Jailhouse Rock
Andreas Gabalier Lyrics
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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
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
Dancin' to the Jailhouse
Dancin' to the Jailhouse
Dancin' to the Jailhouse
Dancin' to the Jailhouse
Well, dancin' to the Jailhouse
Well, dancin' to the Jailhouse
Well, dancin' to the Jailhouse
Well, well, da-da-dancin' to the Jailhouse
da-da-dancin' to the Jailhouse
da-da-dancin' to the Jailhouse
The song "Jailhouse Rock" by Andreas Gabalier is a cover of Elvis Presley's hit from the 1957 film of the same name. It describes a party that occurred inside the county jail, where the band, made up of inmates, played and everyone danced to the "Jailhouse Rock." The lyrics reference various inmates, including Spider Murphy on the tenor saxophone, Little Joe on the slide trombone, and Shifty Henry and Bugsy planning to make a break. Despite the party atmosphere, there is also a touch of sadness as one inmate sits alone in the corner weeping, and the warden offers him a way to join in the festivities.
The song captures the energy and rebellious spirit of rock and roll, with its upbeat tempo and catchy chorus. The lyrics also touch on themes of social class and inequality, as the inmates come from different backgrounds and are all confined to the same cell block. The song suggests that music has the power to bring people together, even in the most unlikely of places.
Line by Line Meaning
The warden threw a party in the county jail
The warden organized a celebration inside the prison.
The prison band was there and they began to wail
The musical group held inside the jail played some exciting music.
The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing
The upbeat music made everyone feel happy and energetic.
You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing
The prisoners sang enthusiastically, some of them sounding extremely impressed.
Let's rock, everybody, let's rock
Come on, let's dance and have some fun.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Every inmate in that block was excited and dancing.
was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
They were all dancing energetically to the Jailhouse Rock song.
Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone
One of the musicians called Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone.
Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone
Little Joe was playing the slide trombone.
The drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang
The young drummer from Illinois played the drums powerfully.
the whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang
The entire music troupe was known as the Purple Gang as they wore purple uniform.
Number forty-seven said to number three
One of the inmates, number forty-seven, talked to number three holding nearby.
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see
"You're the most charming prisoner I've ever met.
I sure would be delighted with your company
I would love to have you as my companion and enjoy the rest of the evening.
come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me."
Let's dance together while enjoying the Jailhouse Rock song.
The sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone
One of the prisoners was sitting on a block feeling miserable.
way over in the corner weepin' all alone
He was crying without anyone's attention in the corner.
The warden said, "Hey, buddy, don't you be no square
The warden told him, 'Don't be depressed' with a friendly tone.
If you can't find a partner use a wooden chair."
If you can't find anyone to dance with, sit on a chair and enjoy the music.
Shifty Henry said to Bugs, "For Heaven's sake,
Shifty Henry told Bugs, 'Let's go.'
no one's lookin', now's our chance to make a break."
Since no one is keeping an eye on them, it's a perfect time for them to escape.
Bugsy turned to Shifty and he said, "Nix nix,
Bugsy responded by saying, 'No, thanks.'
I wanna stick around a while and get my kicks.
I want to stay for a little longer and have some fun.
Dancin' to the Jailhouse
Dancing energetically to the Jailhouse Rock song.
Well, dancin' to the Jailhouse
Oh, we can't help ourselves from dancing to the Jailhouse Rock.
da-da-dancin' to the Jailhouse
We are dancing energetically to the music.
Contributed by Landon C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.