At San Quentin

forgot that Cash did like four of these. Folsom might hold a special place in my heart because it was the first prison album from Cash we got, but I like this one really well too. "I Walk the Line" and "A Boy Named Sue" are obvious standouts (and probably also "Folsom Prison Blues," which is kinda funny. C'mon Cash, where is "San Quentin Blues"?)

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Filmed by Granada Television for being broadcasted in Television, Live at San Quentin it's the second album of a concerts series made in prisons by Johnny Cash. Recorded in February 24 on 1969 and released in June of that same year, the album certified gold in August of that same year, Platinum and Doble Platinum in 1986 and Triple Platinum in 2003 shortly after his death. The album was nominated for a wide variety of Grammy Awards including album of the Year and gave him Best Male Country Performance for "A Boy Named Sue" As a matter of fact, there were two songs played for the first time "San Quentin" (that was performed twice since it was the major new song in the set) and of course "A Boy Named Sue". Absolutely nobody in the crew knew Cash planned to play that last one, forcing them to improvise in the back with Johnny using a lyric sheet. Cash it's also visibly concerned since this was his first concert without his longtime lead guitar player Luther Perkins since he died some months earlier prior to the concert. With classics like "I Walk the Line", "Starkivlle City Jail" and the recognizable "Folsom Prison Blues" this one is a record you wanna keep in mind if you wanna understand Outlaw country and his influence in Rock and Roll.

Loved the banter and this is probably my favorite recording of “Boy Named Sue.”

Loved it, too short! Would have loved a few more songs as Johnnys energy is elite on this one

Goat

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: I Walk The Line, Jackson, San Quentin, Ring of Fire I listened to both versions, once each. The Legacy Edition has a bunch of intro stuff from some other bands, then Johnny Cash comes in when they start the "video recording" part of the album. So far, Johnny Cash is my exception to the "I hate country as a genre" rule, probably because of both his gravelly voice, and the lack of twangy-ness in the music. All things considered, the music was just fine. The part I really like though is just all of the crowd work Johnny, The Carter family and others all do in front of the prisoners. Cracking wise, making jokes about drugs. At one point someone tries to talk over Johnny and he shuts that shit down immediately. Jane Carter actively responds to all of the hooting and hollering the prisoners are doing - saying this is about the most sexy she's going to be for them - I imagine she's clothed quite normally; presumably the prisoners don't see the opposite gender all that much outside of spouses and family that come to visit. All of this crowd work is great stuff. As I said before, the music is fine too. I think I liked Live At Folsom State Prison just a tad bit more though.

I can't believe he has another prison album. This is ass, and the songs are not funny.

One prison album wasn’t enough so Johnny Cash decided to torture us all with this.

Je suis de ceux qui pensent que les lives n'ont pas tant que ça leur place dans la liste, mais je dois admettre que s'il y a un live qui mérite de s'y retrouver, c'est bien celui-là. Et ça tient en son principe : il a été enregistré à la prison de San Quentin pour un public de détenus. Alors il existe deux version, j'ai écouté la version courte qui a l'air d'être l'originale et donc celle sur laquelle se base le bouquin ? La version longue doit sacrément valoir le coup aussi, d'autant plus que la version courte est putain de censurée. Oui oui. Quand Johnny Cash dit un gros mot (même pendant les chansons), il y a un bruit strident d'alarme moche qui se joue. Infâme. Alors ça n'arrive que trois ou quatre fois, mais la version longue, elle, est exempte de ce défaut. Au-delà de l'excellente performance de Johnny Cash qui fait du Johnny Cash et donc rayonne de charisme en chantant sa country rebelle (oh que cette formulation est niaise), il y a un truc qui m'a énormément marqué : c'est les passages entre les chansons. Parce que la plupart des albums live coupent sévèrement dans les interactions avec le public. Les chansons s'enchaînent avec de temps en temps quelques phrases d'introduction. Mais là non et ça change beaucoup l'atmosphère de l'album. Puisqu'on est en prison, l'ambiance est un peu bizarre, forcément. Les détenus s'éclatent, ça s'entend et c'est pour certains la chose la plus excitante qu'ils aient vécues depuis des années. Mais surtout, on a Johnny Cash qui parle énormément et ces longs passages où il parle sont très particulier. On a un moment où il explique qu'il a été arrêté pour avoir cueilli des fleurs, mettant en avant l'absurdité de la prison (le tout devant l'administration pénitentiaire, donc) ou encore ce passage où il demande à un gardien de lui apporter à boire, accompagné par les huées des prisonniers. Enfin, on a aussi la chanson sur San Quentin en elle-même, jouée deux fois tant les spectateurs la redemandent. Et c'est sur ce titre que les détenus réagissent le plus, dans un moment de communion où Johnny Cash parvient à retranscrire leur ressenti et leur haine de cet endroit. Une performance franchement incroyable qui ne pouvais se produire que dans ces circonstances. Bref, ce live est une dinguerie et il faudra que je m'écoute la version longue à l'occasion. Enfin, pour l'anecdote : c'est au cours de ce concert qu'a été prise la fameuse photo ou Johnny Cash fait un immense doigt d'honneur. On en apprend tous les jours !

damn he really knows how to handle a crowd. I liked it. Maybe 3.5/5

Love this. Love Johnny.

