Released: May 26, 1986

Featuring: Jerry Lee Lewis Johnny Cash Roy Orbison

Songwriter: Michael Smotherman

Producer: Chips Moman

Well when I first got to Memphis
I was knocked out by those friendly people
They all said "howdy, howdy, come on in
We don't know the meaning of the word outsider

I said "People, you gonna play this kinda music
Well there's something I would surely like to know
When I was a boy I heard this wild kinda music
And I think they called it, oh, rock and roll
Can you tell me what you know about rock and roll?"

They said "son, it's just a feeling, way down in your soul"
Just a simple story with this wild rock and roll
Yeah, well all the boys in Louisiana called it rock and roll
But I'll tell you a secret, it drives the women crazy
And that's all you need to know about rock and roll

Well you could not imagine the shape my head was in
I took me a walk down by the Mississippi
When I heard this rockin' out of the harbour inn
I couldn't resist, I had me a drink, then I had me a listen

I said "people, you gonna play this kinda music
There's something that I'd really like to know
When I was a boy I heard this wild kinda music
And I think they called it, rock and roll
Can you tell me what you know about rock and roll?"

They said "son, it's just a feeling, way down in your soul"
Just a simple story with this wild rock and roll
Yeah, well all the boys in Louisiana called it rock and roll
But I'll tell you a secret, it drives the women crazy
And that's all you need to know about rock and roll

Carl Perkins

Carl Perkins was one of the founders of Rock and Roll and perhaps best known as the writer and original singer of the rockabilly classic, “Blue Suede Shoes”. At one time, Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley were all on the Sam Phillips' Sun label of Memphis Tennessee at the same time.

Carl Lee Perkins

9 April 1932 – 19 January 1998