Classic Pop Icons

Jerry Lee Lewis’ rock ‘n’ roll classic “Great Balls of Fire” is Song of the Week on Classic Pop Icons. “Great Balls of Fire” was released on single in November 1957, backed with “You Win Again,” and would go on to become not only one of Jerry Lee Lewis’ signature songs, but also one of the most popular rock ‘n’ roll songs of all time.

Jerry Lee Lewis had stepped into Sun Studios the previous November to audition for the label, in the hope of emulating the success of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash, who had all started at the label. Within weeks, Jerry Lee was an established session musician at Sun, playing piano on tracks such as Billy Lee Riley’s “Flyin’ Saucers Rock ‘n’ Roll” and Carl Perkins’ “Matchbox.” On the day that the latter was recorded, Elvis dropped by to visit his old studio and joined in a jam session with Perkins, Lewis and Johnny Cash that would become known as the Million Dollar Quartet (although Cash is not heard on the recordings from that day).

Jerry Lee’s first single, “Crazy Arms,” failed to make an impact on the charts, but his second, “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” was a huge hit and established Jerry Lee as one of the most dynamic rock ‘n’ rollers on the scene. The success of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” demanded an impressive follow-up, and Jerry Lee didn’t disappoint with his explosive rendition of “Great Balls of Fire.”

Although it would become one of his biggest hits and an essential part of his show for over five decades, Jerry Lee almost didn’t record “Great Balls of Fire” on the grounds that he felt it was too sinful.

Original advert for “Great Balls of Fire” single

Lyrically, “Great Balls of Fire” is like a re-write of Elvis’ hit “All Shook Up,” from the hip exclamation in the title, to the author’s description of the impact that his girl has on him – in “All Shook Up” the singer tells us “My hands are shaky and my knees are weak/I can’t seem to stand on my own two feet,” and in “Great Balls of Fire” we hear “You shake my nerves and you rattle my brains/Too much love drives a man insane.” These similarities come as no surprise, as both songs were penned by the highly talented Otis Blackwell.

Jerry Lee Lewis had a lot of belief in his own abilities as a performer and that confidence shines through on “Great Balls of Fire,” with his wide ranging, highly expressive vocal, and fantastic, groundbreaking rock ‘n’ roll piano. It’s one of those recordings where everything came together perfectly to create magic, and it’s perhaps Jerry Lee’s definitive statement as a rock ‘n’ roll performer.

“Great Balls of Fire” – Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis joined John Fogerty and Little Richard in a medley of “Great Balls of Fire” and “Good Golly, Miss Molly” on the 50th Grammy Awards show in February, 2008.

Authorship

“Great Balls of Fire” was written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer. Blackwell was also behind such classics as “Breathless,” “All Shook Up,” and “Don’t Be Cruel.”

Recording date/location

“Great Balls of Fire” was recorded on October 8, 1957 at Sun Studio, Memphis, Tennessee.

Musicians

The following musicians played on “Great Balls of Fire”:

• Jerry Lee Lewis – vocals, piano
• Roland Janes – guitar
• J.M. Van Eaton – drums.

The bass player is unknown, but possibly J.W. Brown.

Chart performance

“Great Balls of Fire” reached number one on the Billboard pop chart, and number one on both the R&B and country charts. The success of the single was assisted by Jerry’s performance of the song in the movie “Jamboree.”

The song also topped the UK singles chart.

Covers

“Great Balls of Fire” – Chris Isaak

“Great Balls of Fire” was one of the tracks included on Chris Isaak’s excellent recent album “Beyond the Sun,” which pays tribute to the rock ‘n’ roll legends who began their careers at Sun Records. Isaak’s natural feel for the material is evident and it’s a fun and well executed cover.

Here’s a live version from a show Isaak gave last December at JFK Airport.

“Great Balls of Fire” – Conway Twitty

Conway Twitty had a good stab at “Great Balls of Fire” on his 1961 album “The Rock and Roll Story”. Twitty is clearly influenced by Jerry Lee’s original vocal, but the rock ‘n’ roll inflections do sound more contrived here. The piano solo is such a strong part of the original that it is missed here.

“Great Balls of Fire” – Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac performed “Great Balls of Fire” live sometimes in the late 1960s and a version was released on their 1999 album “Shrine ’69“, which captured their show at the Shrine Auditorium in 1969. It’s a lively cover, with Jeremy Spencer doing well on piano and vocals, but it’s the hard rock guitar parts that really drive the song forward.

There will be a new Song of the Week on March 12.

Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire” is available on many compilations, including the 3-CD box set “Jerry Lee Lewis – A Half Century of Hits”.

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