I looked around for a while to find a cool, somewhat modern version of this tune. This one fits the bill. It's fairly true to the pace of the original, but it definitely is the artist's own take on the tune. We get some loose hi-hats, grungy guitar, and pop-punk power vocals. The only thing I'm really missing in this take is the signature guitar riff to kick things off at the beginning. The main lead riff is hinted at in the middle, but we don't get that classic kick off tag.
You can learn more about Duhon at his website. He just "a guy who likes to write songs", and he hopes that his "songs can help you in some way". That's a cool sentiment to have about music. It's far better than the "I want to be rich and famous" mentality. A love of music is far more important in an artist's life than a love of fame and riches. If you can make a living playing, I say go for it, but that shouldn't be your motivation to play.
The song was originally written and recorded by Johnny Cash. It appeared on two of his albums. It was first released on his debut record, With His Hot and Blue Guitar, and it later appeared on All Aboard the Blue Train. The two albums were separated by only five years. The song was inspired upon a viewing of the movie, Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison. Cash also borrowed the melody from Gordon Jenkins. After the song hit its real stride of popularity in the seventies, Cash wound up paying Jenkins a settlement of around $75,000 for the use of the melody as well as some of the lyrics.
Cash did, however, come up with one of the song's most memorable lines. Reflecting on his time writing the song, Cash said, "I sat with my pen in my hand, trying to think up the worst reason a person could have for killing another person, and that's what came to mind". Of course, Cash was referring to the line, "I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die".
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