At Folsom Prison

One of the most badass albums ever recorded.

This album is quite unique in a way that all the interruptions, jokes, bickering, and audience reactions are left in on purpose. And although I'd usually prefer the recording to be as clean as possible, it's hard to deny that all the imperfections add quite a bit of charm to it. That being said, I just don't get what people like about vocals. No matter how much I listen, I don't understand what I'm supposed to be finding in vocal-based music. I like vocals to be just another instrument, not completely take over the song. For me, it makes the music so much less interesting and engaging, especially when the songs are as monotonous as these ones. I just don't get how I am supposed to like music there only one "instrument" is good and all the others just support it when there's music there every instrument is good simultaneously. 5/10

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

Loved this album since Walk the Line

i do not care about this man

I am not a huge country fan but this is a special album. Every time I listen to songs from it I try to visualize the scene where it was recorded.

Bit conflicted about the premise. Some songs were nice.

This will be one of my more controversial negative reviews. I respect this at a 5-star level, but on an actual “do I enjoy listening to this?” level … I like country, but Johnny Cash’s voice and musical backing get old for me pretty quick—it’s hard to listen to a whole album.

Love this album for its humanity and the richness and depth of Cash’s voice.

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

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

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

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

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

They don’t make prison albums like they used to

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

I expected to dislike this more than I did. It was fine.

A lively listen, Johnny Cash's live stuff always has great crowd interaction

More cash, its just all the same

Banged up the slammer.

jailhouse rock

You cannot deny the quality of the recording and the performances on this record, the interplay between the crowd and Cash is integral to the quality of the songs here. When the songs are good the is incredible with high points like Dark as the Dungeon, Cocaine Blues, Give My Love to Rose, Green Green Grass of Home and Greystone Chapel. There are a handful of middling to boring songs like Dirty Old Egg-Suckin’ Dog and Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart, both of which are gimmicky and lose the charm of their humour pretty quickly. Overall a pretty great live record where being live is the biggest strength of the album. Songwriting is usually pretty solid but has some low points and there isn’t enough variation across the album for me which feels like a poor criticism but I can’t think of any other reason why I found myself checking how long I had left on the listen. 3.5/5

Absolutely incredible - no notes

A classic! It has its flaws as a performance, but captures an event

Kinda great live album if you’re in a Johnny cash mood

Iconic album that's not quite my taste

Johnny Cash’s music, as a whole, may not be overflowing with intricate hooks or vibrant melodies, yet it has an undeniable way of resonating deeply with me. His singing style is often described as monotone, even bordering on dull by some, but I find something profoundly compelling in its raw simplicity. I don’t mind the lack of vocal flourishes or elaborate instrumentation; in fact, in this case, I love it. There’s something about his music that feels honest, unpolished, and deeply human, and that’s what makes it so special to me.

I'm more familiar with his San Quentin live, but I've heard this one more than couple of times as well. Johnny Cash is one of the few country artists I can stand, or enjoy even, so I've no quarrels with listening him sing. It's a great and quite unique live record.

Very strong live album. Some truly timeless songs on here.

I actually have listened to this album before. I know very well of this as well. Probably one of the best live albums.

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

Imo one of the best folk/country albums ever

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

I really liked that, every song sounds the same but that's fine by me

Johnny Cash is the fucking man and this is about as iconic as live albums get. I've knocked off a mark though because should live albums even count? I'm not sure.

Love the interaction. Not as lively as San Quentin but great album nevertheless.

I mean i knew he had live albums but I guess I'd never particularly thought about that version being on this 1001 albums..... I mean he puts on a damn good performance though

Boffen

Love that its live. Takes me in a time machine to be in the prison listening.

Pretty fun, can see why this is a seminal live album. Rating: 4

Historiskt album och det förtjänar absolut att vara med på en sådan här lista men för mig är det inte tillräckligt intressant musikaliskt för att få en 5a, så därför blir det en 4a.

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

..

The sound quality is surprisingly good for a live album in a prison, but you can still hear where the mics can’t keep up at times. About as good a live album as I’ve heard.

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

Great.

I’d give this 4.5 stars if I could—reserving 5 for something truly perfect. Incredible music performed with passion in such a unique setting. You almost forget it’s recorded in a prison—until the warden’s announcements snap you back to reality. At the end, they even remind inmates to stay seated until they’re escorted back to their cells. One of the songs was written by a prisoner in the audience and learned by Cash the night before the show, adding to the raw authenticity of the performance. It’s more than just a great listen—it’s a time capsule, a one-of-a-kind recording that everyone should hear at least once.

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

I believe this to be a seminal album, due to Johnny Cash's songs and performance but also due to the still unique circumstances of him playing live at a prison and recording it. Upon this latest relisten (as I've heard it several times), I was struck by how many things were not ideal about it - some issues with Cash's voice, him breaking and laughing in a couple songs, poor transitions between songs. However, it still captures something very real.

After listening to Jerry Lee Lewis, this was a definite step up. It’s a classic live album, really enjoyed it.

Well, I've now listened to some Johnny Cash. It's fine, for country, and he's got a good way with the crowd during the intercut bits, but it's basically not my kind of thing. Also, I don't know if most of his songs are about imprisonment and the death penalty, but if not is it a good choice for songs sung in a prison? No idea, but it definitely left me feeling weird.

Charming, funny and always reliable.

A great piece of rock and roll history.

Sad to say that I like the idea of this album a lot more than the album itself. Certainly some highlights, including the title track and the song written by the inmate, but most songs blend together.

Interesting concept and apparently worked out well for him. Entertaining at times, especially the crowd interactions.

I enjoyed it. I really liked his interacting with the audience between songs.

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

Vraiment cool, écouté dans les champs

Johnny Cash singing about guns and coke in a prison...amazing.

prácticamente nunca he escuchado Country y para ser el primer referente que tengo del mismo no está mal, me gustó la premisa de ser una grabación en un penal, se pasó rápido para mí, no lo escucharía tan seguido pero de vez en cuando; es la definición de música country, todo el album te da las vibes, no es mi género pero me gustó.

Not my genre of music by any means, but some interesting tracks, and if I have to listen to Country it would definitely be Johnny

Meh

Began this journey on 1/21/2025/ Classic and simple feeling country. There is soul and humor through the 45min performance. Favorite songs “Flushed From the Bathroom of Your Heart” & “Jackson”

Best album of all time, Folsom prison blues is just aura.

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

His crowd work is great. Songs are solid. Quite a good album.

I had to double check to make sure this wasn’t a duplicate. Another live prison recording. It’s exactly the same as the San Quentin just have different words. I get it but it’s not for me.

A fun experience even if one doesn't normally enjoy live performance

Johnny Cash has a good voice, I can’t deny. (although in this live album he had some major voice cracks idk if they were purposeful or not) But also his music is like , we get it bro, you’re an outlaw. Like he won’t let us forget that everyone wants to kill him and he’s always on the run from jail (bro died in his 80s from diabetes)

5 estrelas

Solid. Insbesondere für es live konzert. Country wies muess sii. 3.4

eeeh classic, hani scho kennt. de vibe isch scho haarscharf. s banter findi ziemli amüsant, dass d gitarre teils ziemli outta tune isch passt au, und d sängerin findi gaht ab.

chasch nüt defür Johnny, isch eifach nöd so mini Musig.. de Live-Charakter mit sim Lache und sim „I might have a glass of water“ gfallt mer aber mega. und spannende Hintergrund mitem Gfängnis.

Man of the people. Prisoners deserve entertainment too.

Classic Johnny Cash.

This is fine, but why this plus San Quentin?

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

Very typical old school country album , but was still an enjoyable listen. Best folk’ are prison folk. Harmonica playing, hearing prisoners being called. All very unique.

• I don’t know when I have ever listened to Johnny Cash deliberately, but I’ve probably heard most of the popular songs several times. But, no, I don’t hate this. It’s successful country/pop crossover beloved by failsons everywhere. Bartenders who borrow money from their parents because they spent too much money on blow absolutely love Johnny Cash. Dudes who lie to their parents about flunking out of the out-of-state private college. All varieties of punishers at the bar. Absolutely insufferable people love Johnny Cash. But the fact is that it’s good and that’s why people like it (unlike bands that play a similar cultural role, like The Grateful Dead). This doesn’t “speak” to me in any way or whatever, it’s just enjoyable pop music from its time period. It’s seem kind of stupid to give this less than a 3. • Still, I think I’d need to rip a bowl and drink six beers to want to listen to this all the way through.

Probably what he is known for in the popular zeitgeist for the most. This album is everything it purports to be within the context. A man of the people, great songs and great recordings.

Just alright for me. Not a huge Johnny Cash fan in general but I did enjoy the live album and the prison vibe.

Musically a good album, shame about the songs

Just the best.

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

Normally, I read the album's Wikipedia article while I listen. It's impossible to read while Johnny is telling stories through song; he just commands my complete attention.

3/5 Storytelling was beautiful, not my taste still great

one of the quintessential live albums, walk the line!! My mom is a huge huge cash fan. He's one of those artists that will probably never get the recognition he probably deserves, but that shouldn't take anything away from the impact he had on music in America at the time. He's so in control in this performance and what a badass performing at the prison. I do NOT like country music... but Johnny cash is fun. He's genuinely crazy and I fuck with it.

I generally don't like live albums, but this is really well recorded, and absolutely Johnny Cash in his best voice- he's so weary and silky on these recordings. I know Johnny Cash pretty well, and I have my favourites, of which Folsom Prison Blues is definitely one of them. Obviously, the set list was meant to appeal to convicts- a lot of it reminds me of Nick Cave's Murder Ballads. In Cocaine Blues (supposedly written by someone in the prison!) and The Long Black Veil the narrators aren't depicted that positively, but playing in the prison at all seems like an inherently liberal thing to do. I don't think Cash's set was designed to help reform anyone, but maybe the stories are meant to help analyse the men who have done bad things so they felt understood. That being said, "If only I had not tried to escape" in Send a Picture of Mother definitely does sound a bit didactic, and The Wall is basically a tale of how trying to leave is fruitless and will drive you to suicide. 25 Minutes to Go really stuck out for me, it feels like a dangerous thing to sing in front of prisoners- I assume no one who was allowed to go to the gig was on death row, but it's insensitive in a way I found funny, despite how horribly dark the subject matter is. All the live asides are wonderful, and give a great idea of Cash's fearlessness in being there- his reputation as an outlaw country star and many arrests meant this could have been bad PR, but in a very modern way he's owning that narrative. I'm reminded of Brandi Carlile's prison recordings at a women's prison, which I think she must have done in reference to this, but have a totally different energy- though they're both singing songs about how difficult life is for poor people in America, Brandi's feminist angle seems genuinely anti incarceration, while Cash is kind of glorifying the convicts he's playing to.

