A GLASS OF WATER!!! wat zou ik graag met deze man één wiskey’tje drinken. Het album is mooi en genieten. Ik ben echt fan van zen rustige nummers. Niet te veel honky tonky shit, dat verwacht ik niet van hem. Maar zeker de listen waard
ICONISCH, Johny met prachtige verhalen in zijn nummers en dat in een gevangenis lets goo Cocaine blues is next level, deze gaat meer opgezet worden!
Classic live performance. Feels like you're really in the audience.
A deeply emotional and entertaining performance. The energy from the audience & Cash make for an incredible live album.
You can’t go wrong with Johnny Cash
Has to be in the discussion for greatest live album of all time.
Classic live, music does magic anywhere
For et fantastisk live-album! Følelsene til publikum er så tydelige at man blir transportert til en overfylt kafeteria i et skittent amerikansk fengsel. Cash var nok aldri kriminell, men han spiller rollen perfekt med tøffe kommentarer og bokstavelig talt galge-humor. Folsom Prison Blues er nok høydepunktet, men stemninga holder hele veien, og blir løfta litt ekstra av en kvinnelig vokalist mot slutten.
Goat
Just brilliant
An amazing live experience. Loved it.
Classic
One of the greatest live albums of all time. Fact. BT: Folsom Prison Blues, I Still Miss Someone, Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart
Enjoyed heavily
Excellent live album, love the asides and the total bizarreness of it all
Legendary performance from one of the all time greats
Yeee haaaaa
Stonking album
Quando uma pessoa com um talento real consegue transmitir a verdade dele, com todas as incongruências, defeitos e qualidades, um álbum como esse é o resultado.
Really nice vibe in the prison
Yes. Yes. Yes. All the yes.
Alles Super. Musik. Setting.
Johnny Cash is the real deal. This is one of the coolest albums I've ever listened to. I love the crowd work, and you can tell he was playing for each individual in that room. Great great great work!
what a wild, brilliant work.
What a legendary album. I just love his interactions with the inmates, it makes the music even more powerful. I don't remember hearing the announcements and chit chat at the end, I like that they didn't cut that off.
Love this
A true legend, a phenomenal performance. The stars aligned perfectly to make this perfect album, a snapshot in time of an artist's career unlike any other.
Pretty good, lively
One of the greatest of all time.
Very good
You already fuckin kno. A quintessential bop all the way through.
I cried
1968. Key Songs: Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues
Johnny ääni on aivan mahtava ja tämä live oli hyvä. Oon kuunnellut tätä aiemminkin.
So are we only going to have 2 Johnny Cash albums on the list, both of which are live from prisons? 3 and a half years since the Sam Quentin one! I preferred this one, was really good. Folsom prison blues is the highlight but lots of it is very good. Feels so genuine too, which it is! I always moan about live albums being on the list, but this one is actually interesting and has something about it besides just being a recording of a gig Cocaine blues, I still miss someone and the wall all very good At least 4, probably 4.5
maybe the goat live album, at least one where the format is actually very meaningful
Great presence. Love the live atmosphere and the storytelling.
It has a very good mood.
Starting off with the rebel-rousing Folsom Prison Blues and carrying on with the beautiful Dark as the Dungeon is inspired. Johnny manages seamlessly to intersperse prison songs with songs of longing even throwing in some gallows humour to boot; with highlights such as telling the inmates not to use profanity, as they are recording the concert, while happily swearing himself. His voice is as ever hard and beautiful, you can hear how these honest songs were so appreciated by this select audience.