Perfect ❤️

A pleasure to listen, but this is the first album I've ever listened to where curse words are bleeped out loudly. Performing to prisoners is hella based

2 hits and then the rest of it.

I found it very enjoyable. I connect with it and i liked it. I aint got much to Say.

Great live album.

Not a fan of the live album but I like his actual songs

Really loved the banter between Johnny and the audience.

This is definitely a famous recording. I listened to the legacy edition, which includes more of the show, including some of the guest appearances. That later material is largely a distraction from the material from Cash and the band. It's a frequently raucous performance to a really appreciative audience. Definitely worth the listen.

i love johnny because he makes me think of my grandpa

An all around amazing album. Johnny Cash, live, in San Quentin, with the in between banter is a unique experience and makes for an album that could never be duplicated.

Classic. Have it on vinyl.

Meh

Day 1, album 1

Bacana

It was Johnny cash. Which is fine by me.

Not my style…

Live Aufnahme macht Spaß zu hören, ein gutes, entspanntes Album aber nicht wirklich mein Tea

not something id put on to just listen to, but it was a really good performance and deserves to be on this list for sure

Incredible energy on this live recording. Johnny Cash really knows how to reach the audience. This concert could never be repeated.... It was a simpler time.

As good a live album you will get. JC is excellent here with his chat and his times you get a real feel for the prison by the jeers and background noise. Boy name sue, Folsom prison and San Quinton all great song more so in this setting Too stuff

I was ready to give this 1 star because Country isn't my bag. I'll bump it up to 2 because I can appreciate that Johnny Cash is a legend. However this isn't one I'll revisit.

It all starts with Johnny

no soy tan del country, no hubo ningun tema que me dejara bolada, pero nada nolesto. nose es un 2,5

3.75

Not usually a fan of live albums, but atmosphere was really captured here. And it’s Cash performing in a prison so what’s not to like.

Only Johnny Cash could go into a prison and basically say, "fuck prison, fuck the guards, fuck everything" and get away with it. The way he controlled the environment and the songs that were chosen considering said environment makes this a 5/5 for me.

sounds like a RDR2 soundtrack, would be good while feeling nostalgic mb?

Not a style that connects with me but the man can sing and is great with an audience.

Atmospheric

Johnny Cash couldn't make a bad record. Unfortunate that this does feel weaker than his performance at Folsom. Takes a while to get going with a lot of meandering in the first half, but picks up tremendously on the B side. Very good, but not as good as Cash can be live. Top tracks: Starkville City Jail, San Quentin, (There'll Be) Peace in the Valley

9/10

Not a huge Johnny Cash fan but the atmosphere was pretty unique being at a prison

I came to San Quentin before Folsom and preferred it for a long time. Love the medleys especially. I think any appraisal of these albums is as much about Johnny's social stance as it is about the music. I gave Folsom a 5 for that reason but will just give this one a 4 because he had done it already.

Well I enjoyed this better than Folsom. It had a more energetic feel. I still don’t love the live album of it all, although I respect it. 4/5

With the crowd work and the energy brought to the songs, probably one of the best live albums I’ve heard and the best Johnny Cash album.

This one is so good...recording live in San Quentin gave a feel on top of probably my favorite country artist and songs.

Interesting since this is one of the prison albums but not the most well known I assume At Folsom Prison will also follow. Starting this first of all why the fuck is this censored. Fuck this the noise is fucking annoying. The whole atmosphere of this live album is amazing you can feel that Johnny Cash as well as the audience enjoyed this concert very much. There is a lot of interaction and talking going on and I love the way Johnny talks with people including the prisoners. Of course many of them may be pieces of shit but some of them may not be and he's just respectful and genuine with everybody which I definetly respect. The songs he picked where perfect for the setting especially of course the title track which he intentionally wrote for this concert. San Quentin is a powerful critical song about prison life and the problems that come with it. This must have really hit the spot for the prison audience hence he played it twice in a row and I don't feel like the song lost any of its power and importance in the modern days. Absolutely timeless. I think that is all that need to be said about At San Quentin. Of course from a music standpoint this is not Hendrix at Woodstock or something but it's perfect for what it's intended to be and it's part of a great series of albums by Johnny Cash. 4,2/5

Johnny Cash at San Quentin is the quasi-sequel to “Live at Folsom Prison” and it’s easy to see what a performer Cash was at his peak. While I find the speaking parts of this album to be a bit tough on re-listen to hear the talking, it’s obvious the hold he has on the (literally) captive audience. It’s quite the feat to put out a live album where Cash does a new song twice (back-to-back) and the song does not lose its impact. The Wreck of the Old 97 was a fun song to hear, simply because it's how the Old 97's got their name. The song even sounds like the Old 97's music. It's kind of funny they got the name from the incident and the sound of the band from the sound of the song. I have not heard Live at Folsolm Prison yet, but I hear that is the superior album to this one. I enjoyed this one a lot, so hearing more Johnny Cash is never going to be a bad thing for me.

