This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in this town
See me and the boys we don't like it
So were getting up and going down
Hiding low looking right to left
If you see us coming I think it's best
To move away do you hear what I say
From under my breath
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in the town
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
So don't you be around
Don't you be around
Tonight there's gonna be trouble
Some of us won't survive
See the boys and me mean business
Bustin' out dead or alive
I can hear the hound dogs on my trail
All hell breaks loose, alarm and sirens wail
Like the game if you lose
Go to jail
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in the town
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
So don't you be around
Tonight there's gonna trouble
I'm gonna find myself in
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
So woman stay with a friend
You know it's safer
Breakout!
Tonight there's gonna be a breakout
Into the city zones
Don't you dare to try and stop us
No one could for long
Searchlight on my trail
Tonight's the night all systems fail
Hey you good lookin' female
Come here!
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in the town
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
So don't you be around
Tonight there's gonna be trouble
I'm gonna find myself in
Tonight there's gonna be trouble
So woman stay with a friend
Somewhere in this town
See me and the boys we don't like it
So were getting up and going down
Hiding low looking right to left
If you see us coming I think it's best
To move away do you hear what I say
From under my breath
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in the town
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
So don't you be around
Don't you be around
Tonight there's gonna be trouble
Some of us won't survive
See the boys and me mean business
Bustin' out dead or alive
I can hear the hound dogs on my trail
All hell breaks loose, alarm and sirens wail
Like the game if you lose
Go to jail
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in the town
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
So don't you be around
Tonight there's gonna trouble
I'm gonna find myself in
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
So woman stay with a friend
You know it's safer
Breakout!
Tonight there's gonna be a breakout
Into the city zones
Don't you dare to try and stop us
No one could for long
Searchlight on my trail
Tonight's the night all systems fail
Hey you good lookin' female
Come here!
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
Somewhere in the town
Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak
So don't you be around
Tonight there's gonna be trouble
I'm gonna find myself in
Tonight there's gonna be trouble
So woman stay with a friend
Lyrics submitted by -l-Succubus-l-
Jailbreak Lyrics as written by Philip Parris Lynott
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
They are basically saying that shit is gonna hit the fan so dont be anywhere near it. Thats just great
<i>Tonight's the night all systems fail Hey you good lookin' female Come here! </i>
focus man, focus! you just broke out of jail!
I waited all night and no one else broke out, so now i have dog bite wounds........ on my ass
tonight theres gonna be a jailbreak somewhere in the town so dont you be around
<i>Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak Somewhere in the town</i> hmmm, I wonder, where might a jailbreak possibly take place??
...not that it matters, Lynott sings it with such conviction.
<i>Tonight's the night all systems fail Hey you good lookin' female Come here! </i>
focus man, focus! you just broke out of jail!
<i>Tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak Somewhere in the town</i> hmmm, I wonder, where might a jailbreak possibly take place??
...not that it matters, Lynott sings it with such conviction.
Maybe Jailbreak is slang for something else
I dunno
bad behaviour!!!!!!!!!!! };) Lynott is god! this song is just what it suggests guy breaks outta jail an 1st thought is to get in2 mor trubl (an as Chinup sed) gettin laid. pur insane metal fan... betta luk nxt time- make sure the guys r as poed as u r b4 jumpin t wall!!! (safety in numbas, yadda yadda....) peace xxx
mmmm mmmm good