Johnny Cash-At Folsom Prison
"Hello, I'm Johnny Cash"
When you've been covered by Social Distortion, Nine Inch Nails, Phish, American Idol and Ray Charles, it is safe to say you are a musical genius.
Johnny Cash is rightfully considered one of the greatest musicians of all time. His music transcends styles and formats. "At Folsom Prison" is his classic live album and one of the first live albums many of us heard, aside from Kiss alive. Two vastly different but still great artists. Kiss with the glitz and glam and the stripped down, no BS style of Johnny Cash.
These songs are dark. Many are about murders. Folsom Prison Blues is about someone who famously "Shot a man in Reno" and my personal favorite on the album, "Cocaine Blues" is also about a fugitive murderer. Something even more strange is that the same guy who wrote "The Giving Tree" (Shel Silverstein) also wrote some songs sung by Johnny Cash. Talk about a contrast. From childrens literature to writing songs preformed by a guy whose music really isn't appropriate for kids.
Prison shouldn't be a time of celebration and concerts, but let's look past that for now. The man in black is allowed to be himself. When he wants to talk about murders, poverty, or in his later years-a witness for Christ!-he's earned that right.
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