Brilliant stuff. Johnny Cashes witty one liners, the crowd booing the warden, the music.👌

Well I had my reservations, Johnny Cash really ain't my thing. Tainted by an ex of mine, I didn't want to hear him sing. But now I've listened to the album, Even I must admit, I quite enjoyed the singing, and it really wasn't so shit.

This is iconic. The songs are alright, the crowd work even better.

Classic sixties album from Mr Cash

Good stage presence but completely boring and repetitive

I love this. The crowd reactions to San Quentin and to thanking the warden were fantastic. It’s just a shame the album/concert was so short.

I got Folsom prison earlier in my 1001 journey, and I commented that I preferred San Quentin, so I am glad to see it on the list too. Boy named Sue is iconic. No hate to June obviously, but I think companion brings this album down.

Esto fue realmente malo, solo me gustó la "I walk The Line"

Pleasantly surprised.

Love that he played for incarcerated folks. A boy named sue evokes many good memories for me. 5 gazillion stars

The lyrics of this album were phenomenal, and I can appreciate the music, tho it was more country than I expected (which I don’t particularly enjoy).

A solid follow-up to his recording from Folsom. This concert doesn't have as much transfixing power for me as the former, but I appreciate that these recordings were part of a longer series of prison concerts (not just a one-off gimmick). This performance also has some great song choices, including the recording that first got me into Johnny Cash, "A Boy Named Sue."

"MORE! MORE! MORE!" - some guy in the audience at the end of this album/me in my living room

No other musician will go into a prison and openly criticize it.

Walk the line is a great song in its simplicity of describing perfect monogamy, boy named sue great too, but this album as a whole is not as iconic as Folsom ultimately despite being extremely similar on paper, and probably ought to not be on the list for retreading that same ground Bits in between the songs still gold, the censor beeps throughout crack me up “If any of the guards are still speaking to me could I have another glass of water” before playing San Quentin again

I don’t think I’ll ever not enjoy Johnny cash but did we need 2 different live prison albums on the list? Playing the title track a second time after asking the guards for a glass of water is pretty hilarious though 3.5

Si fuera un preso lo escucharia con mucho gusto, pero estando en libertad prefiero oir otro album.

Great set, great recording. The energy and charisma that went on to this being a live show is palpable. Given the state of the modern department of corrections, I think it’s safe to say we’ll never get another recording like this again

I dont think I've 3ver seen an artist play the same song twice in a row in a live show. Only Johnny could get away with that!

Ça doit être déprimant aller en prison depuis que Cash est mort. 3 étoiles pour l'original censuré par des débiles profonds 4 étoiles pour le Legacy Edition.

Wonderful album, but I prefer Live at Folsom Prison. I adore Johnny Cash, but I don't feel like both live prison albums need to be on this list.

He performed at a jail for this! Effused his personality into this. Also fun to listen to

AT SAN QUENTIN - Johnny Cash (1969) - 6/1001 I'm sorry, man, I just couldn't. Cash has so much better work (my mind immediately snaps to American 4 and Folsom Prison). Boy Named Sue can't save the album from being mid. I love Cash, but I really couldn't get into this one.

I do love a good live album, and even though I’m usually pretty neutral on Johnny Cash, I thought this one was pretty amazing. 4/5 ⭐️ 264/1089

Cash is an icon. Great songs with some funny banter since at a prison.He will always be a classic, even though I'm not a huge country fan.

On doit avoir 3 versions LP de cet album. J'ai écouté la version Apple Music en voiture et je me suis rendu compte que les versions LP sont censurées/élaguées: pas les bips des gros mots mais les interventions entre les chansons.

Parlant de surreprésentation... Je comprends pas le buzz avec Cash. J'ai ben de la misère avec le country dit plus classique. Mais bravo d'avoir enregistré devant des prisonniers et de maintenir une qualité sonore potable.

L'aspect live en prise perd un peu de sa magie au 2e album. Quand même bien aimé, notamment la réaction de la foule pendant a Boy Named Sue et la présence de June Carter.

Prefer Folsom to this one. Felt weirdly disjointed and is known more for its vibe than the actual songs. A lot of crowd interaction that gets in the way of the songs. Didn’t listen to the legacy edition. Seems weird to include a legacy/expanded edition.

