Between the Bars: 20 Great Songs About Prison
From Snoop’s murder case to Thin Lizzy’s escape and Johnny Cash’s blues


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The trials and tribulations of prison life have long been a fascination to musicians outside of the penitentiary walls. Whether it’s Johnny Cash shooting a man in Reno or Public Enemy looking for the fence, the fear of incarceration has haunted countless artists — but it also inspired them to write some killer songs.
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. From “Jailhouse Rock” and “Jailbreak,” here are 20 of the biggest songs about the big house.