Prison music

[Orson]

It doesn't really matter what your opinion of those bands is in the context of their appearance in my life. If someone told me that the most influential song in their life in terms of getting them interested in music, learning an instrument and recording was "Mr Blobby," I might laugh and doubt their sanity but beyond that, my thoughts would be irrelevant.

Calm down. I was talking in a musical context. Same as the Beatles albums.

I had an older sister, so grew up with the 60's bands in my ears including the Beatles. But it wasn't until I think 1973-74ish that I had heard all those Beatles tracks on one or two albums and it was very impressive. Even more so with the kind of music which was around towards the mid 1970's

 

[TAE]

I'm really surprised nobody these great songs,

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis
Chain Gang - Sam Cooke
Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy
Tie a Yellow Ribbon - Dawn
I fought the Law and the Law Run - The Clash
Rubber Bullets - 10CC
Band on the Run - Paul McCartney and Wings
Cell Block Tango - Chicago

I did leave it a while before submitting these, to give sensible people time

Ahemmmmm I got Johnny in my list...some good stuff you pointed out there though

 

[Mick Doobie]

Sing Me Back Home, Branded Man, Mama Tried, I'm A Lonesome Fugitive........surely Merle Haggard has got to make somebody's list?

 

[grimtraveller]

Calm down

Calm down ?
CALM DOWN ?
WHO ARE YOU TELLING TO CALM DOWN ? I'M ON A 5 YEAR JAIL TERM FOR A CRIME I DID COMMIT !!

 

[grimtraveller]

 

[grimtraveller]

surely Merle Haggard has got to make somebody's list?

Why ?

 

[Mick Doobie]

Why ?

Is that a real question, are you genuinely curious?

Are you familiar with Merle Haggard? Are you familiar with any of the songs I mentioned? If yes, then I would think it would be obvious "why?".

Have a listen. Then if you ask me why I can better assess if you're just trolling. :stupid laughing emoticon:

 

[TalismanRich]

I was never a fan of old country music. Merle, Buck, Johnny, Hank and Ernest aren't even in my record collection.

 

[CrowsofFritz]

I like Johnny Cash, but the only country music I like is the OLD country music, like the Carter Family. I live in the birthplace of country music, so it’s almost required I listen to them.

 

[TAE]

I recently watched I walk the line...Johnny was a bad ass....and June Carter amazing..... I was lucky enough to go see her in a surprise performance with Waylon Jennings....I was not into country but a good buddy insisted we go to the concert and I finally got countryfied...Waylon was a cool cat...and June Carter ...wow!

 

[Mick Doobie]

I've seen Waylon live. He was cool as shit, real, genuine, manish. Comparatively speaking, he made a lot of rock-n-rollers look like a bunch of children throwing a temper tantrum. I'm not sure you want to influence that kind of inner angst and tantrums on a bunch guys locked up shoulder to shoulder behind bars.

Personally, I can appreciate all kinds of music....not all of all, of course....but all genres have something of value to offer, imho.

Merle Haggard actually spent time in San Quentin prison. I could be wrong, but while being an inmate I think he saw one of Johnny Cash's performances when Johnny played San Quentin. Sing Me Back Home is in part about a prisoner on death row taking that final walk and requesting of the warden to allow one of the other inmates ("guitar playing friend") play a final request. Mama Tried is about a guy who, despite his mama's efforts, took the bad road from hopping trains to "I turned 21 in prison doing life without parole". Branded Man was probably pretty heart felt, following Merle's release from prison, out of fear he would be a "branded man out in the cold" he tried as long as he could to keep his time behind bars a secret. Unlike the fore mentioned he didn't write it, Lonesome Fugitive is kind of a personal favorite. It's about a guy who has 2 choices, "outrun the law or spend my life in jail". "I raised a lot of cain back in my younger days, while Mama used to pray my crops would fail",....simple, (somewhat biblical), good lyrics. ymmv

That's "why" I thought it maybe a little unusual nobody had yet mentioned Merle Haggard to be on their prison playlist.

 

[fuzzsniffvoyage]

I'll be cheating a tad bit with live albums, Greatest Hits and movie sound tracks.
Rush: All the Worlds a Stage
Rush: Exit Stage Left.
Forrest Gump sound track
Metallica: Live Shit: Binge & Purge
Bob Marley: Legend
Soul Ville: Stax Records
Slayer: Soundtrack to the Apocalypse
Judas Priest: Sad Wings of Destiny
Prong: Cleansing
Prong: X-No Absolutes
Prong: Zero Days
Prong: Age of Defiance
Testament: Titans of Creation
Suicidal Tendencies: Light, Camera, Revolution
The Ramones: Hey! Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology

 

[rob aylestone]

Actually, age really changes your musical tastes. In the 70s I followed Alan
Parsons and he was the only constant in my musical tastes. The others have all ebbed in and out, and I’ve Re found most of my 70s 80s 90s likes and deleted the playlist now.maybe over the years I just heard only what I liked? So I keep finding new, but old stuff and that’s good and entertaining. The very first list here had lots I have never, ever, heard. Or even heard of!

