Folsom Prison Blues
LIVING ROOM - Johnny Cash Lyrics

The lyrics of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" tell the story of a regretful man who is imprisoned in Folsom Prison. The song begins with him hearing the sound of a train approaching, which symbolizes freedom and escape. The train represents a sense of hope and longing for a life beyond the confines of the prison walls. The imagery of the train rolling around the bend while the singer remains trapped in darkness conveys a feeling of despair and longing for a better life.

The singer reflects on his past, recalling his mother's advice to be a good boy and not play with guns. However, he confesses to shooting a man in Reno just to watch him die. This act of violence weighs heavily on his conscience, as indicated by his emotional response when he hears the whistle blow. The singer's guilt and remorse are evident in lines such as "When I hear that whistle blowin', I hang my head and cry," highlighting the emotional turmoil he experiences as a result of his actions.

The contrast between the singer's current situation in prison and the lives of the affluent individuals on the train is starkly depicted in the lyrics. The mention of rich folks dining in a fancy car, drinking coffee, and smoking cigars emphasizes the divide between the privileged and the incarcerated. The singer acknowledges that he deserves his fate but is tormented by the fact that those around him continue to move forward with their lives while he remains trapped in his own personal hell.

Despite his awareness of his guilt and the inevitability of his imprisonment, the singer still dreams of freedom. He imagines what it would be like to be released from Folsom Prison and to have control over his own destiny. The desire to escape is captured in the lines "If they freed me from this prison, If that railroad train was mine, I bet I'd move it on a little, Farther down the line," revealing his yearning for a life outside of confinement. Ultimately, the singer finds solace in the idea of leaving Folsom Prison behind and letting the train's lonesome whistle blow his blues away, symbolizing a release from his inner turmoil and a longing for a fresh start.