"In the Jailhouse Now" is an American novelty blues song originally found in vaudeville performances from the early 20th century,[1] The earliest known version was written in 1915 by Davis and Stafford.
Artists who have sung it include Ernest Tubb, Tommy Duncan, Webb Pierce, Pink Anderson, Johnny Cash, Jim Croce, Jim Jackson, Leon Russell, Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions (featuring Jerry Garcia), Merle Haggard, Doc Watson, Prism, Suzy Bogguss (with Chet Atkins ) Pokey LaFarge, and Tim Blake Nelson with The Soggy Bottom Boys in the film and soundtrack for O Brother, Where Art Thou?.
The earliest is Davis and Stafford's 1915 version, which has verses about a man named Campbell cheating at a card game and a corrupt election.
[8] Two African-American bluesmen also recorded the song prior to Rodgers: Blind Blake (in 1927), and Jim Jackson (in January 1928).
On some of the Memphis Sheiks' records, an African-American vaudeville performer named Bert Murphy is given credit for writing the song.
Finally, on August 10, 2013, "Cruise" by Florida Georgia Line surpassed Pierce's "In the Jailhouse Now" for most weeks at No.
[16] The song regained popularity years later when Sonny James recorded a live version during a 1976 concert at Tennessee State Prison.
In O Brother, Where Art Thou?, "Delmar" (Tim Blake Nelson) sings a rendition, with "Pete" (John Turturro) yodeling between the verses, prior to the Soggy Bottom Boys' main number, "Man of Constant Sorrow".