Even if you haven't done time behind bars, you can probably identify with the feelings of being a prisoner. In varying degrees, his memory is woven throughout the music of artists such as Kendrick Lamar (Blacker the Berry), Chaka Khan (Super Life) and Floridian rapper Plies, who in We Are Trayvon praises Martin's love of American football, envisaging the teenager "with a solid gold football" and tells him he will forever live on. That narrowed me down quite a bit. "We need prisons because there are some hardcore criminals, but I never met a guy who has been in jail that came out with a smile on his face thinking, 'Right, that's it - now I am going to be good!'" FlourishAnyway believes there is a playlist for just about any situation and is on a mission to unite and entertain the world through song. Gypsy Rose Lee from Daytona Beach, Florida on July 27, 2017: Another interesting theme and a great and informative hub. Oh, well! Thanks for the heads up. Everyone's probably been a prisoner of something in their lives—whether love, money, addiction, their lifestyle, or poor choices. The narrator in this 1991 song is a career criminal and convicted killer. FlourishAnyway (author) from USA on July 25, 2017: MsDora - She was apparently very, very unorganized and just procrastinated way too long on paying income taxes on $1.8 million from 2005-07. Your list of music artists who have been to prison (real crimes, not just protesting) shows why there are so many songs about prison. This song above is the acoustic version of one of his biggest hits about a man plagued by trouble and how he gets out of it by being saved by the love from a woman. One of my favorites has always been the song Indiana Wants Me. Bessie Smith, “Send Me To The ’Lectric Chair” Murder ballads have a long and hallowed history in music, as do tunes that dwell on various aspects of crime and punishment. To me, it seems a little late to be asking those questions though. The reference to prison romance was inadvertently overlooked by the censors as well as many listeners at the time: Number forty seven said to number three "Well, you're the cutest jailbird I ever did see I sure would be delighted with your company Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me.". He's learning about behavior and consequences the hard way. I had it initially in the first slot, but since it was love-themed I slipped it down in the list a bit. According to this 2001 hard rock song, the War on Drugs has failed. I enjoyed some of them previously also but didn't categorize like this. Want more Rolling Stone? The lyrics cast doubt on the reliability of the witnesses, one of which was himself a petty criminal, causing lawyers to fear libel charges. He is thirsty and thinks about how much he wishes he could be with his sweetheart. Markham bends his gruff, avuncular flow to a rambling story that’s part mock trial, part comedy sketch, and part drunken dance party—and the verdict is pure funk. * Itsumo Nando Demo (Always with Me) by Yumi Kimura. The conditions in those prisons sound awful. 9. Love is probably the number one topic for songwriting, but interestingly enough, crime is probably number two. Thanks for stopping by! I added it at #35. She's already over you. Thanks for the entertainment and the message there to people. The single’s flip-side sports a spoken-word skit (recorded on Rowan And Martin’s Laugh-In) titled “The Trial” that drives home Markham’s raw, racy idea of gin-soaked justice. Needless to say, there was no escape. In 2013, Zimmerman was found not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Prince Buster, “Judge Dread”Ska grandfather Prince Buster sang lots of songs about dancing, social consciousness, and sex (or a combination thereof). Just realized that the song I suggested here would also fall under your funny country songs list. From “Jailhouse Rock” and “Jailbreak,” here are 20 of the biggest songs about the big house. The officers who had been present during Stewart's arrest and custody were accused of negligent homicide and perjury between them, but were acquitted of all charges. Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on July 26, 2017: I agree very much that prison can be a state of mind as well as a place. BBC News - 'Hurricane' Carter "an inspiration" for wrongly convicted, [LISTEN] BBC 6 Music - Steve Lamacq looks back at Nirvana's Nevermind, 25 years on. Witnesses identified the shooters as two black men, and the similarity between the getaway car and one owned by the middleweight boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, as well as his possession of similar ammunition to that used in the shooting, led to him and his friend John Artis being accused of the murder. Linda Lum from Washington State, USA on July 25, 2017: Shannon Henry from Texas on July 25, 2017: Nice list. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), at least half of American prisoners have mental health concerns, with up to 25% suffering serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia or major affective disorders. As well as performing at Carter's prison, Dylan put together two benefit concerts to raise money for the defence at his 1976 retrial. Do you consider "I Don't Look Good in Stripes" by Brandy Clark a song about going to jail since it's more a song about her reasons for not committing the crime? 8. Pluto Shervington, “Your Honour”Pluto Shervington’s lovers-rock style of reggae took a humorously tragic turn with 1982’s “Your Honour.” Buoyed by a breezy calypso sway, the song is a convoluted courtroom confessional in which Shervington begins pleading his innocence—before completely implicating himself in the crime of cuckoldry. It's on there as #7. claudioscott via Pixabay, Free Domain, modified by FlourishAnyway. Fortunately for the rest of us, we can experience being behind bars vicariously thanks to television shows like Orange Is the New Black and Oz, films like The Shawshank Redemption, and the songs included here. George Michaels served four weeks in prison for DUI, Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder spent the night in jail for public drunkenness and disturbing the peace, Johnny Cash served a three day suspended sentence for drug possession after returning from a trip from Mexico as a young man, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong served eight days in jail for a DUI convinction. It passed quietly last summer and has climbed from there. Murder, Prison And Running From The Law: 10 Songs About Committing A Crime. Gaining more steam during Soviet times. Dance music is full of reflective music about coming of age.