Johnny Cash: Concert Behind Prison Walls

From Tennessee State Prison in Nashville, Tennessee... "A

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Behind Prison Walls," starring Roy Clark... Linda Ronstadt. And now from the gymnasium of the Tennessee State Prison, "Behind Prison Walls," our special guest star -- Johnny Cash!

Cheers and applause

"Folsom Prison Blues" plays

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Yeah! I hear the train a-comin' It's rollin' 'round the bend And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when I'm stuck in Folsom Prison And time keeps draggin' on But that train keeps a-rollin' On down to San Antone Well, when I was just a baby My mama told me, "Son Always be a good boy Don't ever play with guns" But I shot a man in Reno Just to watch him die When I hear that whistle blowin' I hang my head and cry Guitar! Bob Wootton!

Speaks indistinctly

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Shouts indistinctly

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Well, if they freed me from this prison If that railroad train was mine I bet I'd move it on a little farther down the line Far from Folsom Prison That's where I want to stay And I'd let that lonesome whistle Blow my blues away

Song ends

Cheers and applause

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[ "Sunday Morning Coming Down" plays ] Well, I woke up Sunday morning With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad So I had one more for dessert Then I fumbled in my closet through my clothes and found my cleanest dirty shirt And then I washed my face and combed my hair Stumbled down the stairs to meet the day I'd smoked my mind the night before With cigarettes and songs that I'd been picking Then I lit my first and watched a small boy cussin' at a can that he was kickin' Then I crossed the empty street Caught the Sunday smell of someone's fryin' chicken And it took me back to somethin' That I'd lost somewhere or somehow along the way On a Sunday morning sidewalk I'm wishing, Lord, that I was stoned 'Cause there's somethin' about a Sunday That'll make your body feel alone There ain't nothing short of dyin' That's as lonesome as the sound Of a sleepin' city sidewalk And Sunday morning comin' down In the park I saw a daddy With a laughing little girl that he was swinging Then I stopped beside a Sunday school Listened to the songs that they were singin' Heard "Bringing in the Sheaves" Then I went on down the road And somewhere far away a lonely bell was ringin' And it echoed through the canyon Like a disappearin' dream of yesterday On a Sunday morning sidewalk I'm wishin', Lord, that I was stoned 'Cause there's somethin' 'bout a Sunday That'll make your body feel alone There ain't nothin' short of dyin' That's as lonesome as the sound Of a sleepin' city sidewalk And Sunday morning comin' down

Finale plays

Song ends

Cheers and applause

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I've learned one thing, that when a man is that rock bottom, when there's no place else he can go, except up, that the only thing that's really important in this world to him is that somebody somewhere cares. And with that in mind, I wrote this song about something that really happened to a 16-year-old boy in the state of Virginia. It's called "Jacob Green."

"Jacob Green" plays

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Jacob Green got busted for possession Next morning early, he appeared in court But he was sent to jail to wait To be tried at some later date Next morning early Came a sad report At the jail they took away his clothes to shame him And to make sure Jacob Green had no pride left They cut off all his hair Today they found him hanging there Afraid to face the day, he killed himself It happened yesterday And if you turned your head away Somewhere in some dirty hole That scene will be rerun Not only Jacob Green But many more you've never seen It could be someone that you love gets done Like Jacob Green got done Jacob's father hired a team of lawyers Inspections and long inquiries were held The sheriff then retired The papers said two guards were fired They put a brand-new coat of paint on Jacob's cell But like a tomb that looks so bright and shiny Inside you'll find corruption never seen And somewhere out there tonight In a dirty hole without a light They'll be locking up another Jacob Green It happened yesterday And if you turned your head away Somewhere in some dirty hole that scene will be rerun Not only Jacob Green, but many more you've never seen It could be someone that you love gets done Like Jacob Green got done It could be someone that you love gets done Like Jacob Green got done

Finale plays

Song ends

Cheers and applause

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Now here's Roy Clark! I appreciate it. One nail in the house, and I hung on it.

Laughter

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Hey, where were you last Saturday night?

Bluesy guitar riff

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While I was lyin' in jail?

Bluesy guitar riff

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You was out walkin' up and down the road [ Guitar strings imitate footsteps ]

Laughter

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With another man

Bluesy guitar riff

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You wouldn't even go my bail

Bluegrass music plays

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Roll in my sweet baby's arms Roll in my sweet baby's arms I'm gonna lay around the shack Till the mail train comes back Then I'll roll in my sweet baby's arms I ain't gonna work on the railroad I ain't gonna work on the farm I'm gonna lay around the shack Till the mail train comes back Then I'll roll in my sweet baby's arms Roll in my sweet baby's arms Roll in my sweet baby's arms I'm gonna lay around the shack Till the mail train comes back Then I'll roll in my sweet baby's arms I hear you!

Instrumental solo

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Applause

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Your parents, they don't like me They drove me away from your door If I had my life to live over I'd never go there anymore Roll in my sweet baby's arms Roll in my sweet baby's arms I'm gonna lay around the shack Till the mail train comes back Then I'll roll in my sweet baby's arms

Finale plays

Song ends

Cheers and applause

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Thank you.

"Desperado" plays

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A lovely lady -- Miss Linda Ronstadt.

Applause

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Desperado Why don't you come to your senses? You been out ridin' fences for so long now Oh, you're a hard one But I know you got your reasons These things that are pleasin' you Can hurt you somehow Don't you draw the Queen of Diamonds, boy She'll beat you if she's able The Queen of Hearts is always your best bet Well, it seems to me some fine things Have been laid upon your table But you only want the ones that you can't get Desperado Oh, you ain't gettin' no younger Your pain and your hunger Are drivin' you home And freedom, oh, freedom Well, that's just some people talkin' Your prison is walking through this world all alone Don't your feet get cold in the wintertime? The sky won't snow, and the sun won't shine It's hard to tell the nighttime from the day You're losin' all your highs and lows Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away? Desperado Why don't you come to your senses?

Come down from your fences And open the gate It may be raining Raining But there's a rainbow above you You better let somebody love you Let somebody love you You better let somebody love you Before it's too Late Desperado Ooh

Applause

"You're No Good" plays

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Feelin' better Now that we're through Feelin' better 'Cause I'm over you I learned my lesson It left a scar Now I see how you really are You're no good You're no good You're no good Baby, you're no good I'm gonna say it again You're no good You're no good You're no good Baby, you're no good I broke a heart That's gentle and true Well, I broke a heart over someone like you I'll beg his forgiveness on bended knee I wouldn't blame him if he said to me You're no good You're no good You're no good Baby, you're no good I'm gonna say it again You're no good You're no good You're no good Baby, you're no good

Instrumental solo

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I'm tellin' you now, baby And I'm going my way Forget about you, baby 'Cause I'm leavin' to stay You're no good You're no good You're no good Baby, you're no good I'm gonna say it again You're no good You're no good You're no good Baby, you're no good Oh, oh, no You're no good You're no good You're no good Baby, you're no Good

Finale plays

Song ends

Applause

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I'd like to thank my coach and the rest of the team for this award.

Light laughter

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It's not an award, it's a banjo. I bet you knew that right off. I had a pretty good suspicion my own self. Buck and I would like to do a little thing, if we may, called "Shucking the Corn." Right.

Bluegrass music plays

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Applause

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Applause

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Finale plays

Song ends

Cheers and applause

"Love Has No Pride" plays

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Gentlemen, Miss Linda Ronstadt.

Applause

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I've had bad dreams too many times To think that they don't mean much anymore And fine times have gone and left my sad home And the friends who once cared just walk out my door But love has no pride when I call out your name And love has no pride when there's no one to blame But I'd give anything to see you again I've been alone too many nights To think that you could come back again I've heard you talk She's crazy to stay But this love hurts me so I don't care what you say But love has no pride When I call out your name And love has no pride When there's no one to blame But I'd give anything To see you again If I could buy your love Then I'd surely try, my friend And if I could pray My prayers would never end But if you want me to beg I'll fall down on my knees And ask you to come back I'd be pleading for you to come back I'd beg for you to come back to me And love has no pride when I call out your name And love has no pride when there's no one but myself to blame But I'd give anything To see you again Yes, I'd give anything To see you again Whoa Oh Ohh Whoo

Song ends

Cheers and applause

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[ "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" plays ] I don't want your lonely mansion with a tear in every room All I want's the love you promised beneath the haloed moon But you think I should be happy with your money and your name And hide myself in sorrow while you play your cheating game Silver threads and golden needles Cannot mend this heart of mine And I dare not drown my sorrow in the warm glow of your wine You can't buy my love with money 'Cause I never was that kind Silver threads and golden needles Cannot mend this heart of mine Whoo!

Instrumental solo

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Silver threads and golden needles Cannot mend this heart of mine And I dare not drown my sorrow in the warm glow of your wine You can't buy my love with money 'Cause I never was that kind Silver threads and golden needles Cannot mend this heart of mine Silver threads and golden needles Cannot mend This heart of mine

Finale plays

Song ends

Cheers and applause

"Hey, Porter" plays

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The Man in Black -- Johnny Cash! Hey, Porter Hey, Porter Would you tell me the time? How much longer will it be till we cross that Mason-Dixon Line? When we hit Dixie, will you tell that engineer to ring his bell And ask everybody that ain't asleep to stand right up and yell?

Hey, Porter Hey, Porter What time did you say? How much longer will it be till I can see the light of day? When we hit Dixie, will you tell that engineer to ring his bell And ask everybody that ain't asleep to stand right up and yell? Guitar now -- Bob Wootton.

