we sentenced these songs to life in our
music libraries welcome to watchmojo.com
and today we’ll be counting down our
picks for the top ten prison songs our
list is comprised of musical releases
based solely on prison life of help know
instrumentals or any references to death
row are allowed which means ride the
Lightning by Metallica did not survive
the cut
number ten locked up a con featuring
Styles P locked up they won’t let me out
and I had a long day in court stressed
me out won’t give me a bail they can’t
give me out today
this hip-hop artist has become popular
worldwide but his 2004 breakout single
was designed solely for the streets I’m
steady trying to find them as the first
single off the rapper’s debut album
trouble a cons lyrics convey the
emotional trappings of the clink and his
desire for a few magazines to pass the
time with a catchy chorus a guest spot
by Styles P of the locks an oblique
depiction of prison life a con connected
with inmates and their families before
crossing over to a more commercialized
sound
musical happening in a most unusual
place number nine
black steel in the hour of chaos Public
Enemy I got a liver from the government
feel the date open and ready except they
were fucker
as one of the most lyrically influential
hip-hop tracks of all time this 1989
song of the slammer is both poetic and
frightening
nevertheless if it could not understand
and I’m a black man and I can never be a
better in all of the strength of
situations unreal I got a raw deal
formative waters filled Chuck DS spits
fire about racism and war in the United
States and depicts a character unwilling
to change his tune within prison walls
the suspenseful lyrics detail a plot to
escape with flava flav offering support
in the form of ‘yeah and words pulls on
the threat to business come on man my
plan said I had to get out and break
north while the final line seemingly
represents a successful escape the
chilling music video told a different
story now the teen says though I’m
telling you to come on
fifty-three brothers on a run a we owe
you wake up in moon number 8 Midnight
Special
traditional folk song hearing
while nobody knows the true origins of
this classic prison song of the American
South
it slowly seeped its way in pop culture
in the early 20th century lyrically
Midnight Special symbolizes an escape
from slavery or an undesirable life and
has evolved into numerous traditional
songs wait wait bend them all in get a
dingdong Lorraine come watch the tape
see the same damn thing and the classic
prison flick Cool Hand Luke Harry Dean
Stanton sings the tune while Paul Newman
learns the ways of his new lonely home
at midnight may not all be on one of the
most notable renditions of the song Bob
Dylan made his recording debut by
playing harmonica on Harry Belafonte’s
1962 version every Midnight Special
shine a civil of a lot on me
number seven fish in the jailhouse Tom
Waits
Peoria Jeff Oh Doug no Joe you like fish
and you like growling vocals then this
2006 bluesy number is the perfect
jailhouse jam as part of Tom Waits as
acclaimed album orphans brawlers ballers
and bastards fish in the jailhouse tells
the story of a man
eager to get his hand on the dinner time
special while the singer manages to
rhyme mudbank carp with Central Park the
lyrics consist mainly of the
hard-hitting refrain and how a single
fishbone could lead to freedom all right
they ain’t serving chicken they’re
serving fish in the jailhouse tonight
give me a nice neutral Oh Oh chicken no
see
number six mama tried Merle Haggard to
narita the farm boys nose wonderin where
the freight train goes this country
classic was released in the summer of 68
and was based on the singers own
experiences at California’s San Quentin
State Prison freight train leaving town
not knowing changed my mind
mama tried although Haggard was never
actually sentenced to life without
parole he penned the song as a tribute
to his mother and inspired a lifetime of
covers from contemporary country artists
as the perfect bad boy with a heart
anthem it reminds listeners that mothers
can only do so much just don’t
disappoint Big Mama
leaves only me to blame his mama tried
yeah what a fan of number 5 jailbreak
ac/dc
heart beats freedom spotlights this
closing number of a CDC’s iconic 1976
album dirty deeds done dirt cheap
produce one of the first music videos to
incorporate fake blood and explosions
and telling the story of a man unlucky
in love
after a 16-year sentence for murder the
subject looks for redemption as lead
singer Bon Scott brilliantly acts out
the scene in this video okay
he couldn’t act worth a lick but he
certainly couldn’t wail jailbreak isn’t
the hardest prison song ever
but the innovative music video was a
game changer
number four murder was the case Snoop
Dogg has a look up at the sky my mind
starts sniffing a tear drops my eye in
my late 1993 a young rapper from Long
Beach exploded on the scene with his
debut album doggy style which featured
this funky jailhouse joint
the song was released a year later as a
single alongside a short film of the
same name
snoop dogg’s lyrical content explores
the consequences of a gangland shooting
which not only put Snoop Dogg in a coma
but earns him a one-way ticket to the
slam he a red junkie with two braids in
my head as a hint of the symptom fake
murder was a case eerily mirrored
