Folsom Prison Blues
Folsom Prison Blues: A Ballad of Regret and Redemption
Lyrics
I hear the train a comin', it's rolling 'round the bend
I can hear the approaching train as it travels around the bend.
And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when
I haven't seen sunlight for an extended period.
I'm stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps draggin' on
I am imprisoned in Folsom, and time feels slow and burdensome.
But that train keeps a rollin' on down to San Antone
Despite my confinement, the train continues its journey to San Antone.
When I was just a baby my mama told me, "Son
My mother advised me to be a good person and avoid playing with guns.
Always be a good boy, don't ever play with guns"
I, however, shot a man in Reno without a justifiable reason.
But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die
When I hear the train whistle, I feel remorse and sadness for my actions.
When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry
The sound of the train's whistle intensifies my feelings of guilt.
I bet there's rich folks eating from a fancy dining car
I imagine wealthy individuals enjoying luxuries in a dining car.
They're probably drinkin' coffee and smoking big cigars
They might be sipping coffee and smoking cigars.
Well I know I had it coming, I know I can't be free
I acknowledge that I deserve the consequences of my actions and cannot escape.
But those people keep a-movin'
Despite my situation, life goes on for others.
And that's what tortures me
The continual movement of others is a source of torment for me.
Well if they freed me from this prison
If I were released from prison,
If that railroad train was mine
I would take control of the train and move it further down the tracks.
I bet I'd move it on a little farther down the line
I believe I would prefer a life away from Folsom prison.
Far from Folsom prison, that's where I want to stay
My desired place of residence is far from the confines of Folsom.
And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away
I would embrace the sound of the lonely train whistle, easing my sorrows.
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