Great live performance from the man In black
kinda peak entertainment and kinda sad
Again, awesome. I preferred the San Quentin album, though. Rating: 7.7
202. At Folsom Prison - Johnny Cash (1968) 9.12.26 Variety: 3 Adequacy: 3 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 5 Emotionality: 4 = 4.0 rounded down to a 4 "Then the sheriff said boy, I'm gonna watch you die/ With 19 minutes to go/ So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye/ With 18 minutes to go" As a general rule I despise live albums. They're usually sloppily recorded, have ill thought out pacing, and are full of the annoying artist asides, and audience chatter that really gets under my skin and makes me ill-disposed to go in with a neutral attitude. Even artists I absolutely love have rarely been able to pull off the feat. That said, there are exceptions. And it seems like we keep running into them occasionally on this list, which is fine by me. O love having my worldview flipped-turned upside down. And I'd like to take a minute to say that the following is one of those rare exceptions that succeeds BECAUSE of most of those things. This is an album I heard as a kid, and one that my gospel loving ( and singing) grandpa had no issue playing in the house, seeming to pay no mind that young ears were absorbing tales of rampant drug use, and murder. So I heard it plenty, and it became the normal version of these songs. Since then If I've heard a studio version or one from the original or another artist, it's always rankled me a bit. Aside from being lauded for pulling off such a funny as hell concept, Cash deserves all the praise I'm about to heap on him in his performance as well. Few times have I ever heard as charming a motherfucker as this recorded live on stage. THE TRACKS Side one "Folsom Prison Blues" - Written way back in the early 50s I think, well before this event was a twinkle in Cash's promoter's eye, it has that earlier, rockabilly adjacent feel to it in spades. The twangy guitar, the shuffling train engine beat, Cash's confident, smoky deep baritone vocals, and the folky lyrics... all iconic, and this track easily belongs up on the wall with the best ever. And one of the best intros to a song AND album ever. "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash" - who else could make such a simple thing ring with such gravitas and thunder. Supposedly it was his standard intro to his live appearances, but dude knew wtf he was doing there. This is pop music image building at it's best y'all. Now, the question is, how can you go anywhere but down after such a explosive opening? "Dark as the Dungeon" - A low and slow coal bit of folk country about the coal miner's plight, this one is fine enough, much much more notable for the funny bit of business Cash gets into with a prisoner, providing a candid, self referential moment that recognizes and comments on the artificial atmosphere of the planned even, and yet not only does not ruin it, but makes it all the more fucking charming. Especially the banter at the end. It's going to be a rare moment when I find a song on the list that I'll tout for reasons OTHER than the musical. This might not even be the last one on this album though. "I Still Miss Someone" - A short but sweet ditty about lost love, and with the trademark Luther Perkins rhythm. "Cocaine Blues" - One of the more memorably electrifying tracks, and one that I imagine had the warden seething with it's unflinching , and definitely not edited for content subject matter. Hilariously the song ends with a pat short as it can be disclaimer about how awful and terrible drugs can be after making it sound as interesting as it could possibly be. I think Cash could plausibly be accused to pandering to his crowd on the whole album, but this might be the key piece of evidence. But what kind of entertainer would he be if he didn't? Also, note the bitch move on part of the prison officials of the announcements over the applause at the end. "25 Minutes to Go" - Cash's voice seems to go out on him a couple times here, but instead of ruining anything it just adds some flavor. And besides he seems to cover by adding some light chuckling, and vamping which add to the charm. This is certainly a bit of a dark bit of comedy, and would make a fine comparison to Nick Cave's "Mercy Seat" to look at how polar opposite takes on the same subject matter can both be delivered successfully. The only Shel Silverstein penned number on the album, which is a shame. "The Mercy Seat" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa5U2GrLshQ "Orange Blossom Special" - Another railroad song, this time with some harmonica to change things up, and we get a lighter, bouncier bit of escapism that I'm sure the fellas in attendance all appreciated. "The Long Black Veil" - A country murder ballad standard that has a good dozen or more classic versions, one of which I'd count this among. The tragic solemnity is broken briefly with a bit of banter, but it only throws the subject matter into stark relief. We get an extended bit of chatter and stage banter, with Cash getting some water to finally deal with that croak that's been building for a couple of songs. And like clockwork, the officials come in with another announcement when things get just a tiny bit rowdier than they'd like. Side two "Send a Picture of Mother" - A Cash original that works fine enough as an opener for side two, and maybe more than a few guys in teh crowd had to stifle some tears at the subject matter, given their