Murder Ballad Breakdown
Cocaine Blues - Johnny Cash
This song is an absolute classic, I mean what Johnny Cash song isn’t? Cocaine Blues really showcases his fascination with prison, and all the things that could land someone there. It’s got drug use, murder, fleeing to Mexico, using a fake name all tied together in a fun upbeat fashion. Cocaine Blues is another song that has no defined chorus, the story just progresses through a series of short verses.
Verses 1- 4
Early one mornin' while makin' the rounds
I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down
I went right home and I went to bed
I stuck that lovin' 44 beneath my head
Got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun
Took a shot of cocaine and away I run
Made a good run, but I ran too slow
They overtook me down in Juarez, Mexico
Laid in the hot joints takin' the pill
In walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill
He said, "Willy Lee, your name is not Jack Brown
You're the dirty heck that shot your woman down"
Said, "Yes, sir, yes, my name is Willy Lee
If you've got the warrant, just read it to me
Shot her down because she made me slow
I thought I was her daddy, but she had five more"
The first verse is funny to me, because how are you going to do cocaine then go straight to bed? lol Idk maybe he’s experienced and his body is used to it, so it has a lesser effect. But the song opens right up with the murder, the next day he does more coke, then decides he should probably go hide in Mexico, but he still gets caught. He tells the sheriff that his name is Jack Brown, when in fact it is Willy Lee, and he confesses then that he did kill his woman, supposedly because she was having multiple affairs.
Verses 5-8
When I was arrested, I was dressed in black
They put me on a train and it took me back
Had no friend for to go my bail
They slapped my dried up carcass in that county jail
Early next mornin' 'bout a half past nine
I spied the sheriff coming down the line
Hopped and he coughed as he cleared his throat
He said, "Come on you dirty heck into that district court"
Into the courtroom, my trial began
Where I was handled by 20 honest men
Just before the jury started out
I saw the little judge commence to look about
In about five minutes in walked the man
Holding the verdict in his right hand
The verdict read in the first degree
I hollered, "Lordy, Lordy, have mercy on me"
The judge he smiled as he picked up his pen
99 years in the Folsom pen'
99 years underneath that ground
I can't forget the day I shot that bad bitch down
Come on, you gotta listen unto me
Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be
The narrator is getting sent back to the states by train and to the county jail. He gets a quick trial, and is sentenced to 99 years in Folsom Prison. He doesn’t seem to regret killing her, but realizes he needs to stop doing drugs and drinking. I guess 99 years in prison will get you sober though.