Jailhouse Rock (song)
Encyclopedia : J : JA : JAI : Jailhouse Rock (song)
"Jailhouse Rock" is a song written by Leiber and Stoller that first became a hit for Elvis Presley. The song was first released as a 45rpm single on September 24, 1957, to coincide with the release of Presley's motion picture, Jailhouse Rock. The single, with its B-side "Treat Me Nice", was a US #1 hit for 7 weeks in the fall of 1957, and a UK #1 hit for three weeks early in 1958. The song, which is an example of simple verse form, eventually sold two million copies in the US, thus earning a Double Platinum certification by the RIAA.
Also in 1957, "Jailhouse Rock" was the lead song in a EP (extended play single), together with other Leiber and Stoller compositions, namely "Young and beautiful", "I want to be free", "Don't leave me now", and "(You're so square)Baby I don't care". It topped the Billboard EP charts, eventually selling an additional two million copies and earning another double-platinum RIAA certification.
The song was named one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
As noted by Rolling Stone magazine, while Presley sang it as straight hard rock, there are parts of the Leiber and Stoller lyrics that represent talk about same-sex relationships between inmates. For instance: "Number forty-seven said to number three:/You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see./I sure would be delighted with your company,/Come on and do the jailhouse rock with me." However, many see this as a lighthearted reference to forced environmental improvisation.
The original Presley recording mix the swing-rhythm with a straight-eight note pattern. This rhytmic feeling is essential to many of the old rock´n´roll songs from the 50´s.
Jailhouse Rock, along with many old rock'n'roll hits, was performed regularly in a medley by Queen on different tours (1973-76, 1984-85, and sporadically in between). It was the last song to be performed in The Blues Brothers. This song was featured on American Idol when contestant Taylor Hicks performed it on May 9, 2006. The song was also featured in Disney's Leroy & Stitch during the ending credits.
"Jailhouse Rock" has also been recorded by:
- The Residents
- Mötley Crüe
- Blues Brothers
- ZZ Top
- Twisted Sister
- John Cougar Mellencamp
- Michael Bolton
- Jeff Beck Group (featuring Rod Stewart and Ron Wood)
- Adriano Celentano
- Carl Perkins
- ABBA with Olivia Newton-John and Andy Gibb
- *****
- 1 on the US charts
- 2 on the Canadian charts
- 33 on the UK charts
- Johnn Stump (UK)#1
- Carl Perkins (US) #1
Lyrics
The 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.
Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone, Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone. The drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang, the whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang. Let's rock, everybody, let's rock. Everybody in the whole cell block was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Number forty-seven said to number three: "You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see. I sure would be delighted with your company, 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.
The sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone way over in the corner weepin' all alone. The warden said, "Hey, buddy, don't you be no square. If you can't find a partner use a wooden chair." 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, no one's lookin', now's our chance to make a break." Bugsy turned to Shifty and he said, "Nix nix, I wanna stick around a while and get my kicks." Let's rock, everybody, let's rock. Everybody in the whole cell block was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.