circumstances. "The Wall" - We get another downer of a track, and yet another one that must have had the warden rethinking his decision. Possibly the darkest one on the album. "Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog" - Easily the funniest song on the album, it's short to the point and Cash delivers the punchline with aplomb. The levity was much needed at this point, and would not be surprised if this one was an audible that Cash called as it couldn't have been too much trouble to swing into with short notice. "Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart" - Sensing how well this one went over, Cash pulls out another Jack Clement joke song before easing back into the set list proper. This works even better, getting uproarious laughter from the audience on each of the increasingly humorous metaphors. "Jackson" (with June Carter) - If "Ring of Fire" is maybe his signature song, this is his most joyous for me and only slightly less iconic to me. I've heard it performed along with the inestimable June Carter many times, both in studio recordings, live in studio, and even tv tapings and it never fails to be one of the most delightfully appealing duets in the history of popular music. This performance is no different. "Give My Love to Rose" - Another sad one that brings the mood back down, and does some lifting in preparing for the final stretch. "I Got Stripes" - Not a favorite of mine, but at least we get some nice backing vocals by ( I think from June Carter and the Statler Brothers) "Green, Green Grass of Home" - Some heavy gospel vibes on this one, again with backing vocals from the Statlers. Fine stuff, if not teh mode I prefer Cash in. "Greystone Chapel" - More gospel vibes, but tempered with some fine country twang, and a very solid closer. The prisoners booing the warden when he comes up is a great moment. The chatter here at the end with everyone filing out is key to the vibe of this thing, so I urge you not to skip it. HIGHLIGHTS - "Folsom Prison Blues" - "Dark as the Dungeon" - "Cocaine Blues" - "25 Minutes to Go" - "The Long Black Veil" - "Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog" - "Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart" - "Jackson" MIDLIGHTS - "I Still Miss Someone" - "Orange Blossom Special" - "Send a Picture of Mother" - "The Wall" - "Give My Love to Rose" - "I Got Stripes" - "Green, Green Grass of Home" - "Greystone Chapel" LOWLIGHTS - FINAL THOUGHTS It's a shame this was not shot as a concert film, as live footage might have earned this one another full star. Cash and his producers realized very quickly that they had captured lightning in a bottle and sought to quickly cash in.. ahem... soon after with a fully produced for television concert at San Quentin prison the next year. That one is fun, but way looser and frayed around the edges than this one, and I think watered down, content wise. I have not seen the full broadcast, but my understanding is that it's a mix of some songs and interviews with prisoners and officials, and some documentary info included. Does not sound very interesting. Crazily, I read that the full set was filmed, just has never been released unedited. I guess even today, some people are still allergic to money. This one has lost none of the edge and charm that I remember it always having, and there are more than a few fully iconic moments that make this a pretty understandable choice for the list. Even if country is not your thing, Cash was such a large and looming presence and influence ( for better or worse) on the troubled rock stars who would come after, that it should be required listening. Start them kids at 4th or 5th grade I say, with a whole unit devoted to Cash and this album. As much as I absolutely respect this thing as an artifact, and as good as it still is as a piece of entertainment, it still can't help but fall short of my requirements for the 5-star club. That i rated it as high as I did tells you something about how essential I feel this one is, but it's far more of a mixed bag musically for me. There's no garbage on here by any means though. It's just a lot of otherwise mediocre and middling Cash songs that are balanced out by the thrilling atmosphere of the album as a while. Listen to this and file it away in your brain, somewhere in the vicinity but not entirely close to punk rock, as it's as authentically as much of a middle-finger poked into the eye of those in charge as any of those first wave punk albums that attempted any sort of political messaging. Possible turn-Offs might include: - public displays of anti-authoritarianism - a casual and messy presentation - LOTS of audience participation - cocky, self assuredness from the artist - lots and lots of country You Might enjoy this if you: - find said public displays of anti-authoritarianism funny as fuck, especially when done under the auspices of those same authorities - love the live crackling live energy of a hot crowd - find Cash to be a charming son of a bitch - are interested in pop music oddities PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - that would sort of defeat the whole point, no? FURTHER LISTENING - here are some more live albums, all recorded under interesting circumstances: - Kick Out the Jams by the MC5 - Live at San Quentin by Johnny Cash - Live at Pompeii by Pink Floyd - 23 Minutes Over Brussels by Suicide - Take No Prisoners by Lou Reed - Live at Napa State Mental Hospital by the Cramps
One of the albums that justifies the whole concept of a live album.
