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FOLSOM PRISON BLUES

Hello I'm Johnny Cash

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 I cry

[ guitar ]

I bet there's rich folks eatin' in some fancy dining car

They're probably drinkin' coffee and smokin' big cigars

Well 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

[ guitar ]

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


San Quentin
by Johnny Cash





San Quentin, you've been livin' hell to me

You've hosted me since nineteen sixty three

I've seen 'em come and go and I've seen them die

And long ago I stopped askin' why





2. San Quentin, I hate evry inch of you.

You've cut me and have scarred me thru an' thru.

And I'll walk out a wiser weaker man;

Mister Congressman why can't you understand.



3. San Quentin, what good do you think you do?

Do you think I'll be different when you're through?

You bent my heart and mind and you may my soul,

And your stone walls turn my blood a little cold.



4. San Quentin, may you rot and burn in hell.

May your walls fall and may I live to tell.

May all the world forget you ever stood.

And may all the world regret you did no good.



San Quentin, you've been livin' hell to me.



Starkville City Jail
by Johnny Cash



Well, I left my motel room, down at the Starkville Motel,

The town had gone to sleep and I was feelin' fairly well.

I strolled along the sidewalk 'neath the sweet magnolia trees;



I was whistlin', pickin' flowers, swayin' in the southern breeze.

I found myself surrounded; one policeman said: "That's him.

Come along, wild flower child. Don't you know that it's two a.m."



They're bound to get you.

'Cause they got a curfew.

And you go to the Starkville City jail.



Well, they threw me in the car and started driving into town;

I said: "What the hell did I do?" He said: "Shut up and sit down."



Well, they emptied out my pockets, took my pills and guitar picks.

I said: "Wait, my name is..." "Awe shut up." Well, I sure was in a fix.



The sergeant put me in a cell, then he went home for the night;

I said: "Come back here, you so and so; I ain't bein' treated right."



Well, they're bound to get you, cause they got a curfew,

And you go to the Starkville City Jail.



I started pacin' back and forth, and now and then I'd yell,

And kick my forty dollar shoes against the steel floor of my cell.

I'd walk awhile and kick awhile, and all night nobody came.



Then I sadly remembered that they didn't even take my name.

At 8 a.m. they let me out. I said: "Gimme them things of mine!"

They gave me a sneer and a guitar pick, and a yellow dandelion.



They're bound to get you, 'cause they got a curfew,

And you go to the Starkville City Jail.


LEGEND OF JOHN HENRY'S HAMMER
(Johnny Cash - June Carter)

'62 Johnny Cash Music



John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight

He said fore the sheriff comes I want to tell you

Listen boy he said learn to ball a jack learn to lay a track

Learn to pick and shovel too and take my hammer it'll do anything you tell it to

John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies

John Henry's pappy broke jail about a dozen times

The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money

He said I'll pay you a quarter at a time startin' tomorrow

That's pay for a steel driver on this line

Then the section foreman said hey hammer swinger

I see you brought your own hammer boy but what else can all them muscles do

And he said I can turn a jack I can lay a track

I can pick and shovel too (can you swing a hammer boy)

Yes well I'll do anything you hire me to

(Now ain't you something so high and mighty with your muscles

Just go ahead boy and pick up that hammer pick up that hammer)

He said get a rusty spike and swing it down three times

I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to

Go on and do what you say you can do

With a steep nased hammer on a four foot switch handle

John Henry raised his back till it touched his heels

And the spike went thru the crosstie and split it half in two

35 cents a day for driving steel

(Swing swing it boy swing you owe me two more swings)

I was born for drivin' steel

Well John Henry hammered in the mountain

He'd give a grunt and give agroun with every swing

The women folks from miles around heard him and come down

To watch him make cold steel ring

Lord what a swinger just listen to the cold steel ring

But the bad boss come up laughing at John Henry

Said you full of vinegar now byt you bout through

We're gonna get a steam drill to do your share of drivin'

And what's all them muscles gonna do ha John Henry

Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you

John Henry said I feed more little brothers

And baby sister's walking on her knees

Did the Lord say that machines oughta take the place of living

And what's a substitute for bread and beans I ain't seen it

Do engines get rewared for their steam

John Henry hid in a coalmine for his dinner nap

Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell

The mine boss hollered get up whoever you are and get up a pick-ake

Give me enough coal to start another hell

And keep it burning mine me enough to start another hell

John Henry said to his Captain a man ain't nothin' but a man

But if you bring that steam drill round and I'll beat it fair and honest

I'll die with my hammer in my hand but I'll be laughing

Cause you can't replace a steel drivin' man

There was a big crowd of people at the mountain

John Henry said to the steam drill how is you

Pardon me Mr Steam Drill I suppose you didn't hear me I said how I are you ha

Well can you turn a jack can you lay a track can you pick and shovel too

Listen this hammer swinger's talkin' to you

[ guitar ]

Two thousand people hollered (go John Henry)

Then somebody hollered (the mountain's cawing in)

John Henry told the Captain tell the kind folks don't worry

It ain't nothing but my hammer sucking wind it keeps me breathing

This steel driver's muscle I ain't tin

Captain tell the people move back further

I'm at the finish line and there ain't no drill

It's so far behind and yet it ain't got the brains to quiet it

When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills Lord Lord

When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills

Well John Henry had a little woman

I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann

Yes that was his good woman

John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home

He lay down to rest his weary back and early next morning he said

Come here Polly Ann come here sugar you know I believe this is the first time

I ever watched the sun come up that I couldn't come up

Take my hammer Polly Ann and go to that railroad

Swing that hammer like you seen me do it

And when you're swinging with the lead man they'll know

They'll know you're John Henry's woman

But tell them that ain't all you can do tell them

I can loist a jack I can lay a track I can pick and shovel too

Ain't no machine can that's been proved to you

There was a big crowd of mourners at the church house

The section hands laid him in the sand

Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid

They slow down and take off the hats the men do

When you've come to the place where John Henry's layin' restin' his back

Some of 'em say morning streel driver you sure was a hammer swinger

Then they go by pickin' up a little speed

Clickety-clack clickety-clak clickety-clack clickety-clak

(Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord yonder lies a steel drivin' man

Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord yonder lies a steel drivin' man)