Ai n't no rest for the wicked - wikipedia Ai n't no rest for the wicked `` Ai n't No Rest for the Wicked '' Single by Cage the Elephant from the album Cage the Elephant Released June 16, 2008 Format CD single, 7 '' Vinyl Genre Alternative rock, cowpunk, punk blues Length 2 : 52 Label Relentless Songwriter ( s ) Jared Champion, Lincoln Parish, Brad Shultz, Matt Schultz, Daniel Tichenor Producer ( s ) Jay Joyce Cage the Elephant singles chronology `` In One Ear '' ( 2008 ) `` Ai n't No Rest for the Wicked '' ( 2008 ) `` Back Against the Wall '' ( 2009 ) `` In One Ear '' ( 2008 ) `` Ai n't No Rest for the Wicked '' ( 2008 ) `` Back Against the Wall '' ( 2009 ) Audio sample file help `` Ai n't No Rest for the Wicked '' is the third single by the American rock band Cage the Elephant. It was released as a CD single on June 16, 2008 by Relentless Records and became the first Top 40 hit for the band in the UK. A music video was filmed for this song which was directed by D.A.R.Y.L of Pulse Films. A later re-release in North America the following year reached number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100, reached number 3 on the Alternative Songs chart and number 8 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Contents 1 Composition 2 Usage in media 3 Track listings 4 Chart positions 4.1 Weekly charts 4.2 Year - end charts 5 Certifications 6 References 7 External links Composition The song talks about three particular instances in which the narrator realizes `` there ai n't no rest for the wicked. '' First, he encounters a prostitute asking if he desires to spend the night with her. The narrator proceeds to ask her why she does what she does. The chorus ( her response ) analyzes the main reasons why individuals follow the paths they follow ( ``... Money do n't grow on trees, I 've got bills to pay, I 've got mouths to feed... '' ). The narrator, fifteen minutes later, is mugged by a criminal, whom he asks the same question and from whom he receives the same answer. Finally, upon turning on the television, the narrator sees a preacher being arrested for stealing the funds of his church. This is followed by a third chorus saying that everyone is the same and we all have no rest `` until we close our eyes for good. '' Lead singer Matt Shultz stated the song was inspired by an old co-worker of his who at the time was a drug dealer. When Shultz asked him why he dealt drugs, the co-worker told him that `` There 's no rest for the wicked. '' Shultz was a plumber at the time, and said that he wrote the lyrics on a piece of drywall which he found while working at his co-worker's house. Usage in media The song appeared in a commercial for the TNT series Leverage ; in the 2010 film The Bounty Hunter ; in an episode of The Vampire Diaries ( `` Isobel '' ) ; in a third - season episode of Jersey Shore ; as the opening song of Canadian reality television series Yukon Gold ; and for the opening sequence of the 2009 video game Borderlands. It is also mentioned in Borderlands 2. Cage the Elephant performed the song on national television on the Late Show with David Letterman. In the pilot episode for FOX 's Lucifer, the song is in both the opening and closing scenes of the episode. It was also used in the Netflix series, 13 Reasons Why. Also used in Hawaii Five - 0, Season 8, episode 1 : A'ole e ' olelo mai ana ke ahi ua ana ia. Track listings `` Ai n't No Rest for the Wicked '' -- 2 : 52 `` Ai n't No Rest for the Wicked '' ( Acoustic Version ) -- 3 : 02 Chart positions Weekly charts Chart ( 2008 -- 09 ) Peak position Canada ( Canadian Hot 100 ) 42 Japan ( Japan Hot 100 ) 90 UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) 32 US Billboard Hot 100 83 US Adult Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) 24 US Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) US Hot Rock Songs ( Billboard ) 6 US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) 8 Year - end charts Chart ( 2009 ) Position US Alternative Songs ( Billboard ) 7 US Hot Rock Songs ( Billboard ) 13 Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales United States ( RIAA ) Platinum 1,000,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone References Jump up ^ Lopez, Korina ( 22 April 2011 ). `` On the verge : Cage the Elephant stampedes to fame ''. USA Today. Retrieved 28 April 2012. Jump up ^ `` Hawaii Five - 0 '' A'ole e ' olelo mai ana ke ahi ua ana ia ( TV Episode 2017 ), retrieved 2018 - 10 - 02 Jump up ^ `` Cage the Elephant Chart History ( Canadian Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cage the Elephant Chart History ( Japan Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cage the Elephant : Artist Chart History ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 8, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cage the Elephant Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cage the Elephant Chart History ( Adult Alternative Songs ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cage the Elephant Chart History ( Alternative Songs ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cage the Elephant Chart History ( Hot Rock Songs ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Cage the Elephant Chart History ( Mainstream Rock ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved January 8, 2015. Jump up ^ `` Alternative Songs -- Year - End 2009 ''. Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Hot Rock Songs -- Year - End 2009 ''. Billboard. Retrieved September 6, 2018. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Cage the Elephant -- Ai n't No Rest for the Wicked ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. External links `` Ai n't No Rest for the Wicked '' Official music video on YouTube Cage the Elephant Matthew Shultz Brad Shultz Nick Bockrath Jared Champion Daniel Tichenor Matthan Minster Lincoln Parish Studio albums Cage the Elephant Thank You, Happy Birthday Melophobia Tell Me I 'm Pretty Live albums Live from the Vic in Chicago Unpeeled Extended plays Live at Grimey 's Singles `` In One Ear '' `` Ai n't No Rest for the Wicked '' `` Back Against the Wall '' `` Shake Me Down '' `` Around My Head '' `` Aberdeen '' `` Come a Little Closer '' `` Cigarette Daydreams '' `` Mess Around '' `` Trouble '' `` Cold Cold Cold '' Related articles Discography Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ain%27t_No_Rest_for_the_Wicked&oldid=862197375 '' Categories : 2008 singles Cage the Elephant songs Songs about prostitutes Songs critical of religion Song recordings produced by Jay Joyce Relentless Records singles 2008 songs Songs written by Matt Shultz ( singer ) Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Billboardcanadianhot100 Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Billboardjapanhot100 Singlechart usages for UKsinglesbyname Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart usages for Billboardadultalternativesongs Singlechart usages for Billboardalternativesongs Singlechart usages for Billboardrocksongs Singlechart usages for Billboardmainstreamrock Certification Table Entry usages for United States Talk Contents About Wikipedia Italiano Edit links This page was last edited on 2 October 2018, at 19 : 52 ( UTC ). 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Question: who sang ain't no rest for the wicked
Answer: American rock band Cage the Elephant