reality as Snoop was later charged with
murder
and ultimately found innocent hey shake
just in case the war popped off cuz you
can’t tell what’s next my little homie
baby will you set the fence going
tonight
let’s go dougie jailbreak number 3
jailbreak Thin Lizzy boys
the second song on our list entitled
jailbreak from the year 1976 these Irish
rockers describe an escape from prison
causing habit
tonight the zone
so don’t
with tough guy talk and heavy riffs then
Lizzie told a cryptic tale of the clink
along with their poignant advice to stay
clear when the shit hits the fan
today is all of it
jailbreaks has literally been covered by
almost every rock group in the universe
and remains a classic Kickstarter for
good times and weekend shenanigans
one threw a party in the county jail the
prison band was there they were getting
away man was jumping 90 jump again
number two
jailhouse rock Elvis Presley this 1957
classic coincided with the king of rock
and roll’s third feature film and has
become a beloved American treasure while
you won’t find inmates hosting dance
parties in most United States prisons
you might hear the line you’re the
cutest jailbird I ever did see
lyrically jailhouse rock is far from
sublime but the catchy bass line and
snarling vocals from Elvis assured in a
new musical flavor that inspired many
future legends of the time to shift and
he said Nix Nix
I’m gonna stick around I wanna get my
kid
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
that’s the sound of the men working on
the chain gang all day long the same
Oh
Oh
I spoke at the prison
yeah
number one Folsom Prison Blues Johnny
Cash I hear the train a-comin
it’s rolling around
sima sunshine around the same time the
charming Elvis Presley arrived on the
scene a gruff vocalist from Arkansas
released the ultimate prison song but
that train keeps rolling on down his
side and told by combining the
traditional lyrical themes of trains and
incarceration Johnny Cash injected his
own style based on his experience in the
US Army don’t ever play with guns but I
shot a man in Reno just to watch him the
iconic 1968 live version at Folsom
Prison features inmates cheering which
was actually a post-production trick
given the locked up audience feared
retribution for expressing their
approval but those people keep on moving
unless what’s orders me
authentic and timely Folsom Prison Blues
is the king of this WatchMojo Mountain
far from bulletproof
that’s where a wall Tuesday so do you
agree with our selections what is your
favorite prison song and I’d let that
lonesome whistle blow my blues away for
more mind-blowing top 10s published
daily be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
music libraries welcome to watchmojo.com
and today we’ll be counting down our
picks for the top ten prison songs our
list is comprised of musical releases
based solely on prison life of help know
instrumentals or any references to death
row are allowed which means ride the
Lightning by Metallica did not survive
the cut
number ten locked up a con featuring
Styles P locked up they won’t let me out
and I had a long day in court stressed
me out won’t give me a bail they can’t
give me out today
this hip-hop artist has become popular
worldwide but his 2004 breakout single
was designed solely for the streets I’m
steady trying to find them as the first
single off the rapper’s debut album
trouble a cons lyrics convey the
emotional trappings of the clink and his
desire for a few magazines to pass the
time with a catchy chorus a guest spot
by Styles P of the locks an oblique
depiction of prison life a con connected
with inmates and their families before
crossing over to a more commercialized
sound
musical happening in a most unusual
place number nine
black steel in the hour of chaos Public
Enemy I got a liver from the government
feel the date open and ready except they
were fucker
as one of the most lyrically influential
hip-hop tracks of all time this 1989
song of the slammer is both poetic and
frightening
nevertheless if it could not understand
and I’m a black man and I can never be a
better in all of the strength of
situations unreal I got a raw deal
formative waters filled Chuck DS spits
fire about racism and war in the United
States and depicts a character unwilling
to change his tune within prison walls
the suspenseful lyrics detail a plot to
escape with flava flav offering support
in the form of ‘yeah and words pulls on
the threat to business come on man my
plan said I had to get out and break
north while the final line seemingly
represents a successful escape the
chilling music video told a different
story now the teen says though I’m
telling you to come on
fifty-three brothers on a run a we owe
you wake up in moon number 8 Midnight
Special
traditional folk song hearing
while nobody knows the true origins of
this classic prison song of the American
South
it slowly seeped its way in pop culture
in the early 20th century lyrically
Midnight Special symbolizes an escape
from slavery or an undesirable life and
has evolved into numerous traditional
songs wait wait bend them all in get a
dingdong Lorraine come watch the tape
see the same damn thing and the classic
prison flick Cool Hand Luke Harry Dean
Stanton sings the tune while Paul Newman
learns the ways of his new lonely home
at midnight may not all be on one of the
most notable renditions of the song Bob
