Jerry Lee Lewis

Songwriter: Hoagy Carmichael

Producer: Sam Phillips (Producer)

Well, here's a story about
A very unfortunate colored man
Who got arrested down in old Hong Kong
He got all his fortunes taken away from him
When he kicked old Buddha's gong

And now he's pumping
The piano just to pay the price
For a ticket to the land of the free
He said that his home's in Frisco
Where they ship the rice
But it's really in Tennessee

Won't somebody please help me?
Won't somebody please carry me
Back to San Francisco
And bury my body there?
Yes, and bury my body there

Oh, won't somebody please help me?
Won't somebody please carry me
Back to San Francisco
And bury my body there?

Come on now and bury my body there
I'm not joking now, bury my body there
Bring it on back, bury my body there
I want to know where I'm buried now
Bury my body there

Oh yeah, come on now
Ah-ah, come on

Jerry Lee Lewis was a leading figure in the popularization of rock & roll during the 1950s. He was first signed to Sun Records in 1956 where he was labelmates with Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and other early rock artists. Of those musicians, however, he was the only piano player and combined with his heavy-handed playing style, sexually suggestive lyrics, and provocative stage antics he came to epitomize the rebelliousness of the genre.

He rose to international fame for his 1957 versions of the songs “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.”

Lewis' popularity rapidly tumbled, however, when in 1958, when at the age of 22, he married his 13-year-old cousin. Though this scandal continued to tarnish his image, Lewis never retired from music. As of October 2015, he continues to perform live.

more tracks from the album

Jerry Lee Lewis and His Pumping Piano

From the album

Jerry Lee Lewis and His Pumping Piano (1974)

Jerry Lee Lewis popular songs

Hong Kong BluesJerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis and His Pumping Piano