Incarceration is a frequent theme in American roots music. There is plenty of songs about hideous crimes, boastful escapes, self-pity, and remorseful pleading for a second chance in exchange for XYZ. Especially in old-time and early country music, we find good examples of the jail theme. One might think the motif may have been derived from pieces from the Anglo-Celtic tradition. Indeed, songs about murder, theft, and other sinful deeds are frequent in the British songbook, yet, jail, as a metaphor or as a place of self-reflection and transformation, is an American specialty: In the Land of the Free and the Home of the Evangelically Oppressed, incarceration serves as a mirror of the self. Jail is an implicitness, like death, heaven and hell. With ‘Destination Jail, Bear Family Records offers a hodgepodge of hillbilly and rock & roll obscurities and classics dealing with life behind bars. The songs feature all the various elements of the US detention system: prison – county farm, prison, and penitentiary. Among the better-known highlights, we find The Hanging Tree by Marty Robbins, Ronnie Hawkins’ tragical ballad about the “red light bandit” Caryl Chessman, One Dead Man Ago by honky tonk pioneer Jimmie Skinner, and the passionate Midnight Train by the Johnny Burnette Trio. Top tunes of the obscure portion of the sampled goodies are Benny Hess’ morbid Walking the Last Mile, Helen Grayco’s haunting Lilly’s Lament (Cell 29), and the amazing Shot Four Times and Dying by Bill Carter. In between, Bear Family Records® offers many goodies by Skeets McDonald, Stonewall Jackson, Webb Pierce, Bobby Darin, and many more – and no Johnny Cash (yet his spirit is evoked by several tracks on the CD). Bear Family Records ‘Destination Jail’ is an exciting and wallet-friendly introduction to the gangsta tunes of rockabilly and classic country. 1. Billy Tidwell & the Chivells – Folsom Prison Blues 2. Webb Pierce – In the Jailhouse Now 3. Rod Morris – Alabama Jailhouse 4. Bill Carter – Shot Four Times and Dyin 5. Ronnie Hawkins – the Ballad of Caryl Chessman 6. Jim Carter – Jailer, Jailer 7. The Pierce Brothers – Death Row 8. Gary Williams – Walla Walla State Prison 9. The Johnny Burnette Trio – Midnight Train 10. Helen Grayco – Lillys Lament (Cell 29) 11. Jaycee Hill – Crash Out 12. Sonny Burgess – Prisoners Song (Alt. 2) 13. Troy Crane & the Three Texans – Huntsville Prison Blues 14. Skeets McDonald – Fort Worth Jail 15. Curley Money – Chain Gang Charlie 16. Jimmie Skinner – One Dead Man Ago 17. Stonewall Jackson – Run 18. Bobby Sykes – the Guard On the North Wall 19. Bobby Darin – Jailer Bring Me Water 20. Reb Allen – Folsom Prison Blues 21. Johnny Starr – Lewisburg Prison 22. Ron & Jon & the Crew – Riot In Cell Block No. 9 23. Jimmy Young – Chain Gang 24. Johnny Rebb & His Rebels – Hey Sheriff 25. Bill Carter – Jailer Man 26. Jim Minor – Death Row 27. Bill Monroe – Prisoners Song 28. Bill Flagg – Doin My Time 29. Marty Robbins – the Hanging Tree 30. George Champion – My Hanging Day 31. Bennie Hess – Walking That Last Mile
