Jerry Lee Lewis

Songwriter: Jerry Leiber Mike Stoller

Warden threw a party in the county jail
The prison band was there and they began to wail
The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing
You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing

Let's rock, everybody, let's rock
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the jailhouse rock

Shifty Henry said to Bugs, "For Heaven's sake
Everybody around here tryin' to make a break"
Shifty turned to Henry and he said, "Nix nix
I wanna stick around, wannna get my kicks"

Let's rock, everybody, let's rock
Everybody in the whole cell block
They were dancin' to the jailhouse rock, oh

Number forty seven said to number three
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see
I sure would be delighted if you come with me
Come on and do the jailhouse rock with me"

Let's rock, everybody, let's rock
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the jailhouse rock

Let's rock, everybody let's rock
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancing to the jailhouse rock
They were shakin' to the jailhouse rock
They were buggin' to the jailhouse rock
Swingin' to the jailhouse rock

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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The Essential Jerry Lee Lewis

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Jailhouse RockJerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis

The Essential Jerry Lee Lewis