Jailhouse Rock
Originally recorded by Elvis Presley in 1958.
Words and music by Mike Stoller
Performed by Queen occasionally from 1974 to 1984/5. The recording from the 1975
Hammersmith Odeon christmas show (24/12/75) is the most famous. There are also
bootlegs of this song from the 1977 Day At The Races Tour, the 1982 Japanese
Tour and the 1984/85 Works Tour. This is obviously a favourite of Freddie's as
there is a bootleg of Ibex doing this song in 1969 and reliable reports of a
Queen studio version lurking in the vaults somewhere.
The warden threw a party in the county jail.
The prison band was there and they began to wail.
The band was jumpin' and the joint began to swing.
You should've heard those knocked out jailbirds sing.
Let's rock, everybody, let's rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block was a dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone,
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 a dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Number forty-seven said to number three:
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see.
I sure would be delighted with 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 a dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
The sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone
way over in the corner weepin' all alone.
The warden said, "Hey, 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 a dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Shifty 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 wanna stick around a while and get my kicks."
Let's rock, everybody, let's rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block was a dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.