Roots Archives Forum

Hello everyone, First time poster but long timer user of this great site. Ive been taking a bit of interest in Reggae tunes about prison. Some that I know include some Gregory Isaacs tunes: G.P., Out Deh, Jailor; Dennis Brown's brilliant Three Meals a Day and Black Uhuru's General Penetentiary. They are all great tracks.
Can anyone add any more that I might not have heard.

Thanks

Toots & The Maytals "54-46 Was My Number" is an obvious one.

You should try a few likely searches right here on Reggae Archives, here is what you get simply by searching for "Jail".

http://www.roots-archives.com/search/?q ... &mode=song

Earl Cunningham - Jailhouse

Patrick Andy - Life in Jailhouse No Nice


Two wicked chunes on the subject backed by the Roots Radics.

Coco Tea-Rykers Island If memory serves is on Rocking Dolly)

- Let him go - The wailers
- Devon Russel - Prison Life
- Junior Reid - Jailhouse
- Junior Reid - Gun Court
- Michael Rose - Jailhouse Call
- Tapper Zukie - Jailhouse Rock
- Barrington Levy - Prison Oval Rock
- Nicodemus - Life In a Jailhouse
- Vivian Jones - Jailhouse
- Ranking Joe - Gun Court
- Fred Locks - Gun Court Affair
- Pablo Gad - Jailhouse Pressure
- John Wayne - Jailhouse
- Israel Vibration - Jailhouse Rocking
- Clarendonians - Rudie Gone a Jail
- Tonto Irie - Jail Life
- Sugar Minott - Cell Block One
- Jah Cure - True Reflections
...

Mighty Diamonds - Jailhouse
Sugar Minott - Cell Block One
Earl Zero - Shackles and chains
Lee Perry - Captive
Joe Gibbs & Professionals - Behind Iron Bars

sisaket wrote:Coco Tea-Rykers Island If memory serves is on Rocking Dolly)

It's actually a re-lick of The Heptone's "Get In The Groove" riddim, not "Rocking Dolly".

"Judge Dread Rock Steady" with Prince Buster is not about prison directly, but all the Judge Dread-themed songs are pretty cool. It also has the tune "Ghost Dance" which is an absolute killer

Thanks for your replies.
I will get busy checking them out. Also,how could I have forgotten 54 46 ?

Nice list. Somewhat related, I wrote a tune about a man who's currently serving a life sentence. Different kind of reggae style, just posted it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjpERqGp ... re=related