About the song
When one reflects on the transformative years of American popular music, few songs capture the unfiltered energy and cultural shift of the 1950s quite like **Elvis Presley – Jailhouse Rock**. Released in 1957, this raucous anthem didn’t just shake the airwaves—it symbolized a generational upheaval. **Elvis Presley**, already the burgeoning “King of Rock and Roll,” took a script written for a lighthearted prison musical and turned it into a defiant, electrifying statement of youth culture, rebellion, and raw rhythm.
Written by the iconic songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, **Jailhouse Rock** is more than just a novelty tune about dancing inmates. Underneath its playful lyrics and brisk tempo lies a powerful blend of rhythm and blues roots channeled through the unmistakable voice and charisma of **Elvis Presley**. From the very first thumping notes of the guitar intro to that unforgettable vocal snarl on “Let’s rock!”, Presley delivers a performance that is simultaneously loose and laser-focused, embodying the spirit of early rock and roll in its most unrestrained form.
The film of the same name, in which Elvis stars, is remembered less for its plot than for the iconic performance of the title track—especially the groundbreaking choreographed sequence on the prison set. That scene, often cited as one of the earliest examples of a true music video, captured the kinetic charm of **Elvis Presley** at his peak: magnetic, rebellious, and completely at ease with the camera.
Beyond its musical merits, **Jailhouse Rock** represents a moment when rock music began asserting itself not just as entertainment, but as a cultural force. It offered teenagers a sound that was theirs alone—untamed and exhilarating—while sending shivers of uncertainty through older generations used to a more restrained musical order.
Today, more than six decades on, **Elvis Presley – Jailhouse Rock** continues to hold a revered place in music history. It’s not only a time capsule of a shifting era but also a testament to the power of rhythm, attitude, and an unforgettable voice that helped shape the soundtrack of the 20th century.
Video
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 them 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
Sad sack was 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 want to 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
Dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock
Dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock
Dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock
Dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock
Dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock
