#Throwback Thursday: Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls of Fire

Welcome to a New Theme here on the blog!

It’s my plan to do this every Thursday… until I don’t. 

Sometimes I’ll have some background on the song or the artist, other times, I’m just planning on sharing the video.  The purpose of this weekly theme is to just kick back, relax, and enjoy music from decades past.

Now, I’m thinking that you’re probably thinking that this is just another excuse to listen to the good old sound of the 70’s (you know- that decade that I seem to be stuck in musically)   But… you might be surprised when you see the lineup I’ve in store for you!  (okay, not really going to show you the lineup - you’ll have to drop by each week to find out the song being featured)

So what do you say? Let’s get this party started!

Today’s song comes courtesy of the late great Jerry Lee Lewis. I dare you not to pick up your feet and dance (or even wiggly your butt in your chair)!

Wikipedia tells us this about Great Balls Of Fire:

The song is best known for Jerry Lee Lewis's original recording, which was recorded in the Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 8, 1957, using three personnel: Lewis (piano/vocals), Sidney Stokes (bass), and a session drummer, Larry Linn, instead of the usual Sun backups Jimmy Van Eaton (drums) and Roland Janes (guitar). Lewis was quoted in the book JLL: His Own Story by Rick Bragg, (pg 133), as saying "I knew Sidney Stokes but I didn't know him that well either, and I don't know what happened to them people. That's the last time I ever seen 'em. That's strange isn't it?" It was released as a 45rpm single on Sun 281 in November 1957. It reached No. 2 on the Billboard pop charts, No. 3 on the R&B charts, and No. 1 on the country charts. It also reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, appeared on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and the Dutch Top 40.

The song was featured in a performance by Jerry Lee Lewis and his band in the 1957 Warner Brothers rock and roll film Jamboree, which also featured Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, Buddy Knox, and Dick Clark. The recording was also released in the UK on London Records.






See you again soon! Share with me your thoughts about this theme.  If you have a favorite oldies song or artist, let me know and I’d be happy to feature them.