Forgot how good the drumming is? Lots of giggles, band is locked in. Would love to read a detailed history of how this recording went down, incl decisions around “moving cheers” etc
second johnny cash this week!! banger. already knew a lot of this. johnny cash is one of the few artists that me and dad could listen to whilst he was teaching me to drive because we both enjoyed listening to him. a great time
A great live album, and the concept of playing country songs about murders, jail cells and executions to prisoners, and the interaction with that audience, really enhances the experience. I generally preferred the more uptempo tracks like ‘Folsom Prison Blues’, ‘Cocaine Blues’, ‘25 Minutes to Go’ (great example of literal gallows humour) and ‘Jackson’ (a wonderful duet with June Carter), but the ballads were solid as well, especially the closing track ‘Greystone Chapel’, written by one of the Folsom inmates who was in the audience for this concert. I didn’t love every song, but it’s a strong 4 for sure.
Classic banga
Man Folsom Prison sucks This is a really fun album; in terms of live albums we’ve had this is definitely the one that felt most like a concert with all the audience chatter and moment where Cash cracks up during the set, which I think is great. Johnny Cash has without a doubt one of the most iconic voices in music history, and it’s on full display here. I think this would be a drastically worse album if it was just some other random country singer. The theming is off the charts here; how can you get any better than performing Outlaw Country at a maximum security prison? I think the second half of the album kinda drags a bit, and musically it’s a relatively shallow album, but I think the biggest problem with this is that it can be kinda difficult to just throw on between all the parts that aren’t really music. Very minor nitpicks in the grand scheme of things, really torn between a 4 and a 5 on this one. I think it’s just a bit too hard to put on regularly so it’s a high 4; still a fantastic album that’s one of the pinnacles of the genre
a man singing 'ive been flushed from the bathroom of your heart' to thunderous laughter in a prison transcends words
So so cool how this was performed in a prison. The audience are just as important to the album as the music, and the raw way Johnny Cash performs on stage feels undeniably real. The music is seriously great.
Johnny Cash's onstage presence is truly amazing. He very clearly has a lot of charisma, and even with an audience in a prison is still able to get them excited about his music. His whole performance on this album is so fun and catchy, so much so that in moments he even has to tell the inmates to be quiet so that he can actually play the songs, not many artists have such a strong stage presence for that to be necessary. It's very rare for an artist's most iconic album to be a live album, but I think that's just testament to how good of a performer Johnny Cash was. I slightly prefer other projects of his, but it's completely reasonable for this album to be his most famous work.
Album 59/1001. Listened 8/31-9/1/2026. Can't argue with a legend. I like the non-legacy edition better. So many classics, and June.
Great album. Felt intimate
The live versions of these songs just go harder than the other recordings. It’s a great album and you can easily see how it became a phenomenon.
so awesome, love this mans voice
Listened
It’s so fun for me to listen to live versions and this album feels so authentic, the audience and him stopping mid song for whatever reason (can i have a glass of water??) create an awesome atmosphere. Would have never thought of liking country music but honestly this was an experience. Having it played in the background and only once I cannot exactly distinguish the songs one from the other but I will listen to it again to find my favourites.
A legendary live release, and one of the most famous across all music history- had never listened so I didn't know that it is intimate as hell. The prisoners getting called away in the middle of the songs is actually insane and the fact that they kept it on the record is crazy. Like "San Quentin" he makes you laugh and moves you in equal measure. Incredible stage presence that comes through even in audio only. Of course the title track is probably one of the most iconic country songs ever. Good versions of "I Still Miss Someone" and "Cocaine Blues" are also amongst Cash's best.
This is iconic for a reason. It's got so much energy to it. Johnny Cash has so much presence and charisma, and the audience and setting adds a lot to it as well. I like how his songs are so rich in their story-telling. 3.5 rounded up.
Best Track - "Jackson"
The live album that revitalized a career. It's strange to think that an icon such as Johnny Cash was struggling professionally during what some could consider the prime of his life. But that was the case in the 60s apparently. After personnel changes at his record label, Cash was finally able to achieve his crazy goal of performing at a prison. Enter "At Folsom Prison", a live performance led by the famous "Folsom Prison Blues" and featuring one half of Cash's upbeat numbers with his more slower ballads in the latter half. Maybe a little samey in some of the track selections, but it's still fun, spirited, and engaging at times with the mid-track bantering. Please get that man a glass of water!
Johnny Cash walked into Folsom State Prison on January 13th 1968, looked out at 2000 inmates, and said into the microphone: I just wanted to tell you that this show is being recorded for an album released on Columbia Records, so you can't say hell or shit or anything like that. The crowd responded accordingly. This is the greatest stage introduction in the history of live recording and it set the tone for everything that followed. Cash had never spent serious time in prison despite decades of carefully cultivated mythology suggesting otherwise. He wrote Folsom Prison Blues in 1953 while serving in the Air Force in Germany, inspired by a prison documentary, and spent the next fifteen years letting people believe he had lived every word of it. The inmates at Folsom did not care about the biography. They cared that he showed up, looked them in the eye, and sang like he meant it. He did mean it, which is the distinction that separates this from every other celebrity prison visit in history. He learned Greystone Chapel specifically for the concert, a song written by Folsom inmate Glen Sherley, who Cash had discovered through a prison chaplain. Cash rehearsed it feverishly in the days before the show. When he performed it, Sherley sat in the front row hearing his own words sung back to him by the most important country artist alive. Sherley was paroled the following year. Cash helped him get a recording contract. The story did not end well for Sherley, but the moment itself was as close to grace as a prison gymnasium gets. The crowd noise on the finished album was partially overdubbed in post production because the inmates' actual reactions were occasionally too muted for the master tapes. The most famous moment, the line I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die, was met with near silence in the room because armed guards stood on walkways above the audience. The producer added crowd noise afterward. Cash knew and approved. Some myths require a little assistance and this one earned it. 4 out of 5. One star for the opening announcement, which is the greatest stage introduction ever recorded. One for Greystone Chapel, learned in three days for one man sitting in the front row. One for showing up to a place most people avoid and meaning every word of it. One for the mythology, which was partly constructed and entirely deserved.
There's such a unique, special magic to Cash's prison show tapes - it's one of the rare formats where recording live injects the performance with such magic that really couldn't be replicated in the studio. the rowdy cheering, Cash's little cheeky quips, his earnestness and humility in engaging with the populace. Even him screwing up mid-song, acknowledging it - it feels like you're really in the room with him, smelling the cheap tobacco and sweat. You can sense that this is a certified classic as you're listening to it, note-by-note, as one of country music's greatest bass-baritone voice runs through his hits. He's a natural storyteller, able to seamlessly weave been the comedic and the dramatic, with a natural bardic flair that's honestly very difficult to find. Fav tracks: Folsom Prison Blues, Jackson
Never listened to this in full before. What a ride, cocaine and murder ballads in front of prisoners. 4/5.
really co
Another album I've listened to a few times before, great stuff, love his banter with the prisoners at times. I personally prefer San Quentin, but only by a margin.
Johnny Cash deserves the hype
Great choices for the audience, Mr Cash
All time classic live album.
Loved it. It being live and set a prison created a great ambiance for Johnny Cash's silky singing. Usually not my cup of tea, but this album's quality transcends genre bias.
1. "I Still Miss Someone" 2. "Jackson" feat. June CARTER CASH 3. "Give My Love to Rose" feat. June CARTER CASH
Say what you like about Taylor Swift, she's never recorded an album in a prison. This is however the second one by Johnny on this list. What can I say, he's a funny guy. His songs are amusing and poignant at the same time.
