Jail Bait

Album: Pilgrimage (1971)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In our interview with Andy Powell, who wrote this song with his bandmates Martin Turner, Steve Upton and Ted Turner, he explained: "It was our first tour of America and we weren't really accustomed to American girls. They were far more, should we say, mature, I suppose, in the way they looked. And you had to be careful, because these young girls would just throw themselves at bands, especially English bands. And if you were from a foreign country like England, you didn't really know the laws and you have to very careful. And this one particular girl inspired that song."

    The girl in question was named Linda.

Comments: 2

  • Roger from WisconsinJail Bait & Blowin' Free were the B-side to a non-album track, Phoenix, in early 1977 (UK single). Jail Bait was also released as a Decca US single A-side in 1971, & in Germany on MCA in 1972.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 15th 1973, Wishbone Ash performed "Jail Bait" on the NBC-TV program 'The Midnight Special'...
    The song was not released as a single; it was track three of side one on the British quartet's second studio album, 'Pilgrimage', and the album peaked at #14 on the United Kingdom's Albums chart and #174 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Lita Ford

Lita FordSongwriter Interviews

Lita talks about how they wrote songs in The Runaways, and how she feels about her biggest hit being written by somebody else.

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.

Jon Oliva of Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Jon Oliva of Trans-Siberian OrchestraSongwriter Interviews

Writing great prog metal isn't easy, especially when it's for 60 musicians.

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

Tony Joe White

Tony Joe WhiteSongwriter Interviews

The writer of "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie" explains how he cooks up his Louisiana swamp rock.

Early Days of MTV

Early Days of MTVFact or Fiction

If you can recall the days when MTV played videos, you know that there are lots of stories to tell. See if you can spot the real ones.