This is one of the best live albums I've ever heard, and it just makes me love Johnny Cash more and more. From reading up a bit, this was after he got clean from his drug addiction and was a turning point for his career, he even said so himself. He had been inspired from a film to write 'Folsom Prison Blues' and he always wanted to do a performance at a prison and so Folsom Prison was the obvious choice. To start his live show with that track is perfection ('I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die'....wow), and he keeps up the use of prison and law breaking tracks throughout which, again, is brilliant. Can we talk about Cocaine Blues though??? Not only is it great bluesy country track that keeps you bopping throughout but to hear Johnny singing to inmates about taking cocaine and shooting his woman down, and to hear them whooping and hollering. Just great. I am a big fan of 'The Wall', and the reception he gets from his audience is what makes it. Talking about the warden and getting the response he gets and then Johnny not being able to keep in his laughter or replying to them is why we listen to live albums I think, because it takes you right there and you can imagine exactly how it was to be there. The silence that follows from the audience though too is just as loud to me, as you remember these are all men in prison who probably have all had the dark thoughts in The Wall. Ending the album with a song written by an inmate, and then we hear from the warden himself with an announcement - a perfect ending. The album captures it all, and keeps going when the crowd is leaving. You are right there and Johnny has put smiles on faces that even though we have no idea why they're in prison, I can't help but being glad Johnny went and did this.

Johnny Cash at his iconic best.

Most badass live album ever recorded.

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

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

Hillbilly nonsense, "I don't like country but I like Johnny Cash" it's such bullshit, you don't have to like or dislike country to like Johnny Cash, you just don't like music if you like Johnny Cash

Guay

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

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

CAN I GET A GLASS OF WATER

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

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

Had heard OF this album before, but never actually listened to it. Quite enjoyable banter with the crowd! Wouldn't listen to this regularly as I'm not a huge country fan, but really appreciate the novelty of this record.

One of my all time favorites

It was decent, but probably more important as a moment in musical history than as a great Cash album

We enjoy Johnny Cash but this is not him at his best. We really just rarely enjoy a live album. The title track was enjoyable, though.

The unsinkable legend.

point1.

I have a personal leaning against country... Or at least that's what I keep telling myself. My slowcore preference and my love of Wilco says otherwise... Either way, this was really fun! The back-and-forth between Johnny Cash and the prisoners is fun as hell. Pretty much all good songs, both really dark and very funny at times. RYM was at 4/5.

Fun immersive theatre live performance and good old fashioned country

I got into the album, already informed about its uniqueness. An album tailored to the people of the Folsom prison. A performance that is clearly deemed brilliant from the people of Folsom. A once in a lifetime opportunity, created by a person that just overcame his battles with use. A scene created just for him to be at his best. These are not opinions of mine, rather the long list of brilliances from the educated public. I now share these few ideas and I am willing to add something of mine to the pool. With his strong background of struggles I am willing to bet money that this was no random choice of repertoire. This man is at ease around criminals, possibly thieves, murderers, people with danger written all over their face. Yet he feels at ease. He can perform. He can laugh. He can exchange jokes, conversation. He is willing to do that, not only with ease, but with class. I would give a 5 out of 5 just for the performance part. Nevertheless, I have to make justice to the tracks. I will take a leap and say that some of those laughs and claps were pure. A pure laugh even from a single corrupted soul is a premonition about the strategic selection of those smile-inducing tracks. The music intelligence of creating tracks that do not go over the line, that resemble the emotional staleness of having adapted to a place that is your never-wanted house. The type of controlled emotional expression required to get these men, that are probably emotionally detached or rather have sometime in their life learned to be, to let go and enjoy the show, I am not sure if I am overstating this but I feel that it is exactly what gives justice to the music. This is by no means a perfect musical voice, a perfect melody, a perfect album but it is one of the best crafted one’s that do not just relay on the music to be special, because it is more that music, it is a way to understand what music represents! With all that being said, I cannot give it a 5 out of 5 because this is not solely about the performance and uniqueness, this album for me lacks just one thing… This musical wow factor, a thing that I will find down the road and a thing that personally I value just a little bit more than everything previously stated. P.S. I wish I could see a video recording of this “concert”

Oh, we've already had Johnny Cash at San Quentin...which I think I preferred to this earlier recording of a prison album, which has less engagement with the audience.

It’s classic Cash for sure.

This was a fun one, I love a bit of Johnny Cash though most of my favourite songs by him weren't actually on this one except for Folsom Prison Blues. This was a really fun listen, I greatly enjoyed Johnny's banter with his unruly audience and the fun he was having. You could definitely tell this was live with his voice cracking and breaking at various points.

Johnny Cash does it again. Another excellent performance with an excellent set in another shitty prison. San Quentin had more involvement with the audience, which I really enjoyed, but it doesn’t take point away from this album. Cash is the original badass.

Pretty good

good album although not my style. Still, it's legendary.

A live album at a prison is a pretty interesting idea and this does a good job of capturing the performance and the crowd. But this style of simple country blues is really not my thing and I found the album a bit boring to listen to.

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

Good energy, fun to listen to. Setlist is honestly rather bad though.

Good stuff

Awesomee

It's pretty true what they say about Johnny Cash clicking with non-country listeners, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this given I have zero interest in Country music, but Johnny Cash's brand of Country, at least based on this album don't have the same feel as other country things I've listened to and just felt like it was absolutely not for me, especially modern country. I think if something helps with this feeling is simply how much fun energy there is here, Johnny is a great storyteller but doesn't shy away from showing emotions or laughing at something that happened during the performance or when interacting with the audience, it creates an atmosphere that's weirdly more approachable because it's not about country life or something, it's about the misadventures or tales that Johnny tells. I can't really comment about the instrumentals, something about them isn't repellent to me but beyond that Idk if there's anything else to point to Generally: Really fun!

The music itself gets a 3/4, but the concept of performing a concert in a prison is fucking awesome. The whole idea of it and the interactions Cash had with the crowd add to the album. Absolute fucking comedy when they started cheering when he sand about shooting a women

A lot of Cash’s songs have high cringe-level violent lyrics (stomping on a dog’s head? Aside from Kristy Noem, I don’t think anyone would get behind that). But it’s hard to take it seriously when he follows them up with songs like “Flushed from the Bathroom of your Heart.” Staging a show like this in a prison was more than a publicity stunt for a man like him, though. It demonstrated a level of empathy uncommon in most of our society, and helped define the legend of Johnny Cash.

His cough, the way he interacts with the inmates, and these songs being performed in a prison are more interesting than the songs themselves.

What can I say? I love Johnny.

The Good: Johnny Cash was not really in jail, he was just visiting The Bad: he needed to ask for a glass of water, due to cocaine abuse… The Ugly: the prisoners cheered him on Okay, so JC is viewed like JC by one too many persons. Could the man walk on water? No. Could the man turn water into wine? No. Was the man crucified? Well, not in the literal sense of the word, no. I had never listened to the entire recording before, and I have to say that I found myself in a little lul after a while. I was being rocked, ever so gently, to and fro, while I was wetting my diaper and sucking on my thumb. It was pleasant. But not so pleasant as to warrant all the accolades that he receives. Yet, let’s all be rebels, snort some cocaine, and then go shoot someone down! 3/12*

Johnny Cash is a great performer, and does such a good job working the audience. He just has so much charisma. I don't know if this is a popular opinion or not, but I think I like San Quinton better. I think he just played more up beat songs at that one, and had more variety. Very high 4.

awesome and funny!

Some of these are really fun but it's just the same old same old after the first few

I hadn't realized Johnny Cash had done two prison albums, and mistook a previous album for this one. Excellent as all Johnny Cash albums are

Absolutely JR.

Loved it. A great. A great live album.

Love a good live album that really captures the time the recording was captured in. Also, full of bangers!

I continue to appreciate Cash's music as I grow older. Also, a nod to the production of this album. They do a great job of simply capturing the moment and allowing it mark it's moment in history.

What a bad-ass album. Johnny Cash performs in a prison singing about doing cocaine and shooting people in front of prisoners. Johnny's performance is flawed. There are little slips and laughs here and there but it doesn't actually take anything away, if anything it adds a charm to it. It's all about the atmosphere, the reactions from the crowd, Johnny's jokes between songs, the prison warden's announcements. Johnny has the crowd in the palm of his hands. At the time of recording, he sounds like he's the coolest guy on the planet. A track that stood out to me was '25 Minutes To Go' which sounded just like a countdown to death. At the end of every line, the clock ticks down and Johnny has less and less time left. It's brilliant. I would need to listen to this a few more times to be able to fully differentiate between every track on the album though. As is that case with this genre of music, it can be a little samey, but overall I really enjoyed this a lot.

Awesome concept, i give him credit (because he already has cash) 😅

I really liked At San Quentin and gave it a 5 - particularly enjoying the vibe with the crowd. This feels a little slower and lacking the energy of ASQ - its still a good listen and great performance from Johnny Cash - just not quite as good.

Just as good as San Quentin. 4 is harsh but there are no stand out tracks I'll go back to. I'll revisit the album as a whole though.

Spectacular. The measure by which all other live albums, outlaw country albums and singer-songwriter comeback albums should be judged.

Może być ale nic szczególnego. Nawet nudne lekko. 2/5

I give it 4 stars, just because of the mood and how cool it is. The music is 3 stars, some classics, but gets a bit boring at times. But to play at a prison and include audio of the prisoners and the people in charge of the prison is unique and damn right cool.

It was nice

I don't often wish I was in prison, but this album is enough to make me consider the possibility. What a tremendous voice, and what a charismatic performer.

At Fulsom Prison is the first live album from Johnny Cash. Cash's career had a rocky period during the mid 60's; Cash kicked his drug habit, and during his rebound, he recorded this album. The live album he recorded became the biggest album of Cash's career. At Folsom Prison became a defining point for Cash's career; he has cultivated an image of an outlaw, and he grew into an advocate for some disaffected groups, including the incarcerated. The album features "Fulsom Prison Blues," one of Cash's biggest songs. He wrote a version in the 50's, early in has career. The live version from this album became a hit in 1968, and became one of Cash's best known songs. This recording captures Cash's simple, elegant version of country - just a baritone voice and a guitar - that he developed through years of touring.

Loved listening to this album - especially with the LIVE component. It was a very good way to market JC as the outlaw.

probably wouldn't listen to it repeatedly but it was enjoyable. The crowd cheering murder and booing the wardens was peak.

that was fun! the music is admittedly not really My Thing but i can understand the appeal and i think it’s cool that cash, who relied on that “outlaw” image for a lot of his branding and song inspiration, was not only willing but eager to actually engage with real prisoners and give back to them in a way. it hearkens back to the function of music as a kind of oral storytelling, a kind of fully embodied entertainment as opposed to something more passive/something to have on in the background. fav tracks: jackson

I actually really enjoyed this. I liked hearing his interactions with the audience and the songs were charming to me.

Auch ein Live-Album, das nicht so schlecht ist.

Johnny Cash is solid live

I liked this Johnny Cash album more than some of his others. The boom-chicka guitar line is fun, but it does get kind of repetitive.

Kind of an odd concept that would never fly today. There’s definitely an energy to this that’s unique. That said, some of the songs aren’t great.

Nobody can ever find any fault with this album

I normally don’t like live albums, but this is a notable exception. I feel like this one added a lot to the album. There was something amusing about the inmates cheering at the murder and drugs in Cash’s songs. The cheers added quite a bit to the album which I didn’t expect. And as far as the songs, there is Cash’s usual storytelling like songwriting. Guitar is good, if occasionally repetitive. And I like his voice

PEAK ONE OF THE BEST LIVE ALBUMS EVER

Another classic. Good album.

Jail songs for an imprisoned audience. I never gave liked country music, but this is a special album, Cash has a terrific voice and wry sense of humor which elevate him above the genre. This is fun stuff.

Liked thi a lot. Great story telling album

Not a huge fan of country music but Johnny is such a fantastic personality. Definitely would have loved to be in the audience.

Great tunes and a great performance!

Great album, Perspective from a criminal and being in jail is mint storytelling wise then actually being there singing is top notch

It somehow seems a little more impactful when you play Jail songs within a Prison like that

Johnny making cash in jail

Good ol classic, probably the most accessible country album out there

Now that this album is over and done with, I hang my head and cry

Very good album.

An excellent historical document, not necessarily something I would have a desire to reach for very often though.

Better than I thought it would be! Would relisten!

forgot how much i love this album!!! So good!

"I shot a man in Reno, Just to watch it him die". When you're not a murderer but in honky tonk show business and you sing that to a crowd of actual criminals, and they rejoice and welcome you in their ranks, allowing you to give one of the most entranced performances ever put to tape. Gangster rap, please take some notes here. Number of albums left to review: around a hundred, as I've went over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 432 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 256 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 316

Probably the best live album of all time. Impossibly cool and made even cooler by having the prisoner announcements included through the album and by playing a song written by a Folsom inmate to close out the album.

It’s like I’m in prison!

I love this album!

One of the rare live albums that I can 100 percent imagine being in that place, listening. And the concert is perfect entertainment. Moving from one familiar song to the next, throwing in some completely unknown ones. And June Carter coming in for a few songs to add richness to the text. Best of all, it is a concept album. The songs were collected to be identifiable to the prisoners, so Johnny chose songs about people askance of the law, whether guilty or innocent. Both upbeat and dark, collectively powerful. 4.5/5

So refreshing after the last album, as i believe that they are quite similar singers, but this is much more introspective. i really like the live aspect and the comments/bloopers he makes. no real downsides as i think that he completely nails this specific style, however all of the instrumentals are nearly identical. favorite songs: all of them, the album seems like such a full body of work that it feels incorrect to single out a specific song. overall around 8/10

Storytelling

Culturally relevant and fun. I dig Johnny Cash.

3.5 id say. Maybe a 4 if it wasn't live

Johnny Cash could sing the phone book and I’d love it, just preferably from a studio, not behind bars.

I don’t normally enjoy live albums. This is an exception. The warmth that shines through on this recording makes it standout.

great record from the master of dark country / Americana

Badass

Johnny Cash being Johnny Cash. If you’ve never listened to Johnny before then this would be as good as any for a starter point (although I MUCH prefer the ‘American’ albums) but it won’t tick all the boxes and leave you panting for more as far as I’m concerned. It’s still country music, but set to the cheers and whistles of some naughty men.

Hey, the hype is real: A live album that's made better by being live! I think Johnny Cash is a) a legend and b) pretty one-note, musically (with notable exceptions) but this album is fun to listen to. That says a lot. I think any other Johnny Cash album would probably get a three from me, but this seems like an easy 5?

The only time I've ever wanted to go to prison. Even as a Country Music hater, I still stand by that Johnny Cash is one exception. The greatest Country Artist of all time showing enough empathy to perform at a prison is a magic of its own.

This is a classic. Songs are good, setting is better. Historical.

4.75

It was fun to listen to

classic album. i think the stuff in the american series is his best work, though.

pretty good but there aren't any songs about applebees so i'm not sure if it counts as country music

How badass do you have to be to perform in prison, intimidate and gain the admiration of inmates? Simple answer: You have to be Johnny Cash!

Despite always recalling to mind Krusty’s “Just Visiting Springfield Prison,” actually this is a terrific record. Not just a gutsy performance, but heartfelt, multi-layered, both exciting and peaceful. They’ll never let anyone do anything like this ever again.

Maybe a little worse than the other prison live but still so fun

This one's an all timer. I generally don't listen to country music, but I'll listen to Johnny Cash.

Masterpiece! Powerful and meaningful live performance

- 2/16 songs added to main playlist - Live album, I will have to give the studio recordings a try - Love the personality live albums have - Smooth voice - Orange Blossom Special — never knew harmonicas could sound so interesting - Overall pretty enjoyable, I’m not a country fan but it was a cool listen - Favorite song: Cocaine Blues

Great live album

Not great. Suspect it’s so revered because it was a live recording from a prison. Songs were lame, not my cup of tea.

A lot of totally fine albums lately. I’ll say for this one, I used to think he really did shoot a man in Reno just to watch him die. Turns out, no, just a song.

As per my other reviews, I am not a live album fan but this one hit it out of the park. Johnny had fun with the crowd and it shows.

The audience reactions are almost as good as the songs. 5/5

One of the best live recordings of all times. Besides „Live at San Quentin“ this is a masterpiece.

Enjoyed it

4.5 out of 5, you feel like you’re there watching the show.

If you're gonna own one Johnny Cash album, this is the one.

Don’t really like Johnny cash much but I loved this live album i think it’s great and really like how he interacts with the crowd

This is probably the most hardcore album on the list.

I feel I would appreciate it so much more if I had been there.

Disco central en la discografía de Johnny Cash, con él fundó el mito del famoso 'Man in Black', cantando sobre conflictos sociales, forajidos y cárcel. No romantiza ni al crimen ni a los criminales, pero consigue forzar la reflexión sobre el contexto y las causas de una sociedad salvaje. Difícil destacar alguna canción, porque todas tienen un valor más allá de los musical. Por supuesto, "Folsom Prison Blues" es una de mis favoritas, y cómo no, "Cocaine Blues" o la inspirada por Leadbely, "I Got Stripes".

Hello, I'm Johnny Cash. Legendary artist, even if you don't like country you can admit that Johnny Cash was great.

Some of the man in blacks best.

This album is such a unique piece of history. I cannot imagine a world where artists not only perform in prisons, but are able to make records there. I really love the quality and bass of Cash’s voice. The songs are enjoyable, but the circumstances really make this album worth a listen.

Loved it!

Wow, what an album. Easily one of the best live albums I've ever heard. I love all the crowd noise and Johnny's banter with them.

This is quintessential Johnny Cash. Very good. The live commentary is so endearing. Greystone Chapel, which I think he says is written by a guy while he was at Folsom, was the surprise of the album. That being said, this isn’t my preferred genre and I don’t know if I would just pick it up and listen to it.

4.5☆/5 10.27.2024

SO good

Wow! Johnny Cash in prison! It’s fine, I guess.

One of those albums where every lyric is worth paying attention to, that's just ole' country. You have to love bluegrass and old time blues to give this album 5 stars. Is it quality listening? absolutely, but it's also kind of boring after a while. Favorite song, of course, Folsom Prison Blues. Greystone Chapel was a good surprise.

I don’t usually love live albums, but this one is just so much fun. Johnny Cash has so much charm and humor and an authenticity to him that is winning. Fun to hear the reactions and listen to clever lyrics, even if the tunes are a bit repetitive.

The prison tour continues… Didn’t we hear this already? All songs similar, and this album is very similar to the previous listen from SQ although not as good. (2.0*s)

I understand Johnny Cash and his prison tour being on this list but I don't think I needed another cell stay so soon. Aside from that, this is a very entertaining listen. The songs are already pushing the limit (cocaine, murder, hell + shit) and the banter and laughter from the crowd only takes it further (in a good way). Handcuffs rattling, warden PA announcements, and stories of crimes echoing off the concrete walls containing crime perpetrators all create the irreplaceable atmosphere that really sells this performance. This is why it's on the list and I liked him better here than at SQ. It's a 2.15 for singing about murder to applause from murderers.

Although I am not a fan of his music...Johnny Cash has swagger no doubt. This album makes the list purely for the fact it was his 1st prison concert and I get it...no one was doing that. Why have some of his follow up prison concert albums made the list though? This one has some staple Cash tracks and banter. "Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog" was a bit weird. Not sure he really kicked his drug habit though. Sounded like he was battling the Cocaine Blues drip and needed a glass of water and with about 5 mins to go, he flubbed the timing. Ranking it slightly better than San Quinten for being the 1st of his prison tour...1.75.

I had more fun with this than expected. I'm not really a Johnny Cash fan, but there is something endearing about a guy going on stage at a prison just to have fun and entertain some inmates. He plays a handful of the classics and does enough light crowd work to make it an entertaining listen. I won't put Johnny Cash on in my free time, but I can understand why this is on the list. It's a little unfortunate we got two Johnny Cash prison albums so close together as it would have been nice to break them up and it's possible I would have appreciated this more to hear it further down the line. 2.57 stars

Another Johnny Cash live at a prison pick, and I don’t get it. Again just too many distractions that take away from the music. After the 2nd speaker announcement, and then people interrupting him singing at the start of a song, I was just annoyed. Then he sang a song about shooting his dog for being A FUCKING DOG. Yeah I hit stop and moved on. Also considering a line on one of his songs was “I’ll shoot that bitch dead” (which by the way, does not bother me). Anyone praising Johnny Cash, but criticizing rap lyrics for violence. I can assure you it's not the lyrical content you object to. You’re just a racist.

Simply iconic. Johnny Cash may not have written some of history’s more complex lyrics. He may not have been responsible for some of the most complex or captivating melodies. Hell, from what I’ve seen he wasn’t exactly a thrilling showman. But his personality and his attention-demanding baritone voice, his style and his gravitas all make him a compelling performer. This might’ve been his best live performance. Even the songs that feel like duds to me, either because of their silly, dated humor or for simply being less exciting, stand out as great performances. Cash has always been an artist I wanted to know more about. I’d actually only heard “Folsom Prison Blues” from this album but never the rest of it. I definitely wasn’t disappointed, but I wanted more from it. It’s iconic, it’s great, it’s fun. But I don’t know. There’s some oomph missing here. Not enough to put it below four stars, but enough it isn’t worthy of five. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it. But I just feel like there was something a little lacking here in terms of energy. Standout Tracks: Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, Jackson, I Got Stripes

I mean, obviously this is a classic live album. I haven't changed my tune on whether live albums should be on this list or not, but if any deserves to be here then Cash at Folsom is it.

Making this a live album really gets this to a 5/5. Engaging to hear how charismatic Johnny Cash is and how much the audience is vibing with it. Also him breaking and laughing and making comments is a ton of fun.

Not usually my type of thing, but enjoyed the change in vibes. Listened to the live version and his voice is amazing. Liked two songs in particular.

I'm not a huge fan of live albums, but this is just about as iconic as you can get.

205/1001

Not sure we needed this and San Quentin. That said, this is the better of the two. More interaction with the audience, than I recall, no san quentin reprise. Man June's singing sounds kinda dated on Jackson. Did Glen Sherley's song at the end that's a good wikipedia deep dive, and introduced me to spade cooley, a wild and horrific story there.

Jag gillar idén. Jag gillar rösten och hans glad mellansnack. Jag gillar musiken också på något sätt. Han har ju några riktiga hits i sin karriär. Kommer skivan spelas igen hos mig. Troligen inte men jag gillar det ändå.

Kul setting. Men tyvärr är musiken inte top notch. Har inget med kvaliteten att göra. Det är rätt trist musik.

Helt klart underhållande lyssning, även om det musikaliskt inte är helt fantastiskt. En del texter är rätt kul, särskilt i den här kontexten. Inramningen och att det är live är ju halva grejen.

Fav: Cocaine Blues Least Fav: Dark As The Dungeon Best country album I’ve received so far

A classic and formative to my taste in music.

Loved this

Its Johnny Cash, I mean its such a classic. The banter, the songs it was amazing the whole time. A perfect album artistically? Nah. It was a really fun time though and I think its one of those music things that gets referenced so much in pop culture I think you owe to yourself to listen to the album at least once

What a fun album! I really enjoy listening to live albums, and enjoyed this live album as well. Johnny Cash is solid - all of his songs sound very similar to me (at least all the Johnny Cash songs I've ever heard) but it worked for this album and these live shows at Folsom. Very cool to read about the history of this album and it's reception - I think I would throw this on for a Fallout NV playthru for sure.

Not as tight as San Quentin but still a master class in working a crowd and connecting with an audience. Johnny Cash is a force of nature.

Listened while stripping paint off the stairs. Great album!

Classic album, classic singer. Great live album and extremely enjoyable

This is what a live album should be, it captures the ambience and what it might have been like to be there. Johnny's personality comes through and the audience is right there with him the whole way. And then the music, well, it's just great.

Favorite Track: Folsom Prison Blues

Awesome. On both idea and executikn

Can you imagine going to prison and finding out a day before your arrival Johnny Cash performed a concert there? And then getting to listen to this album and finding out what you missed out on? Christ that sounds more miserable than getting a sentence.

One of his classic albums. Great live album, great songs and a great singer and performer. One of the best.

Super nice

enjoyable

Sooooo ein gutes Live Album! Ich kannte bisher nur einzelne Lieder, ich liebe albumsgenerator. In einem Gefängnis aufzutreten war eine crazy Idee.

Classic from the man in black. Gritty songs with that signature voice and performed in a prison, it’s a good album.

Classic.

My second spin of this classic album. I’m a fan. This is so Johnny Cash, to record live in front of the incarcerated, bringing a speck of the outside to their otherwise (rightfully) miserable lives.

Songs are good but the story behind its creation is what makes the apbum

even if you dont like country, you'll like johnny cash

I love Johnny Cash! This album was a lot of fun to listen to, and it wasn't a chore to listen through the whole entire album. It flew by pretty quick, but each song was memorable enough to not be boring or forgettable. It's super hard for me to choose a favorite, because I like all of the songs quite a lot. But if I had to choose, my favorites would be "Folsom Prison Blues", "25 Minutes to Go", "The Long Black Veil", and "Green, Green Grass of Home".

Pretty nice to listen to, but I don't know if i'd really listen to all of it again. Standout Tracks: Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues

79.4%

Wow. So let's get it right out of the way: I'm not a country guy and Cash's performance is flawed. But WOW. Many rightly feel that this is one of the greatest live album ever. This album is an artifact. It is not only a collection of songs, it is a place, in a time, with a forlorn and forgotten crowd, and the Man in Black who fully understands his audience. The authenticity jumps off the recording and pulls you into their world; you can't avoid it, you can't look away. Meanwhile, Cash is singing about killing, drugs, and prison life to a crowd of killers, pushers, and prisoners. Some songs are good, some are almost juvenile. The juxtaposition of the music and banter, and the visceral atmosphere with cheers for killing and boos for the warden is palpable. This album (series) cements the legend of Johnny Cash and, while perhaps not exceptional for its pure entertainment value, is a major museum piece worthy of its own wing in the museum and serious academic study. In fact, I know Cash has his own museum in Nashville. I give it only 4.6 because I would need to hear only a few songs again.

i'm no country fan, so i won't rate only the music (a 2/5 maybe) bc i can’t ignore the impact this project had. (also the cover is iconic) fav track: cocaine blues

Hall of Fame.

