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"On the Inside"
Single by Lynne Hamilton
from the album On the Inside
B-side	Love Theme from "Prisoner Cell Block H"
Released	March 1979
Recorded	1978
Genre	Pop
Length	3:10
Label	A1
Songwriter(s)	Allan Caswell
Lynne Hamilton singles chronology
"On the Inside" (1979) "Sorry" (1980)

"On the Inside" is the theme song for the Australian soap opera Prisoner (known as Prisoner: Cell Block H in some territories). It was written by Allan Caswell and performed by Lynne Hamilton.

Background and recording

Caswell recalls that his "publisher was having lunch with a guy from Grundy's one Friday and asked what they had coming up. They already had music for Prisoner, but the final decision was being made on the Monday and if we could get something to them by then they'd listen to it. I didn't get a chance to work on it until the Sunday afternoon. It was like buying a lottery ticket – either I write something and it might get accepted or I don't write something and not give myself a chance." Caswell recorded the song on a portable cassette player "and gave it to his publisher who delivered it without listening to it. Within five days, I was in the studio with Lynne Hamilton. She got half way through the song and burst into tears. Anyone who believed in it like that was going to do a good version of it."

An alternative version of this song was used in the credits of the Season One finale, Episode 79, and again in Episode 151. On this version, there is a small guitar intro and the orchestration is slightly different. This particular version is not available on the soundtrack and was only used during the credits at the end of the show on rare occasions. The song alternated with an orchestra-only version of this track during the first two seasons.

Charts

Weekly charts

The song was a hit in Australia in 1979 when the television show was launched, and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart in 1989 when the show attracted millions of viewers in its late night slot in ITV regions.

Year-end charts

Track listings

Australian 7" single (RCA Victor – 103316)

• Side A "On the Inside" – 3:11
• Side B "Love Theme from "Prisoner"" performed by William Mottling Orchestra – 2:23

Infringement

In 2009, writer Allan Caswell alleged that Alabama's song "Christmas in Dixie" was 'ripped off' from "On the Inside", but conceded that legal action was unlikely as both he and Alabama were signed to Sony.

Cover versions

The song was recorded as a slower country ballad by Patti Page; coincidently the series of Prisoner was enormously popular in the United States, where it was known as Prisoner: Cell Block H.

The song was rerecorded and released by singer Ella Hooper to coincide with Foxtel's Australian re-run of the series, which started in March 2011.

Reggae singer Donna Marie has also recorded a version, with minor alterations to some lines.

It was also covered by the Living End, titled "Prisoner on the Inside".

Use in Wentworth revival

Although the song was not used as the theme for Wentworth, the 2013 reimagining of Prisoner, it was briefly heard in the pilot episode, being hummed by Jacs Holt (played by Kris McQuade), the show's main antagonist. The original Lynn Hamilton single version of "On the Inside" was, however, used on the closing credits of the final episode of Wentworth (titled "Legacy") in Australia, which aired 26 October 2021, whilst a modern cover version was used on the UK broadcast on Five Star later the same day.

Releases

It was released in the United States on Hilltak 7903.

References

1. ^ Doughty J (8 October 1987). "Allan Caswell Loves His Country". The Courier-Mail. Nationwide News Pty Limited.
2. Prisoner: Cell Block H - Episode 79. YouTube. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021.
3. Jon E. Lewis; Penny Stempel (1996). Cult TV: the essential critical guide. Pavilion Books. p. 222.
4. New statesman society, Volume 2. Statesman & Nation Pub. Co. Ltd. 1989.
5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 132. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
6. "Lynne Hamilton – On the Inside". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
7. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – On the Inside". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 431. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until ARIA created their own charts in mid-1988.
10. "Kent Music Report No 288 – 31 December 1979 > National Top 100 Singles for 1979". Kent Music Report. Retrieved 10 January 2023 – via Imgur.com.
11. "Fed: US group 'ripped off' Prisoner theme tune: musician". AAP Newsfeed. Sydney. 8 May 2010.
12. Bourke, Terry. Prisoner Cell Block H: Behind the Scenes. Angus and Robertson (UK).
13. Alice Coster; Nicola Webber; Kate McMahon (4 March 2011). "Tattle". Herald Sun (Australia). p. 24.
14. Global Dog Productions - 45 Discography for Hilltak Records
15. Cash Box, September 15, 1979 - Page 12 Hilltak Drops Atlantic, Chooses Indie Distribs

• 1979 songs
• 1979 singles
• 1989 singles
• Television drama theme songs
• Pop ballads
• Songs written by Allan Caswell
• RCA Victor singles
• Hilltak Records singles
• Dureco singles
• Songs involved in plagiarism controversies