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Editorβs notes
Learn how to play βFolsom Prison Bluesβ by Johnny Cash! Chords, strumming pattern, tabs for the intro, and even how to strum with alternating bass notes. Iβll show it all. Note, this song will need a capo on the 1st fret if you want to play along w/ the Cash album version. Otherwise, you can leave the capo behind and play it in the key of E. Best of luck, let me know what questions you have in the comments!
- 0:00 Playthrough
- 0:44 Chords needed
- 1:41 Verse structure w/ simple strum
- 2:50 Intro riff
- 3:40 Strumming w/ alternating bass notes
- 5:43 Farewell
Lyrics with chords
* Capo 1st fret to play along with Johnny Cash's album version
INTRO
e βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0β0βββββ0β0ββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0β0βββββ0β0ββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββ
G βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ1β1βββββ1β1ββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββ
D βββββββββ1βββ1βββββββββββββ2β2βββββ2β2ββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββ ...etc.
A βββ2β2β2ββββββββ2ββββββββββ2β2βββ2ββββββββ2β2βββ2βββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββ2~~βββ0ββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββ
B7 E
VERSE
E
I hear the train a coming, it's rolling around the bend
E E7
And I ain't seen the sunshine, since... I don't know when
A E
I'm stuck in Folsom Prison, and time keeps dragging on
B7 E
But that train keeps a-rolling, on down to San Antone
E
When I was just a baby, my Mama told me, "Son"
E E7
"Always be a good boy, don't ever play with guns"
A E
But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die
B7 E
When I hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and cry
(instrumental verse with solo)
E
I bet there's rich folks eating in a fancy dining car
E E7
They're probably drinking coffee and smoking big cigars
A E
But I know I had it coming, I know I can't be free
B7 E
But those people keep a-moving, and that's what tortures me
(instrumental verse with solo)
E
Well, if they freed me from this prison, if that railroad train was mine
E E7
I bet I'd move it on a little farther down the line
A E
Far from Folsom Prison, that's where I want to stay
B7 E
And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away
(intro riff x1, end on final E chord)
Capo 1st Fret (optional)
If you want to play along with the Johnny Cash recorded versions of this song, youβll need to add a capo to the 1st fret (and use the chords shown above). Otherwise, this is by no means required! You can play without a capo using the notation above and it will sound just fine β youβll simply in a different key (which is fine).
Chords used
Here are the guitar chords used during this song. If you havenβt learned the B7 shown below, it is a good introductory version of the B chord that will get you a lot of mileage. Donβt let it scare you away if youβre just learning it for the first time β it will open the doors to other songs in the key of E.
e βββ0ββββ0ββββ2ββββ βββ0βββ
B βββ0ββββ2ββββ0ββββ βββ3βββ
G βββ1ββββ2ββββ2ββββ βββ1βββ
D βββ2ββββ2ββββ1ββββ βββ2βββ
A βββ2ββββ0ββββ2ββββ βββ2βββ
E βββ0ββββββββββββββ βββ0βββ
E A B7 E7
Intro riff
Here is how you can play the riff heard at the beginning of the song, as well as in in between some of the verses and at the end (as you switch from the B7 to the E). Iβve included two ways to play it β one in open position, and another an octave up the fretboard (which frees you up for a bit of soloing, if you please).
e βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0β0βββββ0β0ββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0β0βββββ0β0ββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββ
G βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ1β1βββββ1β1ββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββ
D βββββββββ1βββ1βββββββββββββ2β2βββββ2β2ββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββ ...etc.
A βββ2β2β2ββββββββ2ββββββββββ2β2βββ2ββββββββ2β2βββ2βββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββ2~~βββ0ββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββββββ
B7 E
Strumming Pattern
To achieve the alternating bass note (boom-chicka-boom-chicka-boom-chicka) that Johnny Cash is known for, use the following tab as a reference. This said, I strongly recommend viewing the video linked below to watch a demonstration of this. If you can, use your thumb to mute the lower E string on the alternating beats when it is not played β this will help accentuate the bass line. Also, note that the B7 chord position ties directly into the riff you use in the intro.
e βββββββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββββ0β0βββββ0β0ββββ
B βββββββ0β0ββββββ0β0ββββ0β0βββββ0β0ββββ
G βββββββ1β1ββββββ1β1ββββ1β1βββββ1β1ββββ
D βββββββ2β2ββββββ2β2ββββ2β2βββββ2β2ββββ ...etc.
A βββββββ2β2ββββ2ββββββββ2β2βββ2ββββββββ
E βββββ0ββββββββxββββββ0βββββββxββββββββ
E
e βββββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββββ0β0ββββ
B βββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2ββββ
G βββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2ββββ
D βββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ2β2ββββ ...etc.
A βββββ0βββββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββββ
E βββββxβββββββ0βββββββxβββββββ0ββββββββ
A
e βββββββ2β2βββββ0β0βββββ2β2βββββ2β2ββββ
B βββββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββββ0β0βββββ0β0ββββ
G βββββββ2β2βββββ2β2βββββ1β1βββββ1β1ββββ
D βββββββ1β1βββββ1β1βββββ2β2βββββ2β2ββββ ...etc.
A βββββ2βββββββββββββββ2ββββββββββββββββ
E βββββxβββββββ2βββββββxβββββββ2ββββββββ
B7
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