Folsom Prison Blues

"Folsom Prison Blues" is a song that was written and recorded by American country music musician Johnny Cash.

Written by Johnny Cash in 1953, "Folsom Prison Blues" was first recorded in July 1955 at Sun Recording Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. It was released as a single on December 15, 1955, by Sun Records, the B-side of “So Doggone Lonesome”. It reached #4 on the Billboard Country Music chart.

"Folsom Prison Blues" was later included (along with “So Doggone Lonesome”) on Cash's debut studio album Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar!, released on October 11, 1957.

The live version, which had been recorded inside California's Folsom State Prison in January 1968, was released on Johnny Cash's May 6, 1968 album At Folsom Prison. It would be a far bigger hit for Cash than the studio version, reaching #1 on the music charts for four straight weeks, and eventually being named the Billboard Song of the Year for 1968.

Johnny Cash said that he wrote the line I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die while “trying to think of the worst reason for killing another person.”

"Folsom Prison Blues" is one of Johnny Cash's most well-known songs.

Music group The Charlatans performed a cover of "Folsom Prison Blues" on their 1969 eponymous debut album (their only release).