Dylan made his recording debut by
playing harmonica on Harry Belafonte’s
1962 version every Midnight Special
shine a civil of a lot on me
number seven fish in the jailhouse Tom
Waits
Peoria Jeff Oh Doug no Joe you like fish
and you like growling vocals then this
2006 bluesy number is the perfect
jailhouse jam as part of Tom Waits as
acclaimed album orphans brawlers ballers
and bastards fish in the jailhouse tells
the story of a man
eager to get his hand on the dinner time
special while the singer manages to
rhyme mudbank carp with Central Park the
lyrics consist mainly of the
hard-hitting refrain and how a single
fishbone could lead to freedom all right
they ain’t serving chicken they’re
serving fish in the jailhouse tonight
give me a nice neutral Oh Oh chicken no
see
number six mama tried Merle Haggard to
narita the farm boys nose wonderin where
the freight train goes this country
classic was released in the summer of 68
and was based on the singers own
experiences at California’s San Quentin
State Prison freight train leaving town
not knowing changed my mind
mama tried although Haggard was never
actually sentenced to life without
parole he penned the song as a tribute
to his mother and inspired a lifetime of
covers from contemporary country artists
as the perfect bad boy with a heart
anthem it reminds listeners that mothers
can only do so much just don’t
disappoint Big Mama
leaves only me to blame his mama tried
yeah what a fan of number 5 jailbreak
ac/dc
heart beats freedom spotlights this
closing number of a CDC’s iconic 1976
album dirty deeds done dirt cheap
produce one of the first music videos to
incorporate fake blood and explosions
and telling the story of a man unlucky
in love
after a 16-year sentence for murder the
subject looks for redemption as lead
singer Bon Scott brilliantly acts out
the scene in this video okay
he couldn’t act worth a lick but he
certainly couldn’t wail jailbreak isn’t
the hardest prison song ever
but the innovative music video was a
game changer
number four murder was the case Snoop
Dogg has a look up at the sky my mind
starts sniffing a tear drops my eye in
my late 1993 a young rapper from Long
Beach exploded on the scene with his
debut album doggy style which featured
this funky jailhouse joint
the song was released a year later as a
single alongside a short film of the
same name
snoop dogg’s lyrical content explores
the consequences of a gangland shooting
which not only put Snoop Dogg in a coma
but earns him a one-way ticket to the
slam he a red junkie with two braids in
my head as a hint of the symptom fake
murder was a case eerily mirrored
reality as Snoop was later charged with
murder
and ultimately found innocent hey shake
just in case the war popped off cuz you
can’t tell what’s next my little homie
baby will you set the fence going
tonight
let’s go dougie jailbreak number 3
jailbreak Thin Lizzy boys
the second song on our list entitled
jailbreak from the year 1976 these Irish
rockers describe an escape from prison
causing habit
tonight the zone
so don’t
with tough guy talk and heavy riffs then
Lizzie told a cryptic tale of the clink
along with their poignant advice to stay
clear when the shit hits the fan
today is all of it
jailbreaks has literally been covered by
almost every rock group in the universe
and remains a classic Kickstarter for
good times and weekend shenanigans
one threw a party in the county jail the
prison band was there they were getting
away man was jumping 90 jump again
number two
jailhouse rock Elvis Presley this 1957
classic coincided with the king of rock
and roll’s third feature film and has
become a beloved American treasure while
you won’t find inmates hosting dance
parties in most United States prisons
you might hear the line you’re the
cutest jailbird I ever did see
lyrically jailhouse rock is far from
sublime but the catchy bass line and
snarling vocals from Elvis assured in a
new musical flavor that inspired many
future legends of the time to shift and
he said Nix Nix
I’m gonna stick around I wanna get my
kid
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
that’s the sound of the men working on
the chain gang all day long the same
Oh
Oh
I spoke at the prison
yeah
number one Folsom Prison Blues Johnny
Cash I hear the train a-comin
it’s rolling around
sima sunshine around the same time the
charming Elvis Presley arrived on the
scene a gruff vocalist from Arkansas
released the ultimate prison song but
that train keeps rolling on down his
side and told by combining the
traditional lyrical themes of trains and
incarceration Johnny Cash injected his
own style based on his experience in the
US Army don’t ever play with guns but I
shot a man in Reno just to watch him the
iconic 1968 live version at Folsom
Prison features inmates cheering which
was actually a post-production trick
given the locked up audience feared
retribution for expressing their
approval but those people keep on moving
unless what’s orders me
authentic and timely Folsom Prison Blues
is the king of this WatchMojo Mountain
far from bulletproof
that’s where a wall Tuesday so do you
agree with our selections what is your
favorite prison song and I’d let that
lonesome whistle blow my blues away for
more mind-blowing top 10s published
daily be sure to subscribe to
watchmojo.com
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