Folsom Prison Blues Chords

KeyF Capo1st fret TuningStandard Difficulty Plays710

Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash is a moderately challenging guitar song played in the key of F with a capo on the 1st fret. It uses the chords B7, E, E7 and A. Use the transpose and diagram tools on this page to change the key, see each shape, or simplify the chords.

Transpose
F
Text
16
Speed
  			
    
Intro: B7 E  
    
  E                                          
I hear the train a comin, It's rollin round the bend   
                                                                        E7  
I ain't seen the sunshine since, I don't know when    
      A                                                                       E    
I'm stuck in Folsom Prison, And time keeps draggin on    
             B7                                                      E    
But that train keeps a rollin on down to San Antone    
    
    
         E                                          
When I was just a baby, my mamma told me son   
                                                                     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 blowin', I hang my head and cry   


(solo)   

  E                                          
I bet there's rich folk eatin in a fancy dinin car   
                                                                E7   
Probaly drinkin coffee and smokin big cigars   
        A                                                        E    
But I knew I had it comin, I know I can't be free   
               B7                                                                     E   
But those people keep a-movin', and that's what tortures me   


(solo)   

    
          E                                          
If they freed me from this prison, If that railroad train was mine   
                                                                                 E7   
I think that I would move a little farther down the line   
A                                                                      E    
Far from folsom prison, thats where I'd want to stay   
            B7                                                             E   
And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away   

    
(Play little lick)   
|-------------------|    
|-------------------|    
|-------------------|    
|-------1-1---------|    
|-2-2-2-----2-------|    
|-------------2br-0-|    



    	

Chord diagrams

Guitar tuner

--
Start the tuner and play a string

Reference tones

Standard tuning, lowest to highest. Click a string to play it; the string the mic hears is highlighted.

Click Start tuner and allow microphone access. The needle centers and turns green when a string is in tune (within 5 cents).
No microphone? You can still tap any string above to hear its exact reference pitch.

Metronome

100 BPM Andante