Folsom Prison Blues was written and recorded by Johnny Cash and released by Sun Records in 1955, inspired in part by the 1951 film Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison. Its fame grew with the live version recorded at Folsom State Prison in California for the 1968 album At Folsom Prison, which reached number one on the country chart. The song's train beat and stark lyrics about regret became a signature for Cash, and the excerpt continues to circulate online in edits, covers and tributes to classic country.