9 Songs You Love That Were Written Behind Bars
Some of the best songs ever recorded weren’t written in fancy studios or cozy apartments—they came straight out of jail cells. It turns out that a bit of time behind bars can lead to serious inspiration. Stories of heartache, regret, rebellion, and even redemption were born where freedom was a dream. Let’s find out which favorites came straight from the pen.
“Greystone Chapel” by Glen Sherley
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Glen Sherley, a prisoner at Folsom Prison, composed Greystone Chapel about the prison’s chapel where he found peace. The song caught Johnny Cash’s attention the night before his famous 1968 Folsom Prison concert. Cash included it in his setlist and gave Sherley a moment of unexpected fame. Sherley was later paroled, but his struggles continued.
“London Dungeon” by Misfits
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London Dungeon combined a Punk rock attitude with real-life trouble. Misfits frontman Glenn Danzig wrote the song after spending time in jail in England. The band got into a fight at a gig, and Danzig ended up behind bars. The song is a grim retelling of that experience, complete with the signature Misfits horror punk vibe.
“2000 Light Years From Home” by the Rolling Stones
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Mick Jagger wrote 2000 Light Years From Home while locked up. Jagger spent a brief but intense time in prison, and the isolation inspired this eerie track. The song, part of the Their Satanic Majesties Request album, drifts into psychedelic territory, filled with spacey sounds and a sense of detachment.
“Ambitionz az a Ridah” by 2Pac
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Sitting in a cell didn’t slow Tupac Shakur’s creative energy. In 1995, he wrote Ambitionz az a Ridah while serving time. The song is pure, untamed confidence. Pac raps about his rise, his enemies, and his unstoppable drive. Suge Knight posted his bail, and he was in the studio recording it within hours.
“Just Walkin’ in the Rain” by the Prisonaires
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Few bands can say they were formed entirely behind bars. The Prisonaires, a group of inmates at Tennessee State Penitentiary, recorded Just Walkin’ in the Rain in 1953. The song isn’t about crime or regret but lost love. The track became a hit and mainstream success when Johnnie Ray covered it.
“Sacred Love” by Bad Brains
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While locked up, H.R.–the lead singer of Bad Brains–recorded his vocals for Sacred Love over a prison phone. The result was a raw, distorted sound that only added to the song’s intensity. Its reggae-punk fusion with an edge is proof that nothing, not even bars, could silence his voice.
“Weighted Down” by Skip Spence
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Skip Spence was once part of Jefferson Airplane and Moby Grape, but his solo album Oar took a much darker turn. Weighted Down was written while he was institutionalized. It sounded haunting, slow, and filled with despair. Unlike rebellious prison anthems, this one feels deeply personal, like a quiet cry from someone struggling.
“Phone Tap” by Prodigy
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Prodigy contributed to Phone Tap by literally rapping over the phone while locked up on a weapons charge. This resulted in an eerie, lo-fi track that perfectly fits its surveillance and street paranoia theme.
“C’est La Vie” by Kammar Henry-Richards (Kay-O)
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Prison-made music isn’t just a thing of the past. Kay-O, a UK drill rapper, recorded C’est La Vie while incarcerated, using whatever limited resources were available. His lyrics reflect his reality—life behind bars, ambition, and the struggles that got him there. Drill music thrives on authenticity, and few things are more authentic than rapping from a prison cell.
“Hliðskjálf” by Burzum
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Black metal artist Varg Vikernes recorded Hliðskjálf–an entirely ambient album–while serving time. Gone were the guitars and blast beats—this was cold, atmospheric music. He created it using whatever synths he could access. It’s unsettling and detached and fits right in with the legend of Burzum.
“Angel is the Devil” by Steve Earle
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Steve Earle has lived a life worthy of country songs, including time behind bars. He wrote Angel is the Devil, a song reflecting addiction, struggle, and regret. Unlike some romanticized outlaw songs, this one is brutally honest. It doesn’t glamorize anything—it just tells it like it is.
“No Particular Place to Go” by Chuck Berry
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Berry wrote and recorded this hit while serving time for violating the Mann Act. Despite its lighthearted lyrics about a car ride gone wrong, the reality behind it wasn’t so fun. He had been arrested and convicted under controversial circumstances. Still, his signature guitar work and storytelling made the song a classic.
“Parchman Farm Blues” by Bukka White
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Blues legend Bukka White created Parchman Farm Blues while he was locked up at Mississippi’s infamous Parchman Farm penitentiary. The song tells the brutal reality of inmates laboring under harsh conditions. It’s raw, heartfelt, and a chilling reminder of a past that wasn’t so long ago.
“I’ve Grown So Ugly” by Robert Pete William
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Bluesman Robert Pete Williams wrote I’ve Grown So Ugly while serving time in Louisiana. The song is about looking in the mirror and realizing how much time has passed. His voice carries the weight of experience, and the stripped-down blues arrangement makes it even more powerful.
“Back Home in Derry” By Bobby Sands
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Bobby Sands was an IRA member and a political prisoner. Back Home in Derry was written while he was imprisoned and later turned into a folk song by Christy Moore. The lyrics tell the story of Irish prisoners exiled to Australia and mirrored Sands’ situation. He died on a hunger strike, but his words lived on through music.