Folsom Prison Blues Tab

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Difficulty:	intermediate
Tuning:	E A D G B E
Key:	A
Capo:	no capo

Author papa2nail [a] 71.

5 contributors total, last edit on Oct 27, 2021

We have an official Folsom Prison Blues tab made by UG professional guitarists.

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Johnny Cash
"Folsom Prison Blues"
 
Tune down slightly to match recording.
 
 
[Intro]
(pick close to the bridge)
 
e|---------|-----------------|-----
B|---------|-----------------|-----
G|---------|-----------------|-----
D|---------|-2---2-----------|-----
A|---3-3-3-|---------3-------|-----
E|---------|-------------3b--|-1---
 
 
[Verse 1]
 
F
I hear the train a comin', it's rolling round the bend
 
and I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when,
      Bb                                             F
I'm stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps draggin' on
           C7                                   F
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
       Bb                                    F
But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die
        C7                                         F
when I hear that whistle blowing I hang my head and cry
 
 
[Solo]
 
e|-----|-----8--11--8-11---8--------|-----8--11--8-11----------|
B|--9h-|-10----------------------9h-|-10--------------------9h-|
G|-----|----------------------------|--------------------------|
D|-----|----------------------------|--------------------------|
A|-----|----------------------------|--------------------------|
E|-----|----------------------------|--------------------------|
 
 
e|-----8--11--8-11---8--------|-----8--11--8-11---8----------|
B|-10----------------------9h-|-10-------------------10------|
G|----------------------------|--------------------------10--|
D|----------------------------|------------------------------|
A|----------------------------|------------------------------|
E|----------------------------|------------------------------|
 
 
e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------11----11-11-------------11---------------|
G|--10----10-10----10-10----10----10-------10---------|
D|--12----12-12----12-10----12----------------10------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|
 
 
e|-----------------------------------10---------------|
B|-----------11-------------11----11------------------|
G|--10----10-------10----------------------10---------|
D|--12----------------10----12----------------10------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|
 
 
e|-----------1-----1-----------------1-----1----------|
B|-----------1-----1-----------------1-----1----------|
G|-----------2-----2--0--------------2-----2--0-------|
D|--------3--3-----3--3-----------3--3-----3--3-------|
A|--------3--3-----3--3-----------3--3-----3--3-------|
E|--1-----1-----------------1-----1-------------------|
 
 
e|-----------1-----1----------------------------------|
B|-----------1-----1----------------------------------|
G|-----------2-----2--0-----------2-------------------|
D|--------3--3-----3--3-----------3-------------------|
A|--------3--3-----3--3-----------3-----1-----2-------|
E|--1-----1-----------------1-------------------------|
 
 
e|-----------3-----3--3--------------3-----3--3-------|----------------|
B|--------1--1-----1--1-----------1--1-----1--1-------|----------------|
G|--------0--0-----0--0-----------0--0-----0--0-------|----------------|
D|--------2--2-----2--2-----------2--2-----2--2-------|----------------|
A|--3-----------------------3-------------------------|--3--3--2-------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|-----------3b---|
 
 
[Verse 2]
 
F
I bet there's rich folks eating in a fancy dining car
 
they're probably drinkin' coffee and smoking big cigars
      Bb                                             F
Well I know I had it coming, I know I can't be free
           C7                                 F
but those people keep a movin'
 
and that's what tortures me...
 
 
[Solo]
 
e|-----|-----8--11--8-11---8--------|-----8--11--8-11----------|
B|--9h-|-10----------------------9h-|-10--------------------9h-|
G|-----|----------------------------|--------------------------|
D|-----|----------------------------|--------------------------|
A|-----|----------------------------|--------------------------|
E|-----|----------------------------|--------------------------|
 
 
e|-----8--11--8-11---8--------|-----8--11--8-11---8----------|
B|-10----------------------9h-|-10-------------------10------|
G|----------------------------|--------------------------10--|
D|----------------------------|------------------------------|
A|----------------------------|------------------------------|
E|----------------------------|------------------------------|
 
 
e|----------------------------------------------------|
B|-----------11----11-11-------------11---------------|
G|--10----10-10----10-10----10----10-------10---------|
D|--12----12-12----12-10----12----------------10------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|
 
 
e|-----------------------------------10---------------|
B|-----------11-------------11----11------------------|
G|--10----10-------10----------------------10---------|
D|--12----------------10----12----------------10------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|
 
 
e|-----------1-----1-----------------1-----1----------|
B|-----------1-----1-----------------1-----1----------|
G|-----------2-----2--0--------------2-----2--0-------|
D|--------3--3-----3--3-----------3--3-----3--3-------|
A|--------3--3-----3--3-----------3--3-----3--3-------|
E|--1-----1-----------------1-----1-------------------|
 
 
e|-----------1-----1----------------------------------|
B|-----------1-----1----------------------------------|
G|-----------2-----2--0-----------2-------------------|
D|--------3--3-----3--3-----------3-------------------|
A|--------3--3-----3--3-----------3-----1-----2-------|
E|--1-----1-----------------1-------------------------|
 
 
e|-----------3-----3--3--------------3-----3--3-------|----------------|
B|--------1--1-----1--1-----------1--1-----1--1-------|----------------|
G|--------0--0-----0--0-----------0--0-----0--0-------|----------------|
D|--------2--2-----2--2-----------2--2-----2--2-------|----------------|
A|--3-----------------------3-------------------------|--3--3--2-------|
E|----------------------------------------------------|-----------3b---|
 
 
[Verse 3]
 
F
Well if they'd free me from this prison,
 
if that railroad train was mine
                                                   A
I bet I'd move just a little further down the line
                                             F
far from Folsom prison, that's where I want to stay
                B7
and I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away...
 
 
************************************
 
| b  Bend
| h  Hammer-on
 
************************************
X

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Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash

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"Folsom Prison Blues"

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68 comments

On the version that I listened to, the intro is definitely: e|---------------------| B|---------------------| G|---------------------| D|-------2-2-----------| A|-3-3-3-----3---------| E|-------------3b-1----| (That's only 2 pickings of the D string instead of 3.) Also, it would be nice if you could post a diagram at the top to illustrate the strumming pattern of some sort for us noobies. I listened to the song, and I think it would look something like this (alternating bass strings) for the E: e|---0---0---0---0---| B|---0---0---0---0---| G|---1---1---1---1---| D|-2-------2---------| A|-----2-------2-----| E|-------------------| And so on for the other chord formations... I'm not sure on this, but it sounds better than just strumming E over and over again. Oh, and SeanONeil, B7 is: e|-2-| B|-4-| G|-2-| D|-4-| A|-2-| E|-x-| OR e|-2-| B|-0-| G|-2-| D|-1-| A|-2-| E|-x-| I prefer the first one, but if you're not good with barre chords yet- it's easier to do the second. Also, the solo did not sound right to me either... ah well. Thanks for the tab, papa2nail!

+10

Good tab. Could someone diagram a b7 for me? Fpr the life of me, I can't remember it...

Intro (pick close to the bridge) e|---------------------| B|---------------------| G|---------------------| D|-------1-1-1---------| A|-2-2-2-------2-------| E|---------------2b-0--|