Songs About Encounters With The Law

[Carl 22]

We recently posted Greg's interview with Biff Byford of Saxon, who talked about a song called "Strong Arm Of The Law," which is about one of their many run-ins with the local police.

Wondering if there are enough songs like this to form a category. Rock Stars and arrests are not uncommon. Rappers too - "99 Problems" by Jay-Z fits this category.

[Shackled77 0]

'I fought the Law & the Law won'

[Brad_M 3]

Carl,

Do you want songs that are completely about an encounter with the law...or any song, as long as there is a small part with an encounter with the law?

[Shawna 1]

Do they have to be true stories?

If not, here are a few that come immediately to mind...

"The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" Vicki Lawrence

"I Shot The Sheriff" ~ Eric Clapton

"Cop Car" ~ Keith Urban

"Americano!" ~ RCPM

"Ride Like the Wind" ~ Christopher Cross

[_Laurie_ 9]

We do have songs about people who committed crimes on Songfacts already...I was thinking Carl meant songs that the artists themselves experienced run ins with the law.

Alice's Restaurant Massacree ~ Arlo Guthrie

Mama Tried ~ Merle Haggard

Starkville City Jail ~ Johnny Cash

Truckin' ~ Grateful Dead

I'm sure there are quite a few country songs that would fit the category also...

[Brad_M 3]

"Riot Van" - Arctic Monkeys

"Mr. Policeman" - Brad Paisley

"Mr. Policeman" - Rick James

[edna 6]

"Jailhouse Rock" - Elvis

"Indiana Wants Me" - R.Dean Taylor

"Somewhere They Can't Find Me" - Simon & Garfunkel

"I Shot The Sheriff" - Bob Marley

[bluesboy 5]

"Hot Rod Lincoln" (1955) - Charlie Ryan & The Livingston Brothers

[miamisammy29 4]

"The Night Chicago Died" - Paper Lace

[miamisammy29 4]

...and my favorite song of all time...

"HAND OF FATE" - The Stones

[Northernpopquizzer 0]

Breaking The Law by Judas Priest

Poor Jenny by Everly Brothers

Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy

Over The Wall We Go by Ivor Bird

Shakedown by Bob Seger

[Steel2Velvet 0]

Seven Spanish Angels - Willie and Ray

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash

Bonnie & Clyde - Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames

[OLD 55 6]

Hi All. Couldn't resist this. I love "Themes/Topics". Here's a Baker's Dirty Dozen.

Bad Bad Leroy Brown Jim Croce

I Did What I Did For Maria Tony Christie

I Don't Like Mondays Boomtown Rats

In The Ghetto Elvis Presley

Ma Baker Boney M

Midnight Special Leadbelly, CCR, I prefer Johnny Rivers' version

Muddy Water Johnny Rivers

Rubber Bullets 10cc

Stagger Lee Lloyd Price

Tom Dooley Kingston Trio

The Wild Colonial Boy Dr.Hook

and 2 Australian songs I think you'd enjoy. Could someone please YouTube them for me ? I haven't been in here for so long I forget how.

Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands Delltones

On The Prowl Ol'55

Cheers All

[Brad_M 3]

...and 2 Australian songs I think you'd enjoy. Could someone please YouTube them for me ? I haven't been in here for so long I forget how.

Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands - The Delltones<> Get A Little Dirt On Your Hands - The Delltones

On The Prowl - Ol'55<> On The Prowl - Ol'55

Cheers All

I like 'em both. :sing1:

Good to see you stop by for a visit, Darryl.

[Carl 22]

Yes! These are great.

There will be some crossover in the category of "songs about people who committed crimes," but that one mostly deals with songs about real (often notorious) people.

[chutzpah 0]

Cocaine Blues- George Thorogood

[bluesboy 5]

Chain Gang - Sam Cooke

Whiskey In The Jar (Traditional)

Ol' Red - Blake Shelton

In The Jailhouse Now - Soggy Bottom Boys

Holloway Jail - The Kinks

Band On The Run - Paul McCartney & Wings

Take The Money And Run - The Steve Miller Band

El Paso - Marty Robbins

Police And Thieves - Junior Murvin

Officer Ray - Hoyt Axton

Tom Rushen Blues and High Sheriff Blues - Charlie Patton

White Lightning - George Jones

Sing Me Back Home - Merle Haggard

[Shawna 1]

"Bad Boys" (whatcha gonna do when they come for you?)

[bluesboy 5]

County Jail Blues - Big Maceo Merriweather (with Tampa Red)

Southern Justice - Travis Tritt

I Ain't Living Long Like This - Rodney Crowell

30 Days In The Hole - Humble Pie

Gee, Officer Krupke (from West Side Story) - music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Too Much Fun - Daryle Singletary

[_Laurie_ 9]

Tie A Yellow Ribbon ~ Tony Orlando & Dawn

[Zabadak 0]

"Quick Joey Small (Run Joey Run)" - Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus :rock:

[bluesboy 5]

Jolly Coppers On Parade - Randy Newman

Vigilante Man and Dead Or Alive - Woody Guthrie

Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock) and Burnin' and Lootin' - Bob Marley & The Wailers

Here Comes A Cop - David Peel and The Lower East Side Band

Copperhead Road - Steve Earle

[Brad_M 3]

Here Comes A Cop - David Peel and The Lower East Side Band

:guitar: :sing1:

[miamisammy29 4]

Did anyone say "I Shot The Sheriff"?

[bluesboy 5]

Bang! Bang!

Yes!