41 Best Jail & Prison Songs – Jail & Prison in the Song Title
When a person is in jail, they are in a place of confinement convicted of or accused of a crime. When a person is in prison, they are in a building in which they are legally held as a punishment for a crime they have committed or while awaiting trial.
The difference between a jail and a prison is that jail is more local – city or county.
Prisons are under the jurisdiction of the state or federal government and are typically where people are confined when convicted. Whether or not you like the below list or not, we cannot be convicted of a crime but we can be held to your standard.
Spotify Jail & Prison Playlist
Top 20 Trending Jail and Prison Songs
- “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley (Rock – 1957)
- “Jail” by Kanye West (Hip Hop – 2021)
- “I’d Go To Jail” by Dean Brody (Country – 2020)
- “A Week In A County Jail” by Tom T. Hall (Country – 1969)
- “Jailbird” by SHELLS (Alternative – 2016)
- “County Jail” by Nipsey Hustle (Hip Hop – 2016)
- “Jail” by Toriles (Electronic – 2022)
- “Put Me In Jail” by Sunny & The Sunliners (R&B – 1997)
- “Mexican Jail” by The 615 House, Cooper Alan, Trey Lewis, Thomas Mac (Country – 2023)
- “25 In Jail Unplugged” by Jacob Bryant (Country- 2017)
- “Prisoner” by Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa (Pop – 2020)
- “Prison” by ADMT (Pop – 2021)
- “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash (Country – 1955)
- “Prisoner Of Love” by James Brown & The Famous Flames (R&B – 1963)
- “Prison Song” by System Of A Down (Rock – 2001)
- “Mind Is A Prison” by Alec Benjamin (Pop – 2020)
- “My Own Prison” by Creed (Rock – 1997)
- “Prison Song” by Carlton Williams (Soundtrack – 1978)
- “Prisoner” by The Weeknd, Lana Del Rey (R&B – 2015)
- “PRISON” by DAMAG3, Gao the Arsonist (Hip Hop – 2022)
Popular Songs about Jail and Prison
Mind Is A Prison – Alec Benjamin
Released in 2019 on the album Mind Is A Prison
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
And they put me back in my cell, all by myself
Alone with my thoughts again
Guess my mind is a prison, and I’m never gonna get out
Prison – Wage War
Released in 2019 on the album Pressure
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
It’s hard not to give up when you go through hell
I’m trapped in my skin
This is my prison
Way Too Pretty for Prison – Miranda Lambert with Maren Morris
Released in 2019 on the album Wildcard
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
And I don’t want to talk about
The way those jumpsuits wash us out
We’re way too pretty for prison
Stay Outta Jail – DW Flame
Released in 2019 on the album Stay Outta Jail
A Cell Divides – Haken
Released in 2018 on the album Vector
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
A horrifying violation
Of a human form
A cell divides and multiplies
Next, read songs containing lock in the lyrics.
25 in Jail (Unplugged) – Jacob Bryant
Released in 2017 on the album Jacob Bryant Unplugged, Vol. 2
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Momma tried to raise me better and I guess she didn’t fail
‘Cause I didn’t turn 21 in prison, I turned 25 in jail
Christmas in Jail – Asleep at the Wheel
Released in 2016 on the album Lone Star Christmas Night
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Christmas in jail, Christmas in jail
I wore my shoes out walking the floor
Got rocks in my head, I wish I was dead
Jail – Tara Thompson
Released in 2016 on the album Someone To Take Your Place EP
Prison of Decision – Drehz
Released in 2012 on the album Filters
(Instrumental)
Jailhouse Rock (Live) – ZZ Top
Released in 2006 on the album Fandango!
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Everybody, let’s rock
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin’ to the jailhouse rockin
Not Even Jail – Interpol
Released in 2004 on the album Antics
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Give some meanings to the means
To your end
Not even jail
You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison – My Chemical Romance
Released in 2004 on the album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Too much, too late
Or just not enough of this
Pain in my heart for your dying wish
I’ll kiss your lips again
Cell Block Tango – Catherine Zeta-Jones; Susan Misner; Deidre Goodwin; Denise Faye; Ekaterina Chtchelkanova; Mýa Harrison; Taye Diggs
Released in 2002 on the album Chicago Soundtrack
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
And now, the six merry murderesses of the Cook County Jail
In their rendition of the Cell Block Tango
Dead Jail or Rock n’ Roll – Warrant
Released in 2001 on the album Under the Influence
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
In death I might find
True peace of mind
But while I’m alive
Free choice is mine
It’s either: Dead, Jail or Rock’n’Roll
Prison Song – System Of A Down
Released in 2001 on the album Toxicity
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
They’re trying to build a prison
(For you and me to live in)
Another prison system
Birmingham Jail – Long John Baldry
Released in 2001 on the album Remembering Leadbelly
Check out songs with pain in the title.
My Own Prison – Creed
Released in 1998 on the album My Own Prison
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
I cry out to God, seeking only His decision
Gabriel stand and confirms, I’ve created my own prison
Cell Therapy – Goodie Mob
Released in 1995 on the album Soul Food
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
I want outta this hold I’m in a cell
Under attack loc up folks they in the hood
Got an eye on every move I make
Jail – Down
Released in 1995 on the album Nola
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
One day you’ll find me in the corner
More sublime
But I still never died before
Freeway Time In LA County Jail – Sublime
Released in 1994 on the album Robbin’ The Hood
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
And a angry dog is a hungry dog
And a hungry dog is a angry dog
I feel like rocking, I wanna with you
Prison Sex – TOOL
Released in 1993 on the album Undertow
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Have you witnessed
Blood and flesh can’t be trusted?
And only this one holy medium brings me peace of mind
Dead, Jail Or Rock ‘N’ Roll – Michael Monroe
Released in 1989 on the album Not Fakin’ It
Punk
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
But while I’m alive
Free choice is mine
It’s either: Dead, Jail or Rock ‘n’ Roll
Jailbreak – AC/DC
Released in 1984 on the album ’74 Jailbreak
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Let me out of here
(Jailbreak) 16 years, oh, whoo
(Jailbreak) Had more than I can take
Teenage Jail – Eagles
Released in 1979 on the album The Long Run
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
So young and so vicious and so frail
Where something is always for sale
You’re lost in a teenage jail
One Chain (Don’t Make No Prison) – Santana
Released in 1978 on the album Inner Secrets
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Oh, one chain don’t make no prison
Two wrongs don’t make no right
One rain don’t make no river
Jail Guitar Doors – The Clash
Released in 1977 on the album Sound System
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Jail guitar doors
Fifty four/forty six was my number
Jail guitar doors
Right now someone else has that number
Jailbreak – Thin Lizzy
Released in 1976 on the album Jailbreak
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Tonight there’s gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in the town
Tonight there’s gonna be a jailbreak
So don’t you be around
Listen to songs containing pardon in the lyrics.
County Jail Blues – Eric Clapton
Released in 1976 on the album Eric Clapton Blues
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Put me in the county jail
They wouldn’t let my woman
Come and post my bail
Prison Trilogy (Billy Rose) – Joan Baez
Released in 1972 on the album Come from the Shadows
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Come and lay, help us lay
Young Luna down
And we’re gonna raze, raze the prisons
To the ground
Holloway Jail – The Kinks
Released in 1971 on the album Muswell Hillbillies
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
She never sees the day
She wastes her life away
Sitting in that prison cell
I’d Rather Go to Jail – Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels
Released in 1967 on the album Sock It To Me!
The Tijuana Jail – The Kingston Trio
Released in 1959 on the album The Tijuana Jail
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
So, here we are in the Tijuana jail. Ain’t got no friends to go our bail.
So, here we’ll stay ’cause we can’t pay. Just send our mail to the Tijuana jail.
Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley
Released in 1957 on the album Jailhouse Rock
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Everybody, let’s rock
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock
Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash
Released in 1955 on the album Folsom Prison Blues
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Well, if they freed me from this prison, if that railroad train was mine
I bet I’d move it on a little farther down the line
Far from Folsom prison, that’s where I want to stay
Put in your earbuds and play the biggest hits about a place.
In the Jailhouse Now – Jimmie Rodgers
Released in 1928 in Camden, New Jersey
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
He’s in the jailhouse now, he’s in the jailhouse now
I told him once or twice
To quit playing cards and shooting dice
Now that you have had a chance to digest our list of jail songs and prison songs, what do you think? Are there any of your songs that should be on the list? If so, be sure to comment on the song(s) below so that we can add the song. Please, stay out of prison and enjoy your freedom – like looking at all of the playlists we have accumulated since 2003.
Songs That Would Land You In Jail If Acted Out
When at a wedding, there are certain things that a person should not do. A person’s choices could put them in jail if acted out at a wedding. Yes, some songs should not be taken literally. Just as you cannot believe everything you read on the Internet, you should not do everything sung in a song.
I Touch Myself by the Divinyls
There should not be any inappropriate touching of yourself at a wedding. This would be considered lewd conduct which is a misdemeanor.
Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benetar
There should not be any physical punching of other people at a wedding. This is called assault and battery. Assault is the threat of physical violence. Battery is the actual physical violence. This would land you in jail!
Why Don’t We Get Drunk by Jimmy Buffet
By the title, you may be thinking that it is ok to be drunk and not go to jail. However, the next verse in the song is “and screw”. If having sex in public, you could be arrested for indecent exposure and disturbing the peace.
Fight For Your Right (To Party) by The Beastie Boys
As stated above, any physical violence would be considered battery. In addition, you would also be charged with disturbing the peace – particularly all the wedding guests including the bride and groom.
Been Caught Stealing – Jane’s Addiction
One positive way to end up in jail is to steal wedding gifts and/or money card boxes. If you are caught stealing anything at a wedding, you will also have to worry about all of the family members attacking you as all against one.
I Want A New Drug by Huey Lewis and the News
The song speaks of a person who needs a new drug. Well, the Police do not like persons in possession of illegal drugs. In addition, the Police also don’t like people who sell drugs.
As a result, it is not always a good idea to take wedding songs literally. Please do not act out songs that would land you in jail at weddings.
Don’t Land In Jail At A Wedding!
I love your list! BBC Radio 5 Live does a Midnight Mixtape session – it’s Colin Murray’s show every Thursday night into Friday morning. Tonight, Jan 14, is a Jailhouse theme, so I had a look through this list & got a couple of ideas. Tonight Nick Bright is standing in for Colin with DJ Spoonie as the guest, so it’s a great show!
Many thanks
Ruth in Cumbria
Thanks Ruth for stopping by. Glad you liked our list of songs!