Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (1968)

I respect Johnny Cash. I really do. I don't know much about Johnny Cash except for that really weird performance by Joaquin Phoenix in Walk The Line, which some people have suggested isn't quite accurate. In any case a huge turning point in that movie is when Johnny Cash decided to make his big comeback by performing a concert in a prison. I have no idea what possessed him to do that, but in any case that performance and this album have achieved legendary status.

It only takes 2 songs for the audience to cause Mr. Cash to fuck up. Apparently somebody laughs and Johnny says, "No laughing during the song please, it's being recorded." It's a funny moment, because he gets a mini giggle-fit and has to start the verse over. At the end of the song he apologizes and says, "It's being recorded for an album, so you can't say hell or shit or nothin' like that." Shit is bleeped out, which is unfortunate, but it was the 60s and an artist as big as Johnny Cash probably had to keep some level of wholesomeness to continue appealing to mass audiences.

During "Cocaine Blues" Johnny has a slight coughing fit that causes him to miss the start of the 4th verse. Luckily most of what Johnny plays is 8-bar rockabilly, so the band just plays a couple extra bars of dum ditty dum ditty dum ditty dum and he jumps right back in. He continues coughing between songs, finally asking for a drink of water after "The Long Black Veil". I mention this because Johnny' voice is a bit rough and wavers a little in each song. Not that he sounds terrible, but he sounds like he's a tick past his prime.

June Carter appears 12 songs in on "Jackson". She sounds like she can sing, but her voice is really washed out. I wonder if she had a slightly crappier microphone than Johnny. Anyway, the album isn't that long but all the dum ditty dum ditty dum ditty dum Johnny plays gets really old. I don't expect a ton of variety listening to someone like Johnny Cash, but after 40 minutes I feel like I really only heard 2 or 3 songs. It was OK. This album is probably more famous for the fact that it was recorded in a prison rather than for how awesome the music is.

Not sure what to do. I probably won't listen to it again because I just find a lot of Johnny Cash music at once will put me to sleep. But I feel bad hating on it because it was recorded in a prison and the sound is pretty good and Johnny Cash is pretty badass, and the casual nature of the concert makes it kinda fun. I'll give it 3 stars. Why not?