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14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?The 100 most repeated chord transitions extracted from thousands of songs. Even the first 10 will transform your guitar practice routine.

Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues Chords

DATA-DRIVENWhich Chord Comes Next?Learn the most likely chord transitions on guitar and start playing songs with confidence.
ChordsF, F7, Bb, C7, D7, G, G7, C
Strumming↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑

Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

  • Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
  • Guitar F7 chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-1-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F7 chord diagram
  • Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-3-3-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram
  • Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram
  • Guitar D7 chord diagram Fingering: x-x-0-2-1-2Guitar D7 chord diagram
  • Guitar G chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-3Guitar G chord diagram
  • Guitar G7 chord diagram Fingering: 3-2-0-0-0-1Guitar G7 chord diagram
  • Guitar C chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-0-1-0Guitar C chord diagram

[chorus]
[F]I hear the train a comin’, it’s rolling round the bend
And I ain’t seen the sunshine since [F7]I don’t know when
I’m [Bb]stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps dragging [F]on
But that [C7]train keeps a rolling on down to San An[F]ton

[Opening]
When [F]I was just a baby my mama told me, Son
always be a good boy, don’t [F7]ever play with guns
But I [Bb]shot a man in Reno just to watch him [F]die
When I [C7]hear that whistle blowing, I hang my head and [F]cry

[interlude]
[D7]

[verse 2]
I [G]bet there’s rich folks eating in a fancy dining car
They’re probably drinking coffee and [G7]smoking big cigars
Well I [C]know I had it coming, I know I can’t be [G]free
But those [D7]people keep a movin,
and that’s what tortures [G]me

[verse 3]
Well [G]if they’d free me from this prison,
if that railroad train was mine
I [G]bet I’d move on over a little [G7]further down the line
[C]Far from Folsom prison, that’s [C]where I want to [G]stay
And I’d [D7]let that lonesome whistle blow my blues a[G]way

[chorus]
[G]I hear the train a comin’, it’s rolling round the bend
And I ain’t seen the sunshine since [G7]I don’t know when
I’m [C]stuck in Folsom prison, and time keeps dragging [G]on
But that [D7]train keeps a rolling on down to San An[G]ton

[Closing]
But that [D7]train keeps a rolling on down to San An[G]ton

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SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookDiscover the most-used three-chord combinations in songs and build real command on guitar.
14,015 TRANSITIONS ANALYZED#1 at 23%: Which Transition?Master guitar today with the most repeated high-impact chord transitions.
ArtistJohnny Cash
AlbumJohnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar!
GenresCountry
Year1957
KeyF

How to play Folsom Prison Blues on Guitar (Step-by-step)

Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues on guitar requires 8 chords and 9 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

Folsom Prison Blues uses these transitions most often: D7 → G (5), G → D7 (4), and C → G (3). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with F - F7 chord transition.

1. F → F7 chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar F7 chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-1-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F7 chord diagram

To move from F to F7;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Keep index finger on E string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
F to F7

2. F7 → Bb chord transition

Guitar F7 chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-1-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F7 chord diagram
Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-3-3-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram

To move from F7 to Bb;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 3.
  4. Place pinky on B string fret 3.
F7 to Bb

3. Bb → F chord transition

Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram Fingering: x-1-3-3-3-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar A# | B♭ chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram

To move from Bb to F;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 3 to G string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from G string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.
  4. Slide your pinky from B string fret 3 to D string fret 3.
Bb to F

4. F → C7 chord transition

Guitar F chord diagram Fingering: 1-3-3-2-1-1 Barre at fret 1.Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar C7 chord diagram Fingering: x-3-2-3-1-0Guitar C7 chord diagram

To move from F to C7;

  1. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
  3. Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
  4. Lift your pinky from D string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 3.
F to C7

5. F → D7 chord transition

To move from F to D7;

  1. While playing F, lift your pinky from D string fret 3.
  2. Lift your index finger from E string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
  3. Keep middle finger on G string fret 2.
  4. Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to E string fret 2.

6. D7 → G chord transition

To move from D7 to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 3.

7. G → G7 chord transition

To move from G to G7;

  1. Keep index finger on A string fret 2.
  2. Keep middle finger on E string fret 3.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 3 to fret 1.

8. G7 → C chord transition

To move from G7 to C;

  1. Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
  2. Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 3.

9. C → G chord transition

To move from C to G;

  1. Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.

Folsom Prison Blues chord transition analysis

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Folsom Prison Blues.

  • Folsom Prison Blues includes 29 chord transitions, 9 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.01% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
  • Folsom Prison Blues contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
  • These transition patterns show how Folsom Prison Blues connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → G7: 2%
    • G → D7: 1%
    After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).
    • F → C7: 1%
    • F → F7: 1%
SONG DATA3 Chords, 200 Chains, 1 BookThe 200 most popular three-chord chains from real songs. See which songs use each chain and expand your repertoire with patterns that actually matter.