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.
Skid Row
Jerry Lee Lewis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
His way into your heart
I love you, darlin', there's always a chance
A stranger might find some way to pull us apart
Darlin', you give me no reason to worry my mind
'Cause you've never once been untrue
It's just that I've loved you for such a long time
You're a good lookin' woman
Who could tempt any man
And that's why I feel like I do
Sometimes ol' Jerry's feelings
May get a little out of hand
'Cause I'm still jealous of you
I live with the feeling
That I'll wake up some day
And I won't be the first
In your heart
You know, darlin', nothing hurts worse
Than the memories you save
After a love falls apart
Think about it
So, darlin', please don't blame me
For keeping what's mine
And guarding our precious love, like I do
It's just that I've loved you, for such a long time
That I'm still jealous of you
Honey, I'm still jealous of you
You better believe I am, baby
The song "Skid Row" by Jerry Lee Lewis is about the fear of losing someone you love to someone else. The singer is expressing his insecurity about the possibility that another person might enter the picture and steal his lover's heart. The singer acknowledges that his lover has never given him a reason to doubt her loyalty, but he still finds himself feeling jealous because of the love he has for her.
Jerry Lee Lewis sings about the love he has for his woman which is so strong that it makes him insecure about losing her. He describes his woman as a good-looking woman who could tempt any man, leading him to feel jealous about the possibility of losing her to someone else. This fear of losing his lover to someone else leads him to guard their relationship jealously. He expresses his desire to keep their love precious and safe, hence his jealousy towards her.
Overall, "Skid Row" is a heart-wrenching song about the fear of losing someone you love to another person, even though the relationship has been strong and faithful. The song demonstrates a deep understanding of human emotions, particularly the emotion of jealousy that often comes with love.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm so afraid that somebody else is gonna find
His way into your heart
I'm concerned that someone else might take away your love from me
Darlin', you give me no reason to worry my mind
'Cause you've never once been untrue
You've never given me any reason to doubt your loyalty, but I still feel insecure
It's just that I've loved you for such a long time
I'm still jealous of you
My love for you has endured, but my jealousy remains strong
You're a good lookin' woman
Who could tempt any man
And that's why I feel like I do
Your beauty could attract any man, which fuels my jealousy
Sometimes ol' Jerry's feelings
May get a little out of hand
'Cause I'm still jealous of you
My emotions towards you can become overwhelming because of my jealousy
I live with the feeling
That I'll wake up some day
And I won't be the first
In your heart
I fear that one day someone else will replace me in your heart
You know, darlin', nothing hurts worse
Than the memories you save
After a love falls apart
Think about it
The memories we'll have if our love fails are painful to imagine. Please consider this.
So, darlin', please don't blame me
For keeping what's mine
And guarding our precious love, like I do
I'm not to blame for safeguarding our love and keeping it mine, as I do
It's just that I've loved you for such a long time
That I'm still jealous of you
Honey, I'm still jealous of you
You better believe I am, baby
My love for you has stood the test of time, but unfortunately so has my jealousy
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HAROLD SMITH, MAE BOREN AXTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind