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Songs about jail are all over popular music, from Johnny Cash to Bob Dylan to Jay Z. Songs written while the artist was actually in the slammer are much rarer.
Unfortunately, bad decisions and musicians go together like millennials and avocados. So it’s no wonder these musicians and songwriters spent the occasional night (or year) behind bars. Thankfully, that didn’t slow down their musical output.
Some artists refused to let a little time served stifle their creativity. Here are seven songs written during incarceration.
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7 Slammer Songs
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Burzum: 'Hliðskjálf'
Serving time for the vicious murder of a fellow death metal musician, Varg Vikernes (aka Burzum) released two albums while in prison. Guards did not allow him access to guitars or drums, so he used instrumentals.
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Prodigy: 'Phone Tap'
Prodigy, one part of Mobb Deep, was arrested for possessing an illegal weapon and spent three years in prison. "Phone Tap" features vocals he recorded over a jail phone, with the beat added later.
Photo: Jason Kempin/WireImage (Getty Images)
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The Prisonaires: 'Just Walkin' in the Rain'
The Prisonaires, as their name implied, were a group formed in the Tennessee State Penitentiary in the 1950s. Their song "Just Walkin' in the Rain" was recorded after the group was given a day pass from prison.
Photo: Robert W. Kelley/The LIFE Picture Collection (Getty Images)
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Steve Earle: 'Angel is the Devil'
Steve Earle was arrested for narcotics possession in 1993 and 1994. While incarcerated, he penned "Angel is the Devil" as part of Train a Comin' which ended up landing him a Grammy nomination.
Photo: Mark Horton (Getty Images)
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Bad Brains: 'Sacred Love'
Hardcore punk pioneers, Bad Brains were no strangers to controversy. When lead singer H.R. was arrested in 1986 on marijuana charges, it didn't stop them from recording "Sacred Love" by having him sing vocals via a collect call from jail.
Photo: Steve Eichner/WireImage (Getty Images)
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Chuck Berry: 'No Particular Place To Go'
Guitar legend Chuck Berry had a few run-ins with law enforcement, including armed robbery. It was during one of these arrests in 1959 that he penned this classic that was released when he got out of prison in 1963.
Photo: Michael Ochs Archives (Getty Images)
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Tupac Shakur: 'All Eyez On Me'
Tupac Shakur is known as one of hip-hop's most influential stars, but his life wasn't without controversy. Sentenced to prison for four years for rape, Tupac penned the lyrics to this song from his critically acclaimed album of the same name.
Photo: Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives (Getty Images)
