Perhaps best known for his distinct yodelling, he charted more than seventy singles on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980, including the Number One hits 'I'm Movin' On' and 'I Don't Hurt Anymore'. Performing in lavish and colourful sequin-studded suits, Snow had a career covering six decades during which he sold more than 80 million albums, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1979.
THERE IS A HANK SNOW MUSEUM CLOSE TO BROOKLYN IN LIVERPOOL, NOVA SCOTIA, APPROPRIATELY, IT IS HOUSED IN AN ABANDONED TRAIN STATION. VERY WELL DONE
I reckon Hank Snow was better known for his distinctive self taught guitar style. Hank was influenced by the famous Rail road blues singer Jimmie Rodgers and though Hank did copy Rodgers style in his early days, including the "blue yodel" he later abandoned this and developed his own gritty style of singing. His guitar playing was so good he once cut a duet album of guitar music with the late Chet Atkins, master country Guitarist and music producer for RCA Victor. Hank was with RCA Victor label for almost 50 years and towards the end of his waning career RCA dropped him, just before he would have celebrated his half century with that label-always thought that was a bit mean of them.. Hank Snow and his Rainbow ranch boys, with Chubby Hayes on fiddle gave really great live concerts and the singing and playing they did was superlative and sounded as good as, if not equal to their recorded works.
Folsom Prison Blues
Hank Snow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when
I'm stuck in Folsom prison and time keeps draggin' on
But that train keeps a-rollin' on down to San Antone
When I was just a baby, my mama told me, son
Always be a good boy, don't ever play with guns
But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die
When I hear that whistle blowin', I hang my head and cry
I bet there's rich folks eatin' in a fancy dining car
They're probably drinking coffee and smoking big cigars
But I know I had it coming, I know I can't be free
But those people keep a-movin' and that's what tortures me
Well if that freed me from this prison
and that railroad train was mine
I bet I'd move it on a little farther down the line
Far from Folsom prison, that's where I want to stay
And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away
The lyrics to Hank Snow's "Folsom Prison Blues" tell the story of a man who is deeply regretful of his past actions. The song opens with the sound of a train coming, symbolizing the passage of time and the inevitability of the singer's fate. The singer is in Folsom Prison and has not seen the sunshine in a long time, indicating that he has been incarcerated for a significant period. He expresses his desire to be free and escape from the constraints of prison life, but also acknowledges that he is where he deserves to be due to his past actions.
The second verse reveals the reason for the singer's imprisonment - he shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. This line is particularly poignant because it reveals the singer's detachment from human life and the intensity of his regret. He hears the sound of the train whistle blowing and is overwhelmed with sadness and shame.
The final verse speaks to the singer's ultimate desire - to be free and far away from Folsom Prison. He imagines himself as the owner of the train, able to move freely wherever he pleases. The lonesome whistle symbolizes both his sadness and his desire for freedom. Overall, the lyrics of "Folsom Prison Blues" capture the complex emotions of regret, despair, and longing for freedom that are often associated with incarceration.
Line by Line Meaning
I hear that train a-commin', it's rollin' around the bend
The sound of the approaching train is evidence that there is hope of escaping
And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when
The prisoner is so deep in prison that he has been deprived of the most basic human right - the sunshine
I'm stuck in Folsom prison and time keeps draggin' on
The prison is a black hole where time seems to crawl by, rather than moving forward
But that train keeps a-rollin' on down to San Antone
The train is constantly moving and can potentially offer an opportunity for the prisoner to escape, albeit a difficult one
When I was just a baby, my mama told me, son
The artist is reminiscing about his childhood and the lessons that his mother taught him
Always be a good boy, don't ever play with guns
One of the lessons that the singer's mother taught was to stay away from guns as they are dangerous
But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die
The singer reveals that he committed a heinous crime which landed him in prison
When I hear that whistle blowin', I hang my head and cry
The sound of the train whistle reminds the artist of his past and he deeply regrets his actions
I bet there's rich folks eatin' in a fancy dining car
The artist imagines that there are people much more privileged than him, enjoying their lives
They're probably drinking coffee and smoking big cigars
The artist paints a vivid mental picture of the kind of life he believes rich people are enjoying
But I know I had it coming, I know I can't be free
Despite the hopes of an escape, the singer knows he deserves to be in prison and that freedom might remain a far-fetched dream
But those people keep a-movin' and that's what tortures me
The fact that other people seem to be succeeding in life and moving forward while he is stuck in prison is deeply depressing to the artist
Well if that freed me from this prison
The singer is unsure of whether he would stay out of trouble even if he were to escape from prison
and that railroad train was mine
The singer imagines owning the train and using it as a means of escape
I bet I'd move it on a little farther down the line
The singer imagines himself getting as far away from the prison as possible
Far from Folsom prison, that's where I want to stay
Despite the desire to escape, the artist would rather be as far away from Folsom prison as possible
And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away
The sound of the train whistle represents the artist's hope that he will eventually be free and will be able to move on from the bleak prison life
Lyrics Ā© Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Johnny R. Cash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
purlin31622
on On The Beach At Waikiki
Should be spelled 'Honikau, a wikiwiki' per original 1915 sheet music at https://www.sheetmusicsinger.com/on-the-beach-at-waikiki/
Lowrie
on Galveston Rose
Lyric shouldn't have a question mark at the end; no big deal!