Song Meaning & Analysis: Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash

ARTIST: JOHNNY CASH | ALBUM: WITH HIS HOT AND BLUE GUITAR | RELEASED: 1955

Folsom Prison Blues was re-released in Cash's 1968 live album

Many considered to be his signature song, "Folsom Prison Blues" is from Johnny Cash's debut album, With His Hot and Blue Guitar. If you have spent any amount of time studying Johnny Cash ( I haven't :-), you'd have realized that Cash absolutely loves depicting the lives of poor, needy and disadvantaged, and this song, I believe,  lays the groundwork for his eventual songs showcasing these themes. One such song is Man in Black.

Song Meaning: Man in Black by Johnny Cash

I believe Johnny Cash is the greatest country musician in the history of American popular music. Growing up as a child protege, his musical influences were deeply rooted in southern country music. He was also talented in variety of other genres spanning across blues, soul, folk and rock n' roll. Cash worked with prominent rock n' rollers in the 50s, including Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry.