Jailhouse Rock
JYP - Jäähybiisi - Elvis 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 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 song "Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis Presley tells a story of a party in a county jail thrown by the warden, with the prison band playing and the inmates dancing to the rhythm. It describes a scene where everyone in the cell block is having a great time, including the jailbirds and even the warden. The first verse sets the scene with the prison band playing and the inmates singing along to the music, while the second verse introduces some of the band members, such as Spider Murphy on the tenor saxophone and Little Joe on the slide trombone.
The third verse introduces a love story within the jail, where number forty-seven tells number three that she's the cutest jailbird he's ever seen, and invites her to dance to the Jailhouse Rock with him. The fourth verse is a bit more somber, with Sad Sack sitting alone in the corner, but even he's encouraged to get up and dance, even if it's just with a wooden chair. The fifth verse hints at a jailbreak, with Shifty Henry wanting to make a break, but Bugsy choosing to stay and enjoy the party a bit longer.
Overall, "Jailhouse Rock" is a song about finding joy in unexpected places, and how music can transcend any situation, even one as bleak as a county jail. It's a reminder that even in tough times, we can find reasons to dance and celebrate.
Line by Line Meaning
The warden threw a party in the county jail
The prison warden held a celebration in the county prison
The prison band was there and they began to wail
The musical group incarcerated in the prison was present and started playing music loudly
The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing
The music played by the band was so catchy that it made everyone start dancing
You should've heard them knocked-out jailbirds sing
The prisoners who heard the music were so enthusiastic that they started singing along very loudly
Let's rock everybody, let's rock
Everybody should dance energetically to the music
Everybody in the whole cell block
All the prisoners in the prison
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Were dancing to the music being played
Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone
A prisoner named Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone
Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone
Another prisoner named Little Joe played the slide trombone
The drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang
The drummer boy from Illinois played the drums loudly and energetically
The whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang
The entire musical group was known as the Purple Gang
Number forty-seven said to number three
One of the prisoners named Number forty-seven spoke to another prisoner named Number three
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see
"You are the most attractive prisoner I have ever seen
I sure would be delighted with your company
I would be very happy to spend time with you
Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me"
Let's dance together to the music
Sad sack was sittin' on a block of stone
A prisoner known as 'Sad sack' was sitting on a stone block
Way over in the corner weepin' all alone
He was crying and feeling very lonely in the corner of the prison
The warden said, "hey, buddy, don't you be no square
The prison warden approached him and said, "Hey, friend, don't be sad
If you can't find a partner, use a wooden chair"
"If you don't have anyone to dance with, use a chair instead"
Shifty Henry said to Bugs, "For Heaven's sake
One prisoner named Shifty Henry told another named 'Bugs': "For heaven's sake
No one's lookin' now's our chance to make a break"
"Nobody is watching us, so let's escape now"
Bugsy turned to Shifty and he said, "Nix, Nix
However, Bugsy refused and said to Shifty: "No, no
I want to stick around a while and get my kicks"
"I want to stay here and enjoy myself for some more time"
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Dancing to the music being played in the prison
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Dancing to the music being played in the prison
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Dancing to the music being played in the prison
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Dancing to the music being played in the prison
Dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock
Dancing to the music being played in the prison
Lyrics © BUDDE MUSIC FRANCE, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind