Text: Bobby Bare. Folsom Prison Blues.

LYRICS AS WRITTEN BY JOHNNY CASH (THE WRITER OF THE SONG):

I hear the train a comin'
It's rollin' 'round the bend,
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 drinkin' coffee,
And smokin' big cigars,
But I know I had it comin',
I know I can't be free,
But those people keep a-movin',
And that's what tortures me.

Well, 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,
Far from Folsom Prison,
That's where I want to stay,
And I'd let that lonesome whistle,
Blow my Blues away.


WHAT WAS POSTED:

I hear that train a comin' rollin' around the bend
I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when
I'm stuck in Folsom Prison and time keeps draggin' on
And that train keeps a movin' on down to San Antone
When I was a baby my mama told me son
Always be a good boy don't ever play with guns
But I shot a cat in Reno just to watch him die
Yeah I know I had it comin' I hang my head and cry
[ dobro - harmonica ]
I bet there's rich folks eatin' in a fancy dining car
Prob'ly drinkin' coffeee and smokin' big cigars
Well I'm stuck in Folsom Prison that's where I'll always be
And them people keep a movin' and that's what tortures me
Yeah if they 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 long to stay
Yeah I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away