1001 Albums Summary

Overall thoughts the day after the first listen - This album was a very pleasant surprise to me. I did not get excited seeing a 60s country album as my first one on here, but I was prejudiced! The concept is truly amazing, and while I've heard of live gigs in prisons in America, I never knew some were recorded live. And hearing the audience in the background made this album for me, even if the music itself is enjoyable as well - I feel it would not be as much on it's own, or it would not have been recorded in the way it was. It is one thing to listen to songs and stories of vagrants and evil deeds, separating yourself from the realities of those stories, but that cannot be done with this album. A lot of us cannot help but enjoy stories about morally grey and actually villainous characters, but we always do it from a moral high ground. Hearing this album, I was there listening to Johnny with those prisoners, and kind of felt bad for enjoying the stories of their suffering. Not in a sadistic way, but simply having emotions brought out by Johnny's storytelling. I felt hypocritical in feeling sorry for them, yet continuing to listen and wanting more. I truly hope some of those men that listened to this album with me got to experience a happy life, in the end. The prison system is brutal and inhumane, and while I consider some irredeemable, those that are not deserved much better. But even if the more I think about it, the heavier the album feels, listening to it is a delight. It truly charming, thanks to Johnny's voice, the inmates bright cheers and the comedic interruptions. First listen - #1 'Folsom Prison Blues' - Love his voice, and together with the finger-snapping bouncy guitar it's all very old American country (from a 25yo Serbian girl's perspective). The cheery instruments and the bluesy picture painted is simple and tugs at my emotions. This being played live in a prison is truly adding an interesting dimension. The 'fine young men' he is playing for, I can't help wonder about them and their lives, prisons have always been a controversial topic, and knowing there is good men in there, as well as some very bad men, it's truly a complex kind of emotion I am left with. Do some deserve the blues and the mine? #2 'Dark as the dungeon' - Love hearing the crowd cheer, and Johnny interact with them, it elevates the album for me, makes me curious and engaged, even when listening to a genre I don't seek out usually. 'Dark as the dungeon' is reminding me in some of it's writing of the way Hozier writes, the prisoners rotting away in their cells, can they ever truly leave that place, or does the mine change you forever? #3 'I Still Miss Someone' - Short and quite lovely, Johnny's voice is once again elevating a really simple song and making it enjoyable. I love the simplistic story telling so far, it's got that old americana charm. #4 'Cocaine Blues' - Speaking of old americana! 'Cocaine blues' is somewhat funny, but hearing the prisoners I am reminded yet again that some of those voices might be reminiscing on their own murders listening to this! Yikes! Anyway, this would slap in the saloon in Valentine. #5 '25 Minutes to Go' - Love love linear storytelling in songs. This one had me feeling hopeful, but alas. 'I can see the mountains, I can see the skies. And it's too darn pretty for a man to don't want to die' Lovely. #6 'Orange Blossom Special' - Harmonica! It's so fun and sounds like the oppressive summer heat to me (kinda like cicadas in a weird way, maybe some that sampled that 60s pure white snow). The scenery and mood he depicts, while I understand is real and truly existed, can't help feeling like fantasy to me. The old American country is such a nostalgic, impossible place in my mind, there truly is no other culture that brings a similar feeling. And again, I just can't help but be taken to the universe of rdr, it's an irresistible pull - even if the era is so so off. #7 'The Long Black Veil' - 'But sometimes at night, when the cold wind moans, in a long black veil, she cried over my bones' - love the gothic imagery. Again, the best part of the songs is the storytelling and the voice delivering the story. #8 'Send A Picture of Mother' - Quite touching, I love that the writer is one of the prisoners. #9 'The Wall' - Just a really sad song once you equate it to real life experience, I cannot imagine prison life, and truly believe that a reform is necessary. Even today, let alone 60 years ago. #10 'Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog' - What the hell? Funny and weird. Had to google what the hell an egg-sucking dog is. #11 'Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart' - Another humorous one. Nothing amazing, but nice to hear the laughs in the back. #12 'Jackson' - June Carter! Amazing feature, even though Johnny's voice is lovely, I was glad to hear someone a bit spunkier. I like that she's having fun with it. #13 'Give my Love to Rose' - A good song. Sad of course to hear about the families left behind. #14 'I Got Stripes' - More imagery of the harsh prison life. Truly amusing having your misery sung about with an upbeat fiddle can relieve some of that gloom and doom. #15 'Green, Green Grass of Home' - Oh this one got me. It's devastating, God! It's just sad man, but also very beautiful. The juxtaposition of his dreams of a happy reunion and the reality of the reunion being his funeral, yeah this is just tragic. #16 'Greystone Chapel' - This is very much something that I personally enjoy. I love a lot of music but really don't get into the intricacies and technicalities. If I'm not wrong, there is an electrical guitar in here I did not hear much until now, as well as a rock sound that wasn't really present in the album. I like it! I was expecting more religious themes in this album, knowing the US country, but this song is really the first on the album where that theme is a standout. It makes sense for the ending, can't imagine much outside of religion giving comfort and hope to prisoners.

Had a couple songs I really liked, namely ‘Moondreams’ ‘Venus de Milo’ and ‘Godchild’ I’m really not that big into jazz and usually enjoy a more softer melody when I am listening to it, so the trumpet can be too loud for me at times. Still the record is bright and fun, I enjoyed having it in the background while making lunch!