Great Balls of Fire

by

Jerry Lee Lewis

Album: Great Balls Of Fire      Released: 1957

US Chart: 2     UK Chart: 1

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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

Otis Blackwell, a prolific songwriter who wrote many hits for Elvis Presley, wrote this song. Blackwell died in 2002 at age 70. (thanks, Gary - Thetford, England)

Like Lewis' previous hit, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," this contained a lot of sexual innuendo, which was shocking for a southern musician in 1957. Lewis grew up in a religious household and was conflicted over whether or not he should record this. He and Sun Records owner Sam Phillips argued as Phillips tried to convince him to sing it. Tape was rolling during the spat and the exchange can be heard on some Sun Records collections.

This song made the Top 5 of the Pop, R&B, and Country charts simultaneously with "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." Both hit #1 on the Country charts, and while this sold 5 million copies, which was less then its predecessor, it still charted higher.

This was released in England the same month that Lewis married 13-year-old Myra Gale Brown, who was the daughter of his cousin (and bass player) J.W. Brown. At the time, Lewis was headlining shows with Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, but when the UK press found out, public outrage forced Lewis to leave the country. Back in The States, his career faltered as radio stations refused to play his records and stores refused to sell them.

In 1989, Dennis Quaid portrayed Lewis in the movie Great Balls Of Fire, which told the story of his life.

One of the many Rock Stars this influenced was Eric Clapton, who said: "I remember the first Rock & Roll I ever saw on TV was Jerry Lee Lewis doing 'Great Balls of Fire.' That threw me - it was like seeing someone from outer space." (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

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Comments:

To me, this is the first Hard Rock song.
- Lester, New York City, NY

In most States it is only illegal to marry your first cousin - and that is mostly because of the DNA similarities being high enough to actually cause mental retardation and health risks. But up until genetics were more readily known, it was very common especially among the royal and upper classes to keep the money in the family so to speak or produce a "pure-blood" heir.
- Linc, Beaumont, TX

After that infamous concert in New York - Chuck Berry asked not to go on after Lewis again.
- Linc, Beaumont, TX

amazing piano playing by Jerry Lee! a real classic!
- steve dotstar, los angeles, CA

I like the song,but I like the movie better. Great stuff.
- Johnny, Carroll, IA

HE MARRIED HIS COUSIN??????? eeeeeeewwwwwww
- Bianca Sanchez, Alburquerque, NM

Actually...marrying a cousin is pretty much legal. People always make fun of the south, and there are always conversations and arguments about it, but if you look into it, some people do. Of course, its never their first or second cousins. They pretty much take the 3rd cousin twice removed thing and go with it. Some of them never even knew they were cousins. Though im from California...either way, Igor was just trying to make the whole "omg they marry their COUSIN" thing happen.
- Ali, Wine, CA

That's disturbing Igor...and besides, it apparently wasn't written by him anyway so I don't see how you could be sure about that. No thanks for the image.
- Paul, Cincinnati, OH

I can't believe there ever was a time when such a marriage would be legal anyway...we must've lived in an even more hick country than we do now O.o
- Paul, Cincinnati, OH

this songwas on a restaurant commercial not too long ago. Applebees? or was it TGI Fridays?
- Joe, Bellingham, WA

Tiny Tim recorded this as his follow-up to "Tiptoe Thru the Tulips".
- Dave, Scottsdale, AZ

this is a freakin sweet song yo
- jeff, Toronto, Canada

Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry were on the same bill in New York in 1957. They argued about who would go on the featured last set, and since Berry had more hit songs, he won. So Jerry Lee did his set and clsoed with an absolute WILD version of this song, ending by setting his piano on fire. The crowd was going crazy. As he passed Chuck backstage, legend has it that Jerry Lee said "Top THAT, nigger!" In the Great Balls Of Fire movie made in 1989, this was cleaned up by having Lewis (played by Dennis Quaid) saying "Top THAT, cat!"
- Ken, Louisville, KY

When I saw Jerry perform in Portland, Ore. in 1969, he only sang for about half an hour, and he did not do Great Balls of Fire. When he appeared in Phoenix in 1986, her did a perfunctory, rinky-tink, novelty version of the song, which irritated the audience greatly.
- Doug, Tempe, AZ

The great joke about this song is that it's about venereal disease - great balls of fire!
- Elliott, Douglassville, PA

Oh, before you go any farther, I'm not saying it's actually ABOUT VD. It's a joke. Ha ha.
- Elliott, Douglassville, PA

This song was actually inspired by his upcoming marriage to his cousin. Work it out for yourself!
- Igor, Miami, FL

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