 

[grimtraveller]

Is that a real question, are you genuinely curious?

It was a real question and I am genuinely curious as to why anyone should think that any particular artist must make someone else's list just because they happen to like that artist.

Are you familiar with Merle Haggard? Are you familiar with any of the songs I mentioned? If yes, then I would think it would be obvious "why?"

I'm not familiar with Merle or any of his songs although I've heard the name for years. I didn't even know he was a bloke. All the Merles I know have been female.

Have a listen. Then if you ask me why I can better assess if you're just trolling

It was a philosophical question not a musical one.
As for trolling, I don't think I've ever trolled in my existence thus far. It's not my style.

I remember many years ago, reading a quote by Ray Davies of the Kinks in which he said he liked going through peoples' record collections. He felt you could tell a lot about a person by their record collection. The jury's out for me on that one {sometimes there's truth to that, sometimes there isn't} but I am interested in peoples' musical tastes, the kinds of music, artists, albums, songs and genres they like. Sometimes, it gives me pause and causes me to ask myself if I've been judgemental about a person. Not necessarily in a negative way, often unconsciously presumptuous. For example, seeing "Legend" by Bob Marley in Fuzzsniffvoyage's list intrigued me. Why it should, I don't know, but it did.
On the other hand, when Rob said

I'm really surprised nobody these great songs,

Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
Jailhouse Rock - Elvis
Chain Gang - Sam Cooke
Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy
Tie a Yellow Ribbon - Dawn
I fought the Law and the Law Run - The Clash
Rubber Bullets - 10CC
Band on the Run - Paul McCartney and Wings
Cell Block Tango - Chicago

I did leave it a while before submitting these, to give sensible people time

I took it as him being tongue in cheek.
I also find it interesting when people whose life experiences are totally different to mine like the same artists or albums or songs or sports or TV shows or films or books etc. Perhaps even more so when we've had disagreements on other topics.
Back in the day, I used to be amused by the fact that Osama Bin Laden used to support Arsenal football club and liked watching them because I used to watch them too {even though I most definitely was not a supporter}, possibly at the same time.

 

[Mick Doobie]

lol

Relax, man, I never said anyone "must" do anything. Philosophically, it should now be apparent why I mentioned Merle Haggard. Yeah?

Rhetorical question.

 

[Mick Doobie]

I don't have a list, but if I did it would probably include The Best of Henry Mancini,.....just to occasionally mess with the guard's heads by playing the theme from The Pink Panther.

 

[grimtraveller]

Actually, age really changes your musical tastes. In the 70s I followed Alan
Parsons and he was the only constant in my musical tastes. The others have all ebbed in and out

I wonder to what extent age does actually change one's tastes. I still listen to all the music I was listening to when I was 8, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 28 and beyond. In fact for me, the rarity has been the artist that I've ever listened to that I don't listen to now. There might be one or two but I can't think of any off the top of my head.

 

[grimtraveller]

Relax, man,

I'm often amused when I ask a question or make a comment and someone says "relax,", "chill,", "calm down," or some such epithet.
Now, Rudy Giuliani, he could do with that advice if some of his press conferences last November were anything to go by.

I never said anyone "must" do anything.

"Surely...has got to"....."must" ~ potato potarto

Philosophically, it should now be apparent why I mentioned Merle Haggard. Yeah?

Yeah. You dig his music and hold him in high esteem. And that's valid.

I don't have a list, but if I did it would probably include The Best of Henry Mancini,.....just to occasionally mess with the guard's heads by playing the theme from The Pink Panther.

If I had a list Henry wouldn't be on it but I absolutely adore the theme from the Pink Panther. It' s such a great piece of music. I also used to love the incidental pieces during the cartoon that were based on it and went off in different directions.

Would any of them be home recorded ones ?

To take that one stage further, would any of them be yours ? No one else might dig'em but I'd definitely have a compilation of my own stuff.

 

[Orson]

I wonder to what extent age does actually change one's tastes. I still listen to all the music I was listening to when I was 8, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 20, 21, 23, 28 and beyond. In fact for me, the rarity has been the artist that I've ever listened to that I don't listen to now. There might be one or two but I can't think of any off the top of my head.

In the 80's I couldn't stand any of the electro-pop music. But now I like some of it. Some of the stuff I liked in the 70's although it's still there and I don't dislike it, I never ever revisit it anymore.

1990's to 2010ish yes. 1960's yes. But 1950's no. Just do not like the 'rock n roll' stuff

But I grew up (parents) listening to 'Glen Miller' and musicals like 'The South Pacific' even crooner groups like 'The Inkspots' and dont mind them at all.

 

[CrowsofFritz]

Yeah. You dig his music and hold him in high esteem. And that's valid.

I think Mick was alluding the idea that Haggards songs are about being in prison instead of just holding him in high esteem.