Great Balls of Fire
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee’s Greatest! (1961)
Jack Hammer, Otis Blackwell
Listen to the Song
At a glance
- Key
- C major
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Main progression
- I–IV–V7
- Chords used
- F · C · G7 · F7
Summary
Recorded at Memphis's Sun Studio, this 1957 classic redefined the piano's role in rock and roll through its aggressive boogie-woogie rhythm. It remains a cultural touchstone that reached #1 in the UK and solidified Lewis's legacy as a pioneer of high-energy performance.
Chord Sheet
Chords Used
Progression by Section
Bridge
Chorus
Verse
Chord Diagrams
Musical Analysis
The song's harmony is a masterclass in high-energy simplicity. It avoids complex modulations, instead using the standard I, IV, and V chords of the blues tradition. The distinctiveness comes from the 'stop-time' sections and the rhythmic delivery of the tonic…
History
The song was written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer specifically for the 1957 film 'Jamboree'. While Blackwell was a prolific writer for Elvis Presley, this became one of his most enduring contributions to rock and roll history.
“The song features Jerry Lee Lewis on piano/vocals, Roland Janes on guitar, J.W. Brown on bass, and Jimmy Van Eaton on drums.”
Full musical analysis
The song's harmony is a masterclass in high-energy simplicity. It avoids complex modulations, instead using the standard I, IV, and V chords of the blues tradition. The distinctiveness comes from the 'stop-time' sections and the rhythmic delivery of the tonic chord, where the harmony remains static but the piano's internal voicing (boogie-woogie left hand) provides the drive. The V-IV-I progression in the chorus is a hallmark