Jerry Lee Lewis

Songwriter: Layng Martine Jr.

Producer: Jerry Kennedy

I was feelin' kind of poorly, hadn't been lookin' too fine
I just had to found out what was ailin' this old body of mine
So I went to my family doctor
To get my temperature and set me straight

And the first thing he did was to tell me
To quit eatin' every good thing I ate
And he told old Jerry Lee to stop smokin'
Lay off of that beer and whiskey

He said, son you gonna have to have a little help
And confidentially he looked at Jerry Lee
He shook his head, and then he said
Like a friend he took my hand and he said:

Don't boogie woogie when you say your prayers tonight
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)
Son, you can't boogie woogie when you send your prayers tonight
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)

Jerry Lee, you been over-rockin', you know that it ain't right
You better turn on Jesus when you switch out the light
Don't boogie woogie when you say your prayers tonight
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)

He wired me up like spaceman and he turned on the cardiograph
The needle went out of sight, the doc turned white
He called in his entire staff
And he cried out in disbelief

Told the killer with staring conviction
He said, if you don't live right son
You're gonna die of cholesterol constriction
He looked at me, he shook his head
Here's a perspective that I think you're gonna dread

You can't boogie woogie when you say your prayers tonight
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)
You can't do it, you can't do it son, it ain't right
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)

You better quit rockin' boy, you know it ain't right
You better turn on Jesus when you turn off the light
Don't boogie woogie when you say your prayers tonight
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)
Wow, give it to me now!

(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)

(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)

Oh, don't boogie woogie when you say your prayers tonight
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)
You can't boogie woogie when you say your prayers tonight
(Don't boogie woogie, don't boogie woogie)
Son, you been over-rockin' and you know that it ain't right
You better turn on Jesus when you switch off the light
Don't boogie woogie when you say your prayers tonight

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.

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