I'm being open-minded with this one because it is not my preference. However, respect to Johnny Cash for his music. He has a unique ability to bring his personality and experience into his music. Even though I've never done hard drugs or been in jail, he is relatable and real. Normally I'd rate this 3 stars for being neutral to my taste, but I'm giving it an extra star for being unique it musical quality.

nice lively vibe, but at the same time pretty low-key. Like a calm sort of lively. Very interesting that it was recorded at a concert given to prison inmates.

Wow, talent and fun. This is so unique...draws you into history with the banter, and prison announcements. Kind of crazy to hear the applause at some of the darker lyrics

kind of a vibe

Great performance. Tune your guitar John

An absolute classic. Listened to this album several times over. A real banger

There's something about this record. A son of a bitch like Johnny Cash singing songs written with the perspective of a prisoner in a prison in front of inmates cheering. To make it better, the performance is sublime to me. This is the definition of aura.

Histórico e irrepetible. Cada canción que habla de las condenas y la cárcel, vitoreada por los presos de Folsom, hace temblar el alma. Extraordinario.

my favorite part was when he had cocaine and shot his girlfriend.

Possibly the best live album ever. Or possibly the second best after San Quentin

Shuffle blues. Old school

Another classic!

From the way Cash blends his ditties with the supporting cheers of the prison crowd, you’d think him one of their own - with the light-hearted interruptions and intermittent prison announcements making this a truly unique listening experience. Though within this time capsule there isn’t much to see past the clever gallows humour songwriting and Cash’s supreme charisma, it is just this that makes this album so homely, in the least homely of settings.

hier en daar een minder puntje, maar bovenal een steengoeie plaat van een steengoeie zanger...

Gran idea grabar en prisión. interés histórico. Bien Johnny Cash

Not my style of music, but I appreciate the fact that the recording is as is, and it feels as if you were there. He laughs occasionally and ask for water. Appreciate how they kept him messing up the lyrics in too. Favorite track: 25 minutes to go

Good album! I like his faster more jazz/jug band style pieces over the ballads.

I find that the sound hasn't got much variety, but sure Johnny Cash has personality! Favourite song: Dirty Old Egg-Suckin' Dog

This is #day53 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's Monday, and it's country again. Or, is it? Diving into this record, you're learning there was someone who was doing punk before it was a thing. How come? Well, what could be more punk than playing a gig for prisoners in one of the U.S.’s highest-security prisons, something no one had done before? This is my first full Johnny Cash album, aside from a few select songs and covers like "Hurt" and "Personal Jesus." I agree, it's all about atmosphere: the cheers of the inmates, the warden's announcements, and Cash’s anecdotes create a cinematic experience without visuals. I like Cash's self-composed deep-voiced delivery as he tells poignant stories, like in "Green, Green Grass of Home." Still, his style gets monotonous over time, making it easy to lose track of the narrative. The concert also evoked in me mixed feelings due to the audience... some of these folks may have committed terrible crimes, while others... Well, I don't know. Either way, it's a daring act to perform in such a setting, and it makes me reflect on the complexity of the happening. I'm giving this a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day54.

I understand the importance of this album, but holy cow was I bored.

Never mad about having an excuse to listen to Johnny Cash!

I'm not a fan of live albums, but this one seems to do the most for me in adding to the zeitgeist of an album and the artist when recording it.

But, soft! What train through yonder bend rolls? It is the east, and Johnny is the Cash. - - - Yes, he does deserve to have two live albums on this list. They’re both that good.

This one’s great, full of terrific songs and banter. And June!

A classic for a reason. Folsom Prison Blues is five star, and there’s some other top notch songs on here. I’m not sure this quite gets to five star for me.

Never listened to Johnny before except an occasion song on the radio. Some very good lyrics on this album and I particularly enjoyed 25 Minutes

1001 Albums Generator recently assigned me At San Quentin, and it didn't do anything for me, so I went into this one unenthusiastic for more of the same. My impression was quite mistaken. This has better sequencing, tighter pacing, livelier energy, stronger performances, better songs. This is everything a live album should be.

Unfortunately not my cup of tea

Live Classic

I am probably too young to fully enjoy it. Onkel theo vibes hahahha Great voice tho Liked cocaine blues Liked the live setting

Surprisingly fun, a genuine bop

Awesome live album, awesome concept for an album?

This album was honestly so fun, especially the parts where he started laughing mid-song.

Very cool album. Nothing groundbreaking musically. Just a storyteller with an inimitable voice.

Ashamed to admit never listened to the whole thing. Some real amazing stuff here. Also a bit repetitive. But holy hell hard to believe they did shit like this back in the day.

Sleeper hits here include "25 Minutes to Go" and "Flushed From The Bathroom of Your Heart".

Sings: I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die Crowd: woooo! Incredible record. A masterclass in live performance. What a moment in American history.

Excellent. Definitely worth repeated listens to parse the lyrics and to hear the inmates' reactions. Tres cool.