The jam session seems to have happened by pure chance. Perkins, who by this time had already met success with "Blue Suede Shoes", had come into the studios that day, accompanied by his brothers Clayton and Jay and by drummer W.S. Holland, their aim being to cut some new material, including a revamped version of an old blues song, "Matchbox". Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records, who wished to try to fatten this sparse rockabilly instrumentation, had brought in his latest acquisition, singer and piano man extraordinaire, Jerry Lee Lewis, still unknown outside Memphis, to play the piano on the Perkins session.
Sometime in the early afternoon, Elvis Presley, a former SUN artist himself, but now at RCA, dropped in to pay a casual visit accompanied by a girlfriend, Marilyn Evans. He was, at the time, the biggest name in show business, having hit the top of the singles charts five times, and topping the album charts twice in the preceding 12 month period. Less than four months earlier, he had appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, pulling an unheard-of 83% of the television audience, which was estimated at 55 million, the largest in history, up to that time. After chatting with Philips in the control room, Presley listened to the playback of the Perkins’ session, which he pronounced to be good. Then he went into the studio and some time later the jam session began. Phillips left the tapes running in order to "capture the moment" as a souvenir and for posterity. At some point during the session, SUN artist Johnny Cash, who had also enjoyed a few hits on the country charts, popped in.
As the session continued, Phillips spotted an opportunity for some publicity and called a local newspaper, the Memphis Press-Scimitar. Bob Johnson, the newspaper’s entertainment editor came over to the studios accompanied by a UPI representative named Leo Soroca, and a photographer.
The following day, an article, written by Johnson about the session, was published in the Memphis Press-Scimitar under the title, "Million Dollar Quartet". The article contained the now well known photograph of Elvis Presley seated at the piano surrounded by Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash.
When The Saints Go Marching In
The Million Dollar Quartet Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of those who've gone before
But we'll all be reunited (but if we stand reunited)
On a new and sunlit shore (then a new world is in store)
O when the Saints go marching in
When the Saints go marching in
O Lord, I want to be in that number
And when the sun begins to shine
And when the sun begins to shine
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the moon turns red with blood
When the moon turns red with blood
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
On that hallelujah day
On that hallelujah day
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
O when the trumpet sounds the call
O when the trumpet sounds the call
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
Some say this world of trouble
Is the only one we need
But I'm waiting for that morning
When the new world is revealed
When the revelation comes
When the revelation comes
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the rich go out and work
When the rich go out and work
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When the air is pure and clean
When the air is pure and clean
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When we all have food to eat
When we all have food to eat
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
When our leaders learn to cry
When our leaders learn to cry
O Lord, I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in
The Million Dollar Quartet's song - When the Saints Go Marching In is a gospel and spiritual track that talks about the believers' aspiration to join the other saints in heaven. The song also expresses the believers' hope for a new world, one that is free of the current troubles that plague the world. The first verse sets the tone by indicating that believers are following the footsteps of those who have gone before them. However, the believers' ultimate goal is to be reunited with their predecessors in heaven on a new sunlit shore. The lyrics of the song, through its repetition of the phrase "O Lord, I want to be in that number," a desire among the believers for a better life, free of the troubles and tribulations all around them.
The chorus of the song speaks of a time when the saints will march into heaven. The believers express their wish to be in that number, to be part of that company. As the song progresses, it recognizes that the world is troubled and that believers are waiting for the day when the new world will be revealed. The verses that follow the chorus of the song mention the different conditions that people hope will be part of the new world. These verses talk about things like clean air, access to food, leaders who have learned to cry, and a day when the rich will work in harmony with the poor. All of these conditions are aspirations that people hope will be a part of the new world, a world free of the current troubles.
Line by Line Meaning
We are traveling in the footsteps
We are following the path of those who came before us
Of those who've gone before
Of the people who have already passed away
But we'll all be reunited (but if we stand reunited)
But we will come together again
On a new and sunlit shore (then a new world is in store)
In a bright and novel place (where a fresh world awaits)
O when the Saints go marching in
Oh, when righteous people walk into heaven
O Lord, I want to be in that number
Oh, Lord, I desire to be among those people
And when the sun begins to shine
And when the day starts to brighten
When the moon turns red with blood
When there is bloodshed and chaos in the world
On that hallelujah day
On that joyful day
O when the trumpet sounds the call
Oh, when the call of the trumpet is heard
Some say this world of trouble
Some people believe this world of difficulties
Is the only one we need
Is the only one necessary
But I'm waiting for that morning
But I am looking forward to that day
When the new world is revealed
When a new world is disclosed
When the revelation comes
When the truth is uncovered
When the rich go out and work
When even wealthy people work hard
When the air is pure and clean
When the air is fresh and devoid of pollution
When we all have food to eat
When everyone has enough food to eat
When our leaders learn to cry
When our leaders develop empathy and show emotion
Lyrics © BRASSTACKS ALLIANCE , Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRIS BARBER, JAMES MILTON BLACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@John515071
Love this
@dinsdale666doug
Hell yeah son that is beyond awesome
@lourdestaveira7622
Meu maravilhoso Elvis único e malhou cantar que já pisou na fase da terra destes planeta beijos te amo para sempre que saudade de você fica com Deus beijos...🎼🎸🥀🎵🌹🎤🎶🎁🎶🎶🌹🎤🎵🎵🎶🎶🎶🌹
@dashhester916
amazing
@johnwear819
I wish that they'd allow the other three to sing lead instead of Elvis hogging the show. I'm just sayin'...
@joaquinbartsch4325
who is playing the piano ???
@jrgensalomonsen3772
It must be Jerry Lee
@jrgensalomonsen3772
Listen to the piano
@lynnbainton7202
Elvis is the one playing piano.
@user-hm9gs2im7e
I love all the songs he sing❤️🎼❤️