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"Ball and Chain"
Single by Social Distortion
from the album Social Distortion
Released	March 27, 1990
Recorded	1989
Genre	Punk rock, blues rock
Length	5:44
Label	Epic
Writer(s)	Mike Ness
Producer	Dave Jerden
Social Distortion singles chronology
“Story of My Life” (1990) “Ball and Chain” (1990) “Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash cover)” (1990)

“Ball and Chain” is a hit song by Social Distortion, a Southern California punk rock band, 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] which opens with the lines

Well it’s been ten years and a thousand tears

and look at the mess I’m in,

a broken nose and a broken heart

an empty bottle of gin…

and for which the chorus is

Take away, take away

Take away this ball and chain

I'm lonely and I’m tired

And I can’t take any more pain

Long after its first release, “Ball and Chain” remains a concert staple.

Trivia

• The song was played on episodes of My Name Is Earl and on Scrubs as well as the film Jarhead (2005)
• The song was covered frequently in concert by the late ’90s Atlanta indie band Alastor led by Elizabeth Elkins, who went on to form The Swear.
• 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 is covered by Jackson Taylor on his album Aces 'n Eights
• The song was used as the entrance song for Ricardo Almeida at UFC 101.

Notes