I would have like to seen them go a different direction with the video. It doesn’t always have to be a literal translation for the video.

What I do like about this song is he’s telling a story.

I don’t think it became the instant-number-one, career-making song that Capitol probably expected with it.

There’s a quote from Cash in the liner notes they use in the article that I think is apropos of a more common way prison is viewed from the prisoner’s perspective…

Cash wrote this: “Folsom Prison Blues — the culture of 1,000 years is shattered with the clanging of the cell door behind you. Life outside, behind you, immediately becomes unreal. You begin to not care that it exists. All you have with you in the cell is your bare animal instincts.

“I speak partly from experience; I have been behind bars a few times, sometimes of my volition, sometime involuntarily. Each time I felt the same feeling of kinship with my fellow prisoners.

“Behind the bars, locked out from society, you’re being rehabilitated. Corrected. Re-briefed, re-educated on life itself. Without your having the opportunity of really reliving it. You’re the object of a widely planned program combining isolation, punishment, taming, briefing, etc., designed to make you sorry for your mistakes. To re-enlighten you, or do what you should or shouldn’t do outside, so that when you’re released, if you ever are, you can come out clean, to a world that’s supposed to welcome you and forgive you.

“Can it work????? Hell no.”

I can’t remember who said it, but someone mentioned the fact that the crime didn’t really seem to fit the punishment. I have to agree with this statement. As a student in the legal field, I’ve thought that for a long time. I know, from my research, that a murder committed during the commission of a felony (armed robbery) doesn’t necessarily warrant the death penalty. That is usually reserved for particularly heinous crimes…HOWEVER, in a capital case, such as murder, the death penalty is almost always an option. (IF the trial court is in a state that does support capital punishment.)

I remind myself, though, that this is a song..or a story, if you will. And with every good story, you can bet you’ll find the author has taken a bit of artistic license.

Again, it’s a good song and an awesome video. Hats off E..ya done good!

I still love his performance, the composition, and the production, but my problems with the lyrics make it hard for me to confer greatness on the track in full.

I dare say Mr. Church has definitely accomplished his goal of making people “think”. I’m guessing the majority of us wouldn’t be discussing these particular topics on any given day. To me, that constitutes a powerful piece of songwriting.

….I believe the video does a remarkable job of developing each character and allowing the viewer to see the events unfold from all perspectives and then draw their own conclusion as to which “side” they’re on.

……I love hearing this song on the record because all the “white” noise isn’t edited out….you can hear him take a breath and to me…that’s real……I don’t care for albums that have been so over produced all the “real” is gone……I do believe “Lightning” captures this “realness” not only on tape, but also on video………

Amazing.