# Johnny Cash Semantics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2002, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-semantics/101892 "2002-04-04T23:47:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2002, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-semantics/101892/1 "2002-04-04T23:47:35Z")
Okay, this is a really stupid question, but it came up last week at 4 in the morning on a road trip through Texas, somewhere between Waxahattchie and Dallas. In Folsum Prison blues, the protagonist " Shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die." Now he’s stuck in Folsum prison. In California. A simple aside by the girl I was riding with and now it’s all I can think about. It’s making me nuts, and driving me to distraction. I just spent three hours of taxpayer dollars searching this online. This is what happens when you have WAY to much Ephedrine, and not enough sleep. If anyone knows the answer to this, please help. Sure I could just get a hobby like other people, but this is way more fun! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-semantics/101892/2 "2002-04-05T00:18:50Z")
It’s just a song. How 'bout this, though. Sue got started in crime by watching the man in Reno die. He later, in his depravity, took a shot of cocaine and shot his woman down. The judge smiled as he picked up his pen. Ninety-nine years in the Folsom Pen. Now, when he hears that lonesome whistle, he hangs his head and cries. Life sure ain’t easy for a boy named Sue. Gotta take the Cash lexicon in its entirety. ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-semantics/101892/3 "2002-04-05T00:22:01Z")
For starters, it’s spelled **Folsom** Prison. He shoulda known better before takin’ his guns to town. ---
**Author:** ![Payne\_N.Diaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Payne\_N.Diaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payne_N.Diaz)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-semantics/101892/4 "2002-04-05T00:33:45Z")
The problem here is that Folsom Prison is in California, and Reno is in Nevada. How is he serving time in CA for a crime in NV? I’ve always wondered about that. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-semantics/101892/5 "2002-04-05T00:56:32Z")
and now, the rest of the story: our hero fled the greater Reno area, crossing the stateline into california. there, he was aprehended for failure to signal a lane change. he was arrested, sentenced to a life term in the pokey, and was sent to Folsom. when his crimes were discovered in Reno, california refused to extradite him, and not being part of the US, Nevada had little recourse. Q: Why do the trees in Nevada sway east/west? A: California sucks and Utah blows! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-semantics/101892/6 "2002-04-05T00:59:33Z")
Because the psycho-billy Cadillac only had one tailfin. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-semantics/101892/7 "2002-04-05T01:52:27Z")
What do you expect, he built it One Piece at a Time ---
**Author:** ![kuroashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9a140/32.png) [@kuroashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kuroashi)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2002, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/johnny-cash-semantics/101892/8 "2002-04-05T02:18:04Z")
There’s a reference to San Antonio (“San Anton”) as well. Is that a San Antonio in California, or is he singing about the one in Texas? I’ve never been to Folsom prison and I don’t know what railroad line is nearby. It could go on down to San Anton, but us that the one? I said, “Stick ‘em up everybody! I’m robbin’ this place Put all of your money in my guitar case Don’t nobody move and don’t nobody reach for that door” A lady said, “Why, you’re Johnny Cash.” I said, “No ma’am, I’m the Manhattan Flash, and I am the best bank robber in New York.” love that song