This is at minimum a 4 for the riffed interaction with prisoners audience and warden announcements. I don't know if I disliked the voice cracks and mistakes or loved that this shit was so genuine. I think I'm more on the enjoy side. Pretty cool he did this, definitely felt transported to that strange place in time.
Probably one of the best live albums out there. Sounds great and incredibly important piece of work.
Muito bom
3/5 songs, maybe 4/5? 5/5 vibes tho
Obwohl ich nicht wirklich Live-Alben mag, ist das von Johnny Cash ganz gut
entiendo como podría ser la vida de orion carloto si escucho este disco todos los días.
25 mins to go was a fave Can't fault the voice
I prefer the San Quentin album but this rocks too.
First live album where I’m not like “come on” A great set made something of a legendary historical document by all the intertrack bantery stuff and crowd interaction. Best part is in the title track “But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die…” “WOOOOOO”
Yeah Johnny cash hits again, deffo be back to this Singing 25 minutes to go to prison inmates to cruel and unusual punishment however 4
un clásico
Good ol country, interesting snap shot of history to listen to
An essential country album, but a bit sedate. Between this and Live at San Quentin, the latter is the better record, but that doesn't take away from the remarkable achievement of this album
Gotta love "Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart", c'mon.
Ring O'fire... Another fallout 3 alumnus. ---- Live albums as I've said before are not for me. In this one the crowd are raucous as all hell which adds good energy and it seems like he's picked up tracks from the prisoners? That's pretty cool. Watery blues and country jangling are not the focal point here. They are merely a scaffold to Cash's storytelling. It's observational history, snapshots of lives I'd imagine real and exaggerated. Some tracks are pretty dark which I really like, especially [25 minutes to go] - singing that to prisoners is obviously tickling Jonny. [Jackson] is a great change of pace, and the female vocal is powerful as all hell. Definitely the highlight of the album for me, closely followed by [I got stripes]. I thought I'd not enjoy a live album ever and this far it's been true however this could be a turning point? So far I've not had much country, more the pop orientated stuff that didn't land. This cynical, dark stuff? I can get behind. I was thinking a 2 for the first half, but the longer it went on, the better it got. Second time round it was even better. ****
Man, if you get concerts like this in jail maybe I’ll go commit a crime
Disco histórico em que a comunhão de artista e plateia é palpável. Transcende a música e para os não iniciados no country, é ótima introdução.
Bra! Det finns väl inte så mycket mer att säga. Det är en jäkla stämning och Cash är cool som få. Att musiken inte är perfekt spelar mindre roll. Texterna och stämningen väger upp för de missar som görs. Jag skulle säga att missarna bara gör det bättre. Som kvinna är det alltid tröttsamt att lyssna på våld mot kvinnor oavsett vad det är. När publiken dessutom skrattar blir det bara obehagligt men... Albumet är mycket bra och visst kan man väl sakna en sådan som Cash som här är väldigt autentisk.
Have I listened to this album before No How familiar am I with this album Somewhat How do I feel about this artist? I like Johnny Cash but I’ve never listened to a whole album Pre-Listen Thoughts: I think it’ll be a good way to end the week. This is the kind of thing I joined the list for, things I’ve always thought about but never really listened to. Favorite track(s): Folsom Prison Blues, Give My Love To Rose Post-Listen Thoughts: I thought this was really fun. I love that you could hear all the background noise from the prison, I really enhanced the vibe. This is the specific type of country that I enjoy.
One of the greatest live albums of all time with great crowd reactions and funny moments. The album that restarted Cash’s career. For me it’s brought down by really being a compilation album and the majority of songs were not written by Cash. Still a great listen and definitely one that is needed before you die IMO
4.5 - fantastic
So far superior to his other live prison album. Skip San Quentin and hit Folsom.
Favorite track(s): Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, Jackson, I Got Stripes, Green, Green Grass of Home
The energy of the live recording is fantastic. Even remembering LP limitations on length, I was surprised by how short the album was and even more so by how abrupt the ending of the performance was. It was treated less like you hear with more modern concert recordings where longer/more epic/fan favorite songs are left for the end of the set, and more as a simple recording session that just so happened to occur in front of a live audience composed solely of prisoners
Really fun album and it's all recorded live!
