Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues Lyrics Meaning

This is a good question. Perhaps the oesarn he's in Folsom Prison isn't directly tied to the murder in Reno. That is, maybe he was on parole for the murder in Nevada when he committed another criminal act in California that earned him time in Folsom. Otherwise, he would have probably been sent to Nevada State Prison in Carson City. Or maybe the murder in Reno violated his parole in California, and he was returned to that state to finish out his term. My original thought was that perhaps at the time of the murder Nevada didn't have adequate prison facilities, since California's statehood pre-dates Nevada's, However, Nevada State Prison was built about 30 years before Folsom Prison. I guess Cash needed a two-syllable city for the song. I shot a man in Sacramento just doesn't have the same ring to it. I'm sure Johnny wouldn't mind you fu*kin' with him a little bit. Edit: Relax, Tommy. It's all in good fun, I'm sure. Talking about taking things too seriously