Folsom Prison Blues
Folsom Prison Blues
Johnny Cash
Tempo: 110*
Transpose
Section in E
Guitar - Standard tuning
Intro
e|----------------------|
B|----------------------|
G|----------------------|
D|-------1-1------------|
A|-2-2-2-----2----------|
E|------------2b3-0-----|
Verse 1
| F | |
| I | hear the train a-coming, it's rolling round the bend |
| F7 | ||
| and I ain't seen the sunshine since | I don't know when |
| A# | F | ||
| I'm | stuck | in Folsom Prison, and time keeps draggin' | on |
| C7 | F | ||
| But that | train | keeps a-rollin' on down to San An | tone |
Verse 2
| F | |
| When | I was just a baby, my Mama told me 'Son, |
| F7 | ||
| always be a good boy; don't | ever | play with guns.' |
| A# | F | ||
| But I | shot | a man in Reno, just to watch him | die |
| C7 | F | ||
| when I | hear | that whistle blowin' I hang my head and | cry |
Solo
| F | | | F7 | | | F | | | F7 |
| A# | | | A# | | | F | | | F |
| C7 | | | C7 | | | F | | |
Verse 3
| F | |
| I | bet there's rich folks eatin' in a fancy dining car |
| F7 | ||
| They're probably drinking coffee and | smoking | big cigars |
| A# | F | ||
| Well, I | know | I had it coming, I know I can't be | free |
| C7 | F | ||
| But those | people | keep a moving, and that's what tortures | me |
Repetition: Verse 3
| F | |
| I | bet there's rich folks eatin' in a fancy dining car |
| F7 | ||
| They're probably drinking coffee and | smoking | big cigars |
| A# | F | ||
| Well, I | know | I had it coming, I know I can't be | free |
| C7 | F | ||
| But those | people | keep a moving, and that's what tortures | me |
Verse 4
| F | |
| Well, | if they freed me from this prison, if that railroad train was mine |
| F7 | ||
| I bet I'd move it on a little | farther | down the line |
| A# | F | |
| Far | from Folsom Prison, that's where I want to | stay |
| C7 | F | ||
| And I'd | let | that lonesome whistle blow my blues a | way |
Repetition: Intro
e|----------------------|
B|----------------------|
G|----------------------|
D|-------1-1------------|
A|-2-2-2-----2----------|
E|------------2b3-0-----|
* Automatically estimated; not yet verified by the author.
Last update: Apr 7, 2026, 11:45 AM