Awesome live album. Also gave us the image of Cash flippin' the bird at the BBC camera.
Classic for a reason. Emotional performance, great songwriting in a unique setting. Cash is a legend.
OHHH YEAAAAHHHHH
When growing up, my parents would enjoy listening to Johnny Cash but I didn't care for him. As life went on I would hear him pairing with other singers that I liked and began listening to him and stared hearing his stories and ballads and his songs and sound took on a new light. I can only imagine how he felt doing this album at Folsom and his those at Folsom enjoyed this concert.
I will deny country as a music genre until the day I die. However, Johnny Cash doesn't belong in the country category. A man who can take Nine Inch Nail's "Hurt" and as Trent Rezner has stated, the song is now his stands out more than any genre could define him. Folsom Prison highlights Johnny's baritone storytelling as well as the kind of man he was, especially how he interacts with the audience. While controversial, "Cocaine Blues" guitar plucking and Johnny's narration brings an energy instantly connecting with his audience. The same can be said of "25 Minutes to Go." Such deep vocals in "The Long Black Veil" truly captures the sorrow within such a song. The finger picking driving rhythm loop returns with the energetic, "Jackson." Cash's wife June Carter brings a virvir balancing out Johnny's somber sound making them a perfect pair. The notes in Folsom Prison are simplistic yet magical. It's also the combination of perfectly timed vocals paired with harmonic instruments capturing the feeling and mood of each song. Leave it Johnny to bring light to the dark confines of Folsom Prison.
Lahe kontseptsioon, äge kuulamine ning hea elamus. Hingestatult laulmine ja ma arvan, et selline laiv-album on täpselt see, mida me tehisaru ja perfektsuseni viimistletud ja tuunitud lugude ajastul vajamegi. Siin on paar meeldejäävat lugu ka, aga tähtsam on terve plaadi vaib ning Johnny Cash (veel) mööda ei pane. 4/5
End to end classic
First time listener to this, I actually quite enjoyed it. Is he in the prison because he shot a man, and possibly his wife too? I saw live album, and sank a little, but it was good. Even the harmonica was fine, because it was not fine for Bob Dylan live, but an overall great listen
Very good. Interesting to hear crowd reaction when the crowd is prisoners. Cash is great.
It's a classic. Not much more to say.
Commentary was 🤌
this is actually such a good album and cash is an icon
Pretty w album love how he sang one of the prisoners songs definitely one of the best live performances
Holy shit. 25 Minutes to Go was written by SHEL SILVERSTEIN?!? I am partial to the more fast-paced tracks and they're less than half the album but they carry it. Might regret not giving this a 5 later.
Classic. Live albums aren't normally my jam but the crowd noise adds so much to this one.
Some really good classic songs, not too bad. Really enjoy the faster paced songs
the music, the atmosphere... beautiful. He is so much at ease and it almost feels like he is with a group of friends. musically its a bit "the same", but the liveliness of the album makes up for it 100 fold
The stage presence must've been life changing
A neat vibe. Live concert at the prison
For me, this is the better of the two Johnny Cash live prison albums, and there's no need to have two in this list! Everything I said about _At San Quentin_ applies here in that I enjoy live albums that are situational .... Cash is clearly comfortable and excels in these environments .... His humour between the songs is as important as the songs themselves .... the crowd lap it up both responding to and interacting with each other is what makes these special. I just prefer these songs ...plus I heard this first which probably works in its favour
Playing Folsom Prison Blues at Folsom Prison is probably one of the most hardcore things done in music. Swearing on the album in the 60s? Cash was a legend. I was lucky enough to see his band after he passed, but I didn't ever get to see the Man in Black himself, and for that I'll be eternally sad.
geil!
