Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST

Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD

Festival Guides-YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL COMPANION

Hype-THE BEST NEW NAMES, FIRST

Mixtape-DORK'S BEST NEW TRACKS

Play-DORK'S NEW MUSIC FRIDAY EDIT

Upset-DORK'S HOME FOR ALL THINGS LOUD

Playlist Covers

Playlist Directory

Before Doors-LIVE SESSIONS

Music Video Directory

Down With Boring-THE DORK PODCAST

Chart Attack-UK NUMBER ONES, DISSECTED

Dork Radio

Live

Live 24/7

Dork Radio

Down With Boring

Join thousands of music lovers getting the best new tracks, exclusive interviews, and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox every week.

In print now

June 2026

Latest issue variants

Dork, June 2026 (Bleachers cover)

Bleachers

Dork, June 2026 (Myles Smith cover)

Myles Smith

Dork, June 2026 (Towa Bird cover)

Towa Bird

|

Privacy Policy|

Cookie settings

© 2026 The Bunker Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advertise on this site.

Billy Bragg – Rotting on Remand (1988) | Track profile | Dork

Tracks
Billy Bragg
Workers Playtime
Rotting on Remand

TRACK

Rotting on Remand

Release date: 31st August 1988

From Workers Playtime

Track 6

3:39

Alternative Music Rock Singer/Songwriter

Spotify Apple Music More on Billy Bragg

About This Track

"Rotting on Remand" is a track by Billy Bragg, from the album Workers Playtime, released 31st August 1988. The track is 3:39 long. It's filed under Alternative. Full lyrics are available below. Dork has published 1 article about Billy Bragg.

About the Artist

Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg

Lyrics

Rotting on Remand

I stood before the Judge that day
As he refused me bail
And I knew that I would spend my time
Awaiting trial in jail
I said there is no justice
As they led me out of the door
And the Judge said, "This isn't a court of justice, son
This is a court of law."

They first sent me to Windsor
And then to Stoke on Trent
In a holding cell in Liverpool
Three days and nights I spent
My solicitor can't find me
And my family don't know
I keep telling them that I'm innocent
They just say, "Come on son, in you go."

I was picked up on suspicion of something I haven't done
Here I sit in 'F' wing waiting for my trial to come
It's a cruel unusual punishment that society demands
Innocent till proven guilty, rotting on remand

I ended up in this jail
Built in 1882
When one man to one prison cell
Was a Victorian value
Now three of us are squeezed in here
And you can't escape the smell
Of that bucket in the corner
And we eat in here as well

They let me out of this cage
To slop that bucket out
To get my food and bring it back
And if I'm lucky, get a shower
Apart from one hour's exercise
I'm locked in here all day
You don't turn criminals into citizens
By treating them this way

Is the price of law and order the stench of Wormwood Scrubs
With judges quick to sentence more down from above
It's a cruel unusual punishment that society demands
Innocent till proven guilty, rotting on remand

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From Workers Playtime

3:391988

Listen

Album

Workers Playtime

1st September 1988

Track number

6

Release year

1988

1She's Got a New Spell
3:26
2Must I Paint You a Picture
5:32
3Tender Comrade
2:50
4The Price I Pay

More from Billy Bragg

Albums & EPs

The Million Things That Never Happened

The Million Things That Never Happened

Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Bridges Not Walls - EP

Bridges Not Walls - EP

Radio Show: Episode 5

Radio Show: Episode 5

Live at the Union Chapel London

Live at the Union Chapel London

Life's a Riot with Spy vs. Spy (30th Anniversary Edition)

Life's a Riot with Spy vs. Spy (30th Anniversary Edition)

Tooth & Nail

Mermaid Avenue Vol. III

Mr Love & Justice

Mr Love & Justice

Billy Bragg, Vol. 2

Billy Bragg, Vol. 2

Explore

More tracks by Billy Bragg

Put Christ Back Into Christmas

Hundred Year Hunger

Rich Men Earning North of a Million

The Buck Doesn’t Stop Here No MoreThe Million Things That Never Happened

Good Days And Bad Days

Freedom Doesn’t Come for FreeThe Million Things That Never Happened

Should Have Seen It Coming

I Will Be Your Shield

The Million Things That Never Happened

Ten Mysterious Photos That Can't Be Explained

I Believe In You

Mid-Century Modern

Freedom Doesn't Come For Free

The Buck Doesn't Stop Here No More

Reflections On The Mirth Of Creativity

Good Days and Bad DaysThe Million Things That Never Happened

I Believe in YouThe Million Things That Never Happened

I Will Be Your ShieldThe Million Things That Never Happened

The Million Things That Never HappenedThe Million Things That Never Happened

Freedom Doesn't Come for FreeThe Million Things That Never Happened

Mid-Century ModernThe Million Things That Never Happened

Lonesome OceanThe Million Things That Never Happened

Pass It OnThe Million Things That Never Happened

Reflections on the Mirth of CreativityThe Million Things That Never Happened

Should Have Seen It ComingThe Million Things That Never Happened

Ten Mysterious Photos That Can't Be ExplainedThe Million Things That Never Happened

The Buck Doesn't Stop Here No MoreThe Million Things That Never Happened

Can't Be There Today

Scholarship Is the Enemy of Romance (Janice Long Session, 18th December 1985)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Days Like These (John Peel Session, 20th August 1985)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Tank Park Salute (John Peel Session, 12th May 1991)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

No-One Knows Nothing Anymore (Latitude Festival Live, 18th July 2014)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Accident Waiting to Happen (John Peel Session, 12th May 1991)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Fear Is a Man's Best Friend (John Peel Session, 27th July 1983)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

It Says Here (Janice Long Paris Theatre London Live, October 1999)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

The Saturday Boy (David Jensen Session, 22nd December 1983)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Like Soldiers Do (David Jensen Session, 22nd December 1983)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Brickbat (John Peel Session, 13th October 1995)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Goodbye, Goodbye (Phill Jupitus Live, 30th March 2007)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

This Gulf Between Us (John Peel Session, 13th October 1995)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Between the Wars (John Peel Session, 18th September 1984)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

The Man in the Iron Mask (David Jensen Session, 22nd December 1983)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Levi Stubbs' Tears (Glastonbury Live, 26th June 2015)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

A Lover Sings (John Peel Session, 18th September 1984)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

Way over Yonder in the Minor Key (Bob Harris Live, 6th May 2012)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

The Busy Girl Buys Beauty (Janice Long Paris Theatre London Live, October 1999)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

The Warmest Room (John Peel Session, 2nd September 1986)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019

View all tracks by Billy Bragg →

A Lover Sings (John Peel Session, 18th September 1984)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019
4:06
Accident Waiting to Happen (John Peel Session, 12th May 1991)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019
4:01
Between the Wars (John Peel Session, 18th September 1984)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019
2:40
Brickbat (John Peel Session, 13th October 1995)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019
2:57
Can't Be There Today
City of Heroes
Days Like These (John Peel Session, 20th August 1985)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019
1:54
Fear Is a Man's Best Friend (John Peel Session, 27th July 1983)Best of Billy Bragg at the BBC 1983 - 2019
2:38
Freedom Doesn't Come for FreeThe Million Things That Never Happened
3:22
Freedom Doesn't Come For Free
3:22

Showing 10 of 50

If you like Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg & Wilco

Billy Bragg & Wilco

Frank Turner

Frank Turner

The Housemartins

The Housemartins

Phil Ochs

Phil Ochs

The Pogues

The Pogues

Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger

Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson

The Proclaimers

The Proclaimers

Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello

Kirsty MacColl

Kirsty MacColl

READ MORE ABOUT BILLY BRAGG

READ MORE ABOUT BILLY BRAGG

READ MORE ABOUT BILLY BRAGG

READ MORE ABOUT BILLY BRAGG

READ MORE ABOUT BILLY BRAGG

READ MORE ABOUT BILLY BRAGG

READ MORE ABOUT BILLY BRAGG

READ MORE ABOUT BILLY BRAGG

Mika, Jade Bird and Billy Bragg have joined the Latitude Festival 2025 lineup

Mika, Jade Bird and Billy Bragg have joined the Latitude Festival 2025 lineup

Mika, Doves, and Billy Bragg join a star-studded lineup at Suffolk's Latitude Festival 2025, alongside headliners Sting and Snow Patrol.

27 Feb 2025 • 11:45 am

3:34

5Little Time Bomb

6Rotting on Remand

3:39

7Valentine's Day Is Over

8Life with the Lions

10The Short Answer

11Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards

—Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards

—Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards

Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer: Billy Bragg
Producer: Joe Boyd, Wiggy (musician)
Double Bass: Danny Thompson
Electric Guitar: Billy Bragg
Pedal Steel Guitar: BJ Cole
Piano: Cara Tivey