Folsom Prison Blues
2. Johnny Cash Lyrics

I hear the train a-comin'
The singer hears a train approaching.

It's rollin' 'round the bend
The train is rounding a curve in the tracks.

And I ain't seen the sunshine
The singer has been in prison for so long that they haven't seen the sun.

Since, I don't know when
The artist can't remember the last time they saw the sun.

I'm stuck in Folsom Prison
The artist is imprisoned in Folsom Prison.

And time keeps draggin' on
Time passes slowly in prison for the singer.

But that train keeps a-rollin'
The train continues on its journey.

On down to San Antone
The train is headed for San Antonio.

When I was just a baby
The artist is remembering a time from their childhood.

My Mama told me, 'son
The artist's mother gave them advice.

Always be a good boy
The advice the singer's mother gave them was to always be good.

Don't ever play with guns'
The advice the artist's mother gave them was specifically to never play with guns.

But I shot a man in Reno
The singer admits to committing murder in Reno.

Just to watch him die
The singer did not have a good reason for committing the murder.

When I hear that whistle blowin'
The sound of a train whistle is a reminder to the singer of their crime.

I hang my head and cry
The artist feels guilt and sadness about their actions.

I bet there's rich folks eatin'
The artist imagines that wealthy people are enjoying a fancy meal.

In a fancy dinin' car
The wealthy people are eating in a luxurious train car.

They're probably drinkin' coffee
The wealthy people are likely enjoying coffee with their meal.

And smokin' big cigars
The wealthy people are probably smoking expensive cigars.

Well, I know I had it comin'
The artist knows they deserve to be in prison for their crime.

I know I can't be free
The artist has accepted that they will never be free again.

But those people keep a-movin'
The wealthy people on the train don't care about the singer's situation.

And that's what tortures me
The fact that life goes on for others while the artist is trapped in prison is painful for them.

Well, if they freed me from this prison
The singer wishes they could be released from prison.

If that railroad train was mine
If the singer had control of the train, they would take it far away from the prison.

I bet I'd move it on a little
If the singer had control of the train, they would speed it up a bit.

Farther down the line
The artist would take the train a long way away from the prison.

Far from Folsom Prison
The artist wants to be as far away from Folsom Prison as possible.

That's where I want to stay
The singer does not want to be released from prison, they just want to be far away from it.

And I'd let that lonesome whistle
The sound of the train's whistle would make the singer feel less alone.

Blow my blues away
The artist hopes the sound of the train's whistle will make them feel better and less sad.