Guitar solo

Applause

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Whoo! Yee-haw! Hey, Porter Hey, Porter Please open up the door When they stop the train, I'm gonna get off first 'Cause I can't wait no more Tell that engineer I said thanks a lot And I didn't mind the fare I'm gonna set my feet on Southern soil And breathe that Southern air Whoo!

"Wreck Of The Old 97" plays

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Whoo! Whoo-whoo! Well, they gave him his orders at Monroe, Virginia Said, "Steve, you're way behind time This is not 38 This is Ol' 97 Put her into Spencer on time" And then he turned around and said to his big, greasy fireman "Shovel on a little more coal And when we cross that White Oak Mountain Watch Ol' 97 roll" Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Carl Perkins.

Cheers and applause

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Whoo! And then a telegram came to Washington Station This is what it said It said, "That brave engineer that run Ol 97 Is lyin' down in Danville dead" Oh, boy Whoo! [ "Orange Blossom Special" plays ]

Harmonica solo

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Hey, now look a-yonder comin' Comin' down that railroad track Hey, now look a-yonder comin' Comin' down that railroad track That's that Orange Blossom Special Bringin' my baby back

Harmonica solo

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Applause

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I'm going down to Florida Gonna get that bit of sand in my shoes I may go to California And get some sand in my shoes Ridin' that Orange Blossom Special And lose these New York blues

Harmonica solo

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Applause

Fiddle solo

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Tommy Williams!

Harmonica solo

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Well, you see, I was hangin' around the switchyards of New York City with a bunch of other hobos, minding my own business, like I always do, when a man with a badge come up to me, and he says, "Hey, boy, what are you hangin' around here for?" And I said, "For whatever's goin' around, I'll have some."

Applause

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He said, "You a smart aleck, ain't you, boy?" And I says, "No, sir, I'm just hungry." And he said, "You actin' like a smart aleck," and I said, "That's how I act when I get hungry." He said, "I wish you'd get enough nourishment in yourself to get out of New York City." I said, "I don't care if I do-die-do-die-do-die-do-die- do-die-do-die"

Applause

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Hey, you talk about a-ramblin' She's the fastest train on the line Hey, you talk about a-ramblin' She's the fastest train on the line That's that Orange Blossom Special Rollin' down the seaboard line

Harmonica solo

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Applause

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Finale plays

Song ends

Applause

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Thank you.

"A Boy Named Sue" plays

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Well, my daddy left home when I was 3 He didn't leave very much to my ma and me Just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze Now, I don't blame him 'cause he run and hid But the meanest thing that my daddy ever did Was before he left, he went and named me "Sue" Well, he must of thought that is was quite a joke And it got a lot of laughs from lots of folk It seems I had to fight my whole life through Some gal would giggle, and I'd turn red And some guy would laugh, and I'd bust his head I tell ya, life ain't easy for a boy named Sue But I grew up quick, and I grew up mean My fist got hard, and my wits got keen And I roamed from town to town to hide my shame But I made me a vow to the moon and stars That I'd search the honky-tonks and bars And kill that man that give me that awful name Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July And I just hit town, and my throat was dry I thought I'd stop and have myself a brew At an old saloon on a street of mud And there at a table, dealing stud Sat the dirty, mangy dog that named me "Sue" Well, I knew that snake was my own sweet dad From a worn-out picture that my mother had And I knew that scar on his cheek and his evil eye He was big and bent and gray and old And I looked at him, and my blood ran cold And I said, "My name is Sue How do you do?! Now you're gonna die!" That's what I told him. Well, I hit him hard right between the eyes And he went down, but to my surprise He come up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear Then I busted a chair right across his teeth And we crashed through the walls and into the streets Kicking and a-gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer Well, I tell ya, I've fought tougher men But I really can't remember when He kicked like a mule, and he bit like a crocodile Well, I heard him laugh, and then I heard him cuss And he reached for his gun, but I pulled mine first And he stood there lookin' at me, and I saw him smile And he said, "Son, this world is rough And if a man's gonna make it, he's gotta be tough I know I wouldn't be there to help you along So I give you that name, and I said goodbye I knew you'd have to get tough or die It's the name that helped to make you strong He said, "Now you just fought one hell of a fight And I know you hate me, and you got the right To kill me now, and I wouldn't blame you if you do But you ought to thank me, before I die For the gravel in your gut and the spit in your eye 'Cause I'm the son of a... that named you 'Sue'" What could I do?

Well, I got all choked up, and I threw down my gun I called him my pa, and he called me his son I come away with a different point of view And I think about him, now and then Every time I try, and every time I win And if I ever have a -- Well, if I ever have a boy, I'll name him Frank or George or Bill or Tom or anything but Sue! I don't want him going around bein' called Sue all his life! That's a horrible thing to do to a boy!

Shouts indistinctly

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To name a boy Sue.

Applause

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On behalf of Jim Owens Productions and and Commonwealth Advertising, this is Bill Turner, thanking the authorities and especially the inmates at the Tennessee State Prison for their assistance in making this program possible.