1 with 21 weeks, with only a handful of songs coming within a month of matching the record into the early 1960s. Arguably Jimmie Rodgers’ most famous song, and certainly one of his best, “In The Jailhouse Now” is a riotous song, fully of humour and, crucially, never takes itself too seriously. Without doubt one of Jimmie Rodgers’ greatest moments. Sometimes titled "He's in the Jailhouse Now," this lighthearted song about a small-time criminal who gets locked up became a popular vaudeville number in the early 20th century. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. [6] In 1924, Whistler's Jug Band from Louisville, Kentucky, recorded it under the title "Jail House Blues," which was the same title as a famous blues tune by Bessie Smith but was, in fact, the same song as "In the Jailhouse Now". To enjoy Prime Music, go to Your Music Library and transfer your account to Amazon.com (US). This is essentially the song, a carefree song about evading the law. In 1927, Earl McDonald's Original Louisville Jug Band made another recording of … Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. For 58 years, those three songs held the longevity record for most weeks at No. When Johnny Cash recorded the song in 1962, he used a more humorous set of lyrics, based on the 1915 version; after Campbell is locked up, his wife Sadie carries on an affair with the sheriff. [9] Finally, in 1930, the Memphis Sheiks (a pseudonym for the Memphis Jug Band) recorded it in a version that scholars have often claimed, albeit mistakenly, was a cover of Jimmie Rodgers. 15 on the Hot Country Singles chart in 1977. 2" in Hollywood, California, in 1930, which follows the misadventures of a man named Campbell. "In the Jailhouse Now" is an American novelty blues song originally found in vaudeville performances from the early 20th century,[1] usually credited to Jimmie Rodgers. Cash learned this version from the African-American jug band musicians in Memphis. [10] The version of the melody and lyrics that they used, is clearly derived from the Louisville Jug Band performances, not Rodgers. [17], In 1979, the song was done in a blackface performance in the musical One Mo' Time by Vernel Bagneris. The Jimmie Rodgers version was sung by Gene Autry in his 1941 movie "Back in the Saddle. Michael Webb Pierce (August 8, 1921 – February 24, 1991) was an American honky-tonk vocalist, songwriter and guitarist of the 1950s, one of the most popular of the genre, charting more number one hits than any other country The song's first two verses trace the exploits of Ramblin’ Bob, who cheats at cards and gets caught, while the final verse tells about taking a girl named Susie out on the town and winding up in jail together. Among the first country music superstars and pioneers, Rodgers was also known as "The Singing Brakeman", &… [8] Two African-American bluesmen also recorded the song prior to Rodgers: Blind Blake (in 1927), and Jim Jackson (in January 1928). Even the yodelling is done with a touch of humour. It was also one of the first songs learned by a teenage Joan Baez. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. James' version included backing by the Tennessee State Prison Band, and peaked at No. Webb Pierce was one of the most popular honky tonk vocalists of the '50s, racking up more number one hits than similar [11], Shortly after Rodgers recorded the song, three additional versions appeared that were decidedly not covers of Rodgers. Rodgers’ lyrics are wonderful, the second verse begins “Camel broke jail one day/Decided he’d … [18] The musical was revived on Broadway in 2002. On some of the Memphis Sheiks' records, an African-American vaudeville performer named Bert Murphy is given credit for writing the song. Additional taxes may apply. Finally, on August 10, 2013, "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line surpassed Pierce's "In the Jailhouse Now" for most weeks at No. [2], Rodgers version of "In the Jailhouse Now" was recorded February 15, 1928, in Camden, New Jersey, and features Rodgers on vocals and guitar, with Ellsworth T. Cozzens playing banjo. Rodgers’ lyrics are wonderful, the second verse begins “Camel broke jail one day/Decided he’d go away/But the police met him at the train” and the verse concludes ”but Camel is not my name”. On February 15, 1928, Rodgers covered “In the Jailhouse Now” in Camden, New Jersey. There is more than one artist by the name 'Jimmie Rodgers'. In 1924, Whistler's Jug Band from Louisville, Kentucky, recorded it under the title "Jail House Blues," which was the same title as a famous blues tune by Bessie Smith but was, in fact, the same song as "In the Jailhouse Now". Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.com. Jackson also copyrighted the song before Rodgers. The song shows up under different titles including "He's in the Jailhouse Now," and some versions use the line "She's in the graveyard now" in the chorus. He recorded a sequel titled "In the Jailhouse Now—No. The Man, His World, His Music, Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash, Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash, Walk the Line: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=In_the_Jailhouse_Now&oldid=971532440, Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles, Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles of the year, Pages using infobox song with unknown parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 August 2020, at 18:44. New lyrics were written to provide an ending to the song's story. There's a problem loading this menu right now. I'll Hold You in My Heart (Till I Can Hold You in My Arms), Online Discographical Project: Victor 22000 - 22500. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. The song’s melody is probably the finest Rodgers’ ever wrote, and the lilting fiddle throughout the song is an important touch.