Jailhouse Rock
Elvis Aaron Presley Jr. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
The lyrics of Elvis Aaron Presley Jr.'s song Jailhouse Rock describe an enthusiastic party that took place in the county jail. The warden hosted the party, and the prison band performed, playing the tenor saxophone, slide trombone, drums, and other instruments. The sound that they produced caused even the saddest folks in jail to feel upbeat and dance along. Two jailbirds noticed each other, and the lyrics suggest a budding romantic attraction between them. Other inmates also enjoyed the music, and even those who were alone found a way to dance.
Jailhouse Rock is a dance song with a catchy tune that features vivid imagery of life in prison. The lyrics strike a balance between making light of the situation and celebrating the joy that the inmates can still experience. It showcases the resilience of the human spirit and encourages listeners to keep their feet moving no matter how bad the situation gets.
Line by Line Meaning
The warden threw a party in the county jail
The warden held a party inside prison.
The prison band was there and they began to wail
The band played music loudly and expressively.
The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing
The band got the party started and everyone began to dance.
You should've heard them knocked-out jailbirds sing
The prisoners were so enthusiastic that they couldn't stop singing.
Let's rock; everybody, let's rock
The call to dance and enjoy the music was issued.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Everyone in prison is now dancing to the music.
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
The dancers were moving to the rhythm of the Jailhouse Rock.
Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone
A musician named Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone.
Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone
A musician named Little Joe played the slide trombone.
The drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang
The drummer from Illinois played enthusiastically with loud sounds.
The whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang
The music was so good that it felt like a gang of musicians was playing together.
Number forty-seven said to number three
One prisoner is admiring another.
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see
The admiration of the previous line is due to the person's appearance.
I sure would be delighted with your company
The admiring prisoner would be happy to spend time together.
Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me"
The admiring prisoner invited the other prisoner to dance with them.
Sad sack was sittin' on a block of stone
One prisoner was sitting alone, looking sad, on a block of stone.
Way over in the corner weepin' all alone
The prisoner was in the corner of the room, crying by himself.
The warden said, "Hey, buddy, don't you be no square
The warden did not want the prisoner to feel left out and told them to participate.
If you can't find a partner, use a wooden chair"
The warden offered a solution for the lonely prisoner to dance with a chair if there's no one else around for them to dance with.
Shifty Henry said to Bugs, "For Heaven's sake
One prisoner is speaking to another, suggesting they should try to escape.
No one's lookin'; now's our chance to make a break"
They think there is an opportunity for them to escape when nobody's looking.
Bugsy turned to Shifty and he said, "Nix, nix
The other prisoner declined the suggestion of escaping because they wanted to enjoy the music and dance in the moment.
I want to stick around a while and get my kicks"
The prisoner would rather stay in prison and enjoy himself than escape.
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the enjoyment of dancing to the Jailhouse Rock.
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the enjoyment of dancing to the Jailhouse Rock.
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the enjoyment of dancing to the Jailhouse Rock.
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the enjoyment of dancing to the Jailhouse Rock.
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the enjoyment of dancing to the Jailhouse Rock.
Contributed by Kaylee O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.