142. Johnny Cash - At San Quentin (1969)



















Track Listing

1. Big River
2. I Still Miss Someone
3. Wreck Of The Ol' 97
4. I Walk The Line
5. Darlin' Companion
6. I Don't Know Where I'm Bound
7. Starkville City Jail
8. San Quentin
9. San Quentin
10. Wanted Man
11. Boy Named Sue
12. There'll Be Peace In The Valley
13. Folsom Prison Blues
14. Ring Of Fire
15. He Turned The Water Into Wine
16. Daddy Sang Bass
17. Old Account Was Settled Long Ago
18. Folsom Prison Blues/I Walk The Line/Ring Of Fire/Rebel Johnny Yuma

Review

This is the other one of the great prison recordings by Johnny Cash. The previous one was the Folsom Prison album, already reviewed here. And Johnny Cash is truly one of the greats, probably the greatest country music performer ever. And that is the reason why these albums are live, he is the consummate performer, his whole personality comes through here. Not only in the great songs and in his great energy, but in the amazing interludes between the tracks, when he talks to his audience, with immense humour, love, compassion and just all around niceness.

Johnny Cash is probably the best storyteller ever committed to vinyl, he is a great communicator and extremely charismatic, and it is therefore nor surprising at all that the crowd goes wild throughout the whole album. And then there's the music, Walk The Line, Folsom Prison Blues, Ring Of Fire are all here, as well as Boy Named Sue. And Boy Named Sue is a novelty song, as is Starkville City Jail, but he is such a great storyteller that even his novelty songs become jewels.

I just worship at this man's feet, even though I'm not such a great fan of country. He was just so damn talented and such a troubled, yet nice guy... and the music is great and infectious... I just love him. You can stream it from Napster or buy it from Amazon UK or US.

Track Highlights

1. Folsom Prison Blues
2. I Walk The Line
3. San Quentin (1st)
4. A Boy Named Sue

Final Grade

10/10

Trivia

Folsom Prison Blues live at San Quentin:



From Wikipedia:

On the original LP release, the song order was changed and several songs were cut, probably for space reasons. Despite the title of the version released on CD in 2000, the CD does not contain the entire concert uncut, but does feature additional tracks and running order that parallels the actual setlist. Performed but not included are the songs "Jackson" and "Orange Blossom Special" which are included in the video release of the show.

In 2006, Legacy Recordings released another deluxe version titled At San Quentin - Legacy Edition. The three-disc version included two CDs containing 31 selections, 13 of them previously unissued, plus a DVD called Johnny Cash In San Quentin, a 1969 documentary made by EnglandÂ’s Granada TV for British television. There are also interviews, some searingly candid, with the prisoners and guards who were present when the Johnny Cash Show packed the big house.