| "Ball and Chain" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
) | ||||
| Single by Social Distortion | ||||
| from the album Social Distortion | ||||
| Released | March 27, 1990 | |||
| Recorded | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Cowpunk, punk blues | |||
| Length | 5:44 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Mike Ness | |||
| Producer(s) | Dave Jerden | |||
| Social Distortion singles chronology | ||||
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"Ball and Chain" is a hit song by Social Distortion, a Southern California punk rock band, written by Mike Ness in 1987, featured on their self-titled album, released in 1990, as well as on Live at the Roxy (1998).
In the words of lead singer/writer Mike Ness, "Ball and Chain" is "a hard luck story,"[1] a forceful cry, a lament, a plea, a "folk prayer."[2]
Trivia
- The song was played in episodes of My Name Is Earl, Scrubs and Hindsight as well as the film Jarhead (2005)
- Frontman Mike Ness recorded a "Honky Tonk" version of this song on his solo album Under the Influences in 1999.
- The song was also transcribed in the January 2005 issue of Guitar World.
- The song was used as the entrance song for Ricardo Almeida at UFC 101.
- The song appears in the videogame Saints Row: The Third on fictional radio station The Mix 107.77.
- The music video was directed by Tony van den Ende and edited by Scott C. Wilson.
References