Fire. 7.7/10. Favourite Tracks: Green, Green Grass of Home The Long Black Veil The Wall Folsom Prison Blues
One of my favorite live albums we’ve rolled. The story here is really cool, too. I went and listened to the other prison recordings, but I think I liked this one the most. “Cocaine Blues” is, uh… interesting. But if you account for his 99 year sentence, I guess it doesn’t glorify “[shooting] that bad bitch down” TOO much. Will regularly revisit this one. I’m the idiot that wrote off Cash’s live albums because I wasn’t interested. Won’t make that mistake twice.
criminally good
Shoutout the old Vinyl Me, Please for introducing me to this one. Cash is so charismatic it almost makes you wish you were there.
Get this man his f##king water! This has gotta be the most unique live album on this list. The performance, set list, and banter is just so perfectly tuned to its audience. I’m not yet a big Johnny Cash fan, but this is so candid and fun. The first track is a banger, and the rest, well, aren’t. But I think that’s the point, this live album isn’t about an artist at their peak playing their hits at an arena. It’s a legend doing the risky, creative things that cement them further as a legend.
This was such an engaging album concept and album itself. Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart particularly tickled me, evocative af
dirty egg suckin dawg cash is never really my thing but I love learning more about him and his projects and he's kinda that guy
Rocks
Wouldn't wanna be johnny's married best friend. 4/5 Top tracks: cocaine blues, 25 minutes to go, the long black veil
Same review as Johnny Cash at San Quentin... "When to listen: Not sure I would again, not because it isn't amazing just because I don't need to. Great album, great music, but it just... is."
Jako zabavno za slusat al ova live verzija u komadu
I dont like country, but I do like this.
Todo un señor
Conozco dos tres canciones de Johnny Cash, que por cierto me gustan, pero jamás me hubiera animado a escuchar un álbum completo de él. Tengo que admitir que sí me gustó.
Classic. A lot of charm and character in this live album, appreciate the fact Cash didn't give a fuck and talked and goofed around.
Possibly one of the best live albums I've heard. The production quality grabbed me instantly. The interaction between Johnny Cash and the prisoners is great.
Fun. Catchy. Energetic
Very interesting interaction between Cash and the audience, overall energetic and interesting vocals, but not 100% my type of music. Good for driving or in the morning.
Genuinely the craziest album I've ever listened to. Normally I'd call the lyrics nonsensical but they are in a prison with inmates cheering... I'm giving this a lot of credit for the sheer creativity. Low 4
He is Johnny Cash and they are trapped in there with him.
Cocaine blues + 25 minutes to go slaps.
Possibly the must fun-sounding event ever to happen behind prison walls. Cash is at his rascally best here, resuscitating a career that definitely seemed to be falling off after reaching its peak a decade earlier.
Great stuff, but I enjoyed At San Quentin more. Think his banter and the crowd reaction was better on that one. I might've flipped them if I heard this one first though. I started out questioning whether the list really needs 2 Johnny Cash live at a prison albums, but it'd be a shame to leave either of them out.
Somewhat entertaining, lots of talking
Gotta have the Man In Black on the list. Live at Folsum Prison might be a 'hear it before you die'. I just heard it as a normal function of living my life. I love the joking with the crowd and everything sounds pretty good given the recording setup. I think a few songs the acoustic guitar's E string needed to be tuned up a little and it was bothering me. I'm going to guess that Johnny Cash's other recordings are on the list as well.
yes you can have a glass of water
Folk and fun! Travels you to other days Freedom and summer
Very raw and emotional, uplifting but sad Lovely ending and sweet to listen to
4/5.
*Cool history and great live performance
This is such a cool album. I couldn't even imagine how Johnny Cash felt singing this live at the prison, he must have felt like an absolute God. I don't know an awful lot about Mr Cash but this album sounds like a man at the peak of his powers. Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes To Go, Egg Sucking Dog and Jackson are the standouts for me. A solid 3.5/5.
Quite good.
Love the thematic material in this album and filmed live at a prison ?? so good! his vocals are playful and sorrowful all at once !
This is a classic. Really love this on vinyl.
I liked this a lot! 25 minutes to go was great
Don’t really ever listen to Johnny cash but really enjoyed this one!
Oh I liked it so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Brilliant