Johnny Cash: locked and rocked

I’ve long been a Johnny Cash fan; indeed one of my earliest memories is of laughing at the concept of a boy named Sue while still in my pre school years. Over the time since, I’ve picked up quite a few Johnny Cash albums.

Over recent years, Johnny’s music has experienced a big revival; helped in no small part by the updated sound on his “American” series of recordings, and the successful movie Walk the Line.

Much of Walk The Line was set at a live concert at Folsom Prison where Cash performed for 2,000 prisoners in early 1968. The resultant album of that original concert (somewhat surprisingly named At Folsom Prison) revived Cash’s career following some years in the wilderness befuddled by drugs and drink. Conversely, the movie has now revived the fortunes of the original recording.

I suppose at the time, the thought that established stars like Cash and June Carter would ever agree to perform at a prison must have risen more than a few eyebrows. However, Cash had long romanticised prisoners with his woeful tales of men locked up for murder crimes of love, poverty, or simple curiosity.

Today, almost 40 years on, Cash’s tales of the men in prison seem old fashioned and quaint. Imagine today’s Cash singing about fearing a gang rape, life in a drug gang or living with HIV (perhaps there’s a gap in the country market out there?).

In reissued form, At Folsom Prison is rather more extensive than the original release as other tracks from the concert have been added. The CD runs for over 50 minutes.


The music

Those more familiar with Cash’s American series will find At Folsom Prison rather basic and undemanding listening. Of course, the recording facilities for a live 1968 prison concert wasn’t anywhere near as good as it could be today, and the sound is pretty basic and one dimensional. That said, this raw quality is what gives the excitement to the recording; it’s live and we know it. There is some audience noise on the recording, some of which was overdubbed later. Again, this helps give the album its kicking atmosphere.

The actual music has far more in common with Cash’s mid 50’s rockabilly style than to his latter more polished sound. It takes a little getting into, but is worth the effort. There are some cracking harmonica vibes throughout the album.

On endless tours, Cash rattled off song after song, with most sounding very similar and with very familiar subject matter for the lyrics. For At Folsom Prison, Cash sang mostly prison themed songs.

Songs that stand out for me include the opener Folsom Prison Blues, with Cash at his rocking best. Cocaine Blues tells a revealing picture of some of Cash’s madness while under the influence of drugs, but delivered in humorous style. 25 minute to go is a dark comedy, as a condemned man awaits his demise in his cell. Long Black Veil is another favourite. I love Nick Cave’s version of the song from his covers album Kicking Against the Pricks, and Cash delivers it in a similar way: deep voice gently sliding off key. The lyrics are typically dark Cash, about being accused of murder. Wonderful.

June Carter appears on a lively version of Jackson, which has a quaint dated style to it. Give my Love to Rose is a track that fans of his later albums would be familiar with, the story of a fatally injured prisoner who realises he will never see his wife and boy again. Sob!

Overall, I prefer the rockier tracks on the album. Send A Picture of Mother is a substandard, weary and dated country song, while Cash’s Green Green Grass of Home isn’t a patch on Tom Jones’ version. Dark as the Dungeon is another forgettable dirge.


Summing up

Cash’s life experiences certainly enabled him to sound sincere while delivering these various tales describing the folly of humanity. That said Cash never spent more than one consecutive night in the cells.

The recording of At Folsom Prison today sounds dated, and the album takes some getting into. Some tracks are sadly beyond redemption and simply blur into background noise.

However, the overall energy and emotion of the live performance and the stand out tracks still make this a very listenable recording and one of the better earlier Cash albums. I like playing At Folsom Prison while I’m busy doing other things and it can become part of a familiar background. Listening that way means I can ignore those lesser moments and just catch and enjoy a random line or song
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cr01 asserts his right to be associated as the author of this review -2007-