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

Kristian Bush of Sugarland

Kristian Bush of SugarlandSongwriter Interviews

Kristian talks songwriting technique, like how the chorus should redefine the story, and how to write a song backwards.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.