Unique and fun album, some of his best songs, and his comments during the concert were great too!

I've heard this a few times before, and I like the more complete "legacy edition" version from 2006 or so better than the original 1969 version. It's interesting that the album cover image on this site is of that legacy version. He definitely plays to and for the incarcerated audience. I'm impressed that the Carter family women — well, at least June, who speaks for them — sound comfortable in front of a thousand men, at least some of whom were undoubtedly there for violence directed toward women. At the moment, I'm enjoying "Starkville City Jail" the most from the original track listing, but the medley from the end of the Legacy Edition is wonderful — all of the artists on the lineup take a turn, and it includes "Folsom Prison Blues," "I Walk The Line," "Ring Of Fire," and "The Rebel-Johnny Yuma."

Ugh I mean it's just so good. Johnny Cash is an absolute legend, and a comedic one at that. The atmosphere of this entire album is just electric. Makes me wish I was in a men's prison in the 60s. Actually maybe not. Not even Johnny Cash could convince me to do that. Anyway, praises being said, I think I rate At Folsom Prison slightly higher. They both rock though, so 4 stars from me.

Tangible connection with the inmates.

A great live album both makes you wish you could have been there and gives you insights to familiar songs. I love the irony of wishing I could have been in the audience for a prison concert. The smirk behind Cash's banter with the inmates about the prison guards is fantastic.

Entertaining start to finish. It was very cool how you were looking into a moment in history.

I opened this on Spotify and was like, 10 Johnny Cash songs at 34 minutes, feels long! Of course it's because this album is half talking. He's so charismatic and funny, and his speaking voice is almost as musical. It makes me happy to think about this series of prison concerts he chose to do, probably withstanding some criticism from his fans/the public. what to say? iconic

I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. I loved hearing the reactions from the prisoners.

it was kinda cool, not a huge johnny cash fan but it was cool to see him go play in like a prison and stuff like that and some of the songs were pretty solid

it’s perfect

Whilst lacking the same level of sheer energy, flow, and quality banter of 'At Folsom Prison', Cash's second live prison album is still an incredibly fun listen. It's impressive work for an artist to have two live albums, released within a year of each other, be essential listens.

This was definitely not a blind reaction. Johnny Cash is one of my all-time favorite artists, I’ve played this album countless times, and I knew going in that it was an easy five stars. What makes this album so special is more than the music. Cash is an incredible storyteller, but his connection with the prisoners is what takes this to another level. He jokes with them, takes requests, tells stories about his own arrests, and makes them feel seen. At the same time, he has complete command of the room. When the prisoners boo the guards, Cash simply says, “Aw, you don’t really mean that,” and gets them to cheer instead. Then there’s “San Quentin.” Performing that song for the prisoners at San Quentin creates an incredible reaction, and they love it so much that he plays it again. Moments like that make this feel less like a live album and more like being there for an event. And somehow, an album I already knew inside and out still managed to surprise me. The 10-track version I listened to for this project was much shorter than the CD I owned, so I went looking for the version I remembered. Instead, I discovered the Legacy Edition, which goes even further than my old CD and includes more of the entire concert, with performances by Carl Perkins, the Statler Brothers, June Carter and the Carter Family. The original album is five stars. The Legacy Edition might be ten. This is my favorite album of the project so far out of the 43 I've gotten.

Great presence. You can really feel the room around him. Good listen.

Felt like a real concert. Absolute blast.

Love Johnny Cash - my problem with this album is that it's very short and that's with one song being played twice. Folsom Prison is FAR superior. That being said, the songs still are great but it's a low 4.

Una casualidad muy bonita empezar el reto por aquí . No puedo evitar compararlo con At Folsom Prision, pero aún así me gustó. Me llama especialmente la atención como Johnny Cash realizó distintos conciertos gratuitos en las prisiones y, aunque suenen distintos, en todos se refleja su intento por devolverle la dignidad y entablar un diálogo con las personas presas. Las cuestiones políticas que trata -directa e indirectamente- la obra de Cash merecen una especial atención. Lejos del ejercicio académico, me gusta especialmente ese intento por conocer al otro, su historia y empatizar con él y con su sufrimiento. Me gusta que en el caso de Cash eso supusiera también un apoyo continuado a la lucha por la reforma de las prisiones, si bien es cierto que su figura tiene múltiples aristas y que no apoyaba como tal el abolicionismo penitenciario. Creo, con todo, que los discos de la prisión son un testimonio y una posibilidad. “San Quentin, what good do you think you do?”

A Boy Named Sue is just too good

Sehr schönes Album, das ich bereits gut kannte. Die Stimmung ist klasse.

cool idk not my thing

It’s not even the music, it’s the aura

A masterclass in crowd work, performance, and live recording.