About The Song
On September 24, 1957, RCA Victor released single record #47/20-7035—“Jailhouse Rock”/“Treat Me Nice” by Elvis Presley. Its instant success in record stores and on Billboard’s charts made “Jailhouse Rock” Elvis’ third blockbuster hit of the year. Once and for all, it blasted the predictions of his early critics that the popularity of Presley’s brand of rock ’n’ roll was a fad destined to fade away rapidly. In the words of “Jailhouse Rock” co-writer Jerry Leiber, Elvis had become an “automatic hitmaker.”
When Elvis’ new single hit record store racks, the music industry gave its blessing to “Jailhouse Rock.”
On Billboard’s Top 100 pop chart, “Jailhouse Rock” took a rocket ride to the top. It entered the chart at #15 on October 15, and a week later leaped up to #3. The next week it went to #2, and on November 11, on only its fourth week on the chart, it push the Everly Brothers’s “Wake Up Little Susie” aside and took over the top spot. It stayed at #1 for six weeks, before giving way to “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke on the December 16 chart.
“Jailhouse Rock” remains an iconic recording in the history of rock ’n’ roll music. When Rolling Stone magazine compiled its “500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” it placed “Jailhouse Rock” at #67, and on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll,” it’s listed at #204.
Video
Lyric
The warden threw a party in the county jailThe prison band was there and they began to wailThe band was jumpin’ and the joint began to swingYou should’ve heard those knocked out jailbirds singLet’s rockEverybody, let’s rockEverybody in the whole cell blockWas dancin’ to the Jailhouse RockSpider Murphy played the tenor saxophoneLittle Joe was blowin’ on the slide tromboneThe drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bangThe whole rhythm section was a purple gangLet’s rockEverybody, let’s rockEverybody in the whole cell blockWas dancin’ to the Jailhouse RockNumber 47 said to number three“You’re the cutest jailbird I ever did seeI sure would be delighted with your companyCome on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me”Let’s rockEverybody, let’s rockEverybody in the whole cell blockWas dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock, Rock, RockSad Sack was sittin’ on a block of stoneWay over in the corner weepin’ all aloneThe warden said, “Hey, buddy, don’t you be no squareIf you can’t find a partner, use a wooden chair”Let’s rockEverybody, let’s rockEverybody in the whole cell blockWas dancin’ to the Jailhouse RockShifty Henry said to Bugs, “For Heaven’s sakeNo one’s lookin’, now’s the chance to make a break”Bugsy turned to Shifty and he said, “Nix nixI wanna stick around a while and get my kicks”Let’s rockEverybody, let’s rockEverybody in the whole cell blockWas dancin’ to the Jailhouse RockDancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock, dancin’ to the Jailhouse RockDancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock, dancin’ to the Jailhouse RockDancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock-