Jeff St John was born in Newtown, Sydney and attended Cleveland Street Boys High School in Surry Hills, New South Wales. He was born with spina bifida and spent much of his life in a wheel chair..
He appeared with a number of bands during the late 1960s and early 1970s including; John The Syndicate aka The Wild Oats (1965), The Id (1966–67) with Bob Bertles (tenor sax '67), Jeff St John & Yama (1967–68), Jeff St John & Copperwine (1969-72), with Harry Brus (bass 70-72) and Wendy Saddington (co-lead vocals 70-71), Jeff St John Band (1972–73) and, Red Cloud (1975-76).
In 1980 he was the subject of an episode of the documentary series The Australians presented by Peter Luck. The episode was titled "Jeff St. John - Rock 'n' Roll Man".
In 1988 as part of Australian Bicentenary celebrations along with many other Australian celebrities, Jeff St John took part in a video shoot at Ayers Rock called Celebration of a Nation.
St John was involved in educating people about disabilities and was a member of spina bifida support group MOSAIC. Jeff appeared at the opening of the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney where he sang the Australian National Anthem.
Jeff St John died on 6 March 2018, at his home in Perth, Western Australia.
Jailhouse Rock
Jeff St. John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The prison band was there and they began to wail.
The band was jumpin' down they began to swing.
You should've heard those 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.
Well number forty-seven said to number three:
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see.
I sure could enjoy some of 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.
Well sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone
When over in the corner weepin' all alone.
The warden said, "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.
Well 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.
Jeff St. John’s version of “Jailhouse Rock” begins with a party thrown by the prison warden inside the county jail. The inmates get down to the live music from the prison band, which features Spider Murphy on the saxophone, Little Joe on the slide trombone, and the drumming talents of the Illinois drummer boy. The whole rhythm section is rounded out by a group called the Purple Gang. The inmates caught up in the fun dance the night away to the tune of the Jailhouse Rock.
The energy of the event is heightened when “Number 47” takes notice of “Number 3,” calling her the “cutest jailbird” he ever saw. He gets caught up in the moment, urging her to dance with him to the Jailhouse Rock. Meanwhile, “Sad Sack” sits on a block of stone, a lonely presence in the corner. When the warden advises him to make use of a wooden chair as a partner, Sad Sack gets up and gets into the swing of things.
Later in the song, the duo of Henry and Bugs discuss the possibility of making a break for it, but Bugs ultimately decides to stick around and get his kicks. The whole cell block continues to dance through the song’s final refrain of “let’s rock,” with the party continuing until morning comes.
Line by Line Meaning
The warden threw a party in the county jail.
The warden arranged a celebratory event inside the detention facility.
The prison band was there and they began to wail.
The musical group assigned to the jail showed up and started to play with energy and enthusiasm.
The band was jumpin' down they began to swing.
The band was playing lively and rehearsed music, which prompted them to make big movements and enjoy themselves.
You should've heard those jailbirds sing.
It would have been a marvelous experience to hear the prisoners produce harmonic and melodious sounds.
Let's rock, everybody, let's rock.
An invitation to all attendees to participate in the festive and vibrant scene by dancing.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
All inmates in the jail were moving to the rhythmic sound of the music being played and could not resist the impulse to dance.
Well Spider Murphy played on the saxophone,
A particular musician named Spider Murphy was adding the tune from his saxophone into the mix.
Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone.
Little Joe, another performer in the band, was using a slide trombone to create music.
The drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang,
The percussionist, identified as the drummer boy from Illinois, provided the music with explosive and sharp sounds through his drum-set.
The whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang.
The segment of the band responsible for establishing the tempo and melody of the music was the Purple Gang.
Well number forty-seven said to number three:
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see.
One of the imprisoned individuals complimented another, saying they were the most charming convict they have ever met.
I sure could enjoy some of your company,
Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me."
The artist expressed a desire to socialize with the person they complimented and invited them to join in the dance that they were all enjoying.
Well sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone
When over in the corner weepin' all alone.
There was a person called sad sack who was just sitting alone, while someone else was crying in another corner.
The warden said, "buddy, don't you be no square.
If you can't find a partner use a wooden chair."
The authority figure in charge of the inmates advised the person to be more outgoing and join the other dancers. If they could not find a partner, a wooden chair would suffice.
Well Henry said to Bugs, "For Heaven's sake,
No one's lookin', now's our chance to make a break."
Henry suggested to someone named Bugs that they take this opportunity to escape from the prison while nobody was watching.
Bugsy turned to Shifty and he said, "Nix nix,
I want to stick around a while and get my kicks."
Bugsy rejected the proposal to escape and replied to Shifty that he wanted to continue enjoying the party for some more time.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind