Like Elvis Presley, he was raised singing the Christian gospel music of integrated southern Pentecostal churches. In 1950 he attended Southwestern Bible Institute in Texas but was expelled for misconduct, including playing rock and roll versions of hymns in church. Pearry Green (then president of the student body) related how during a talent show Jerry played some worldly music. The next morning the Dean of the school called both Jerry and Pearry into his office to expel them both. Jerry then said that Pearry shouldn't be expelled because "he didn't know what I was going to do." Years later Pearry asked Jerry: "Are you still playing the devil's music?" Jerry replied, "Yes, I am. But you know it's strange, the same music that they kicked me out of school for is the same kind of music they play in their churches today. The difference is, I know I am playing for the devil and they don't."
Leaving religious music behind, he became a part of the burgeoning new rock and roll sound, cutting his first record in 1954. Two years later, at Sun Records studio in Memphis, Tennessee, producer and engineer Jack Clement discovered and recorded Lewis for the Sun label, while owner Sam Phillips was away on a trip to Florida. As a result, Lewis joined Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash as stars who began their recording careers at Sun Studios around this same time.
Lewis' first recording at Sun studios was his own distinct version of the country ballad Crazy Arms. In 1957, his piano and the pure rock and roll sound of Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On propelled him to international fame. Great Balls of Fire soon followed, and would become his biggest hit. Watching and listening to Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis said if he could play the piano like that, he'd quit singing. Lewis' early billing was Jerry Lee Lewis and his Pumping Piano.
Lewis was a pioneer of piano rock, not only through his sound by also through his dynamic performance. He would often kick the piano bench out of the way to play standing, rake his hands up and down the keyboard for dramatic accent, and even sit down on it. His frenetic performance style can be seen in films such as High School Confidential (he sang the title song from the back of a flatbed truck), and Jamboree. These performance techniques have been adopted by recent piano rock artists, notably admirer Elton John.
Dead Flowers
Jerry Lee Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Talkin' to some rich folk that you know
Well I hope that you won't see me in my ragged company
You know I could never stand to be alone
Take me down little Susie, take me down
I know you think you're the queen of the underground
And you can send me dead flowers every morning
Send me dead flowers to my wedding
And I won't forget to put roses on your grave
When you're sitting back in your rose pink Cadillac
Making bets on Kentucky Derby Day
Ah, I'll be in my basement room with a needle and a spoon
And another girl to take my pain away
Take me down little Susie, take me down
I know you think you're the queen of the underground
And you can send me dead flowers every morning
Send me dead flowers by the mail
Send me dead flowers to my wedding
And I won't forget to put roses on your grave
Take me down little Susie, won't you take me down
I know you think you're the queen of the underground
And you can send me dead flowers every morning
Send me dead flowers by the U.S. Mail
Send me dead flowers to my wedding
And I won't forget to put roses on your grave
No, I won't forget to put roses on your grave
The lyrics of Jerry Lee Lewis's Dead Flowers convey a sense of resentment and bitterness towards someone who has seemingly made it in life while the singer has been left behind. The opening lines set the scene of a luxurious setting, with the singer addressing someone sitting in a "silk upholstered chair" speaking with "rich folks." The singer expresses a hope that the addressee will not see them in their "ragged company," indicating a sense of shame in not measuring up to the addressee's success.
The song then takes a darker turn, with the singer referencing drug use and a desire to escape reality. The chorus is a repetition of a plea to "take me down little Susie," with the implication that Susie is someone who can offer escape from the singer's pain. The repeated line "send me dead flowers" becomes a metaphor for the singer's lack of hope and desire for something different. The final verse is perhaps the most chilling, with the singer suggesting that they will not forget to "put roses on your grave" indicating that they hold a grudge against the addressee for their success.
Overall, the lyrics of Dead Flowers paint a picture of someone struggling to come to terms with their own limitations and relying on drugs and escape to cope. The repeated plea to "take me down little Susie" adds a sense of desperation and a desire for something different, while the final verse hints at a darker motive for this resentment.
Line by Line Meaning
Well when you're sitting there in your silk upholstered chair
When you're enjoying the lavish comforts of your wealth
Talkin' to some rich folk that you know
Socializing with other wealthy people you're familiar with
Well I hope that you won't see me in my ragged company
I hope you don't witness me associating with impoverished people
You know I could never stand to be alone
I can't bear solitude and seek companionship
Take me down little Susie, take me down
Escort me to a place where I can escape my troubles
I know you think you're the queen of the underground
You believe you have influence and power in the secret world you inhabit
And you can send me dead flowers every morning
You can mock me and remind me of my failures every day
Send me dead flowers by the mail
Mock me from a distance and continue to remind me of my failures
Send me dead flowers to my wedding
Even on a day of celebration, you'll continue to taunt me
And I won't forget to put roses on your grave
I'll remember to repay you with the same kind of disrespect when you're gone
When you're sitting back in your rose pink Cadillac
When you're enjoying luxury and extravagance in your car
Making bets on Kentucky Derby Day
Engaging in leisurely gambling on a famous horse race
Ah, I'll be in my basement room with a needle and a spoon
I'll be indulging in drug use to numb my pain
And another girl to take my pain away
Seeking comfort and temporary relief through another woman
Take me down little Susie, take me down
Take me away from this despair and help me escape reality
I know you think you're the queen of the underground
You believe yourself to be dominant and powerful in your subculture
And you can send me dead flowers every morning
You persist in reminding me of my struggles and shortcomings
Send me dead flowers by the U.S. Mail
Hurt me and cause me pain from a safe and remote distance
Send me dead flowers to my wedding
Even on what should be the happiest day of my life, you'll continue to taunt me
And I won't forget to put roses on your grave
I'll make sure to repay your cruelty when you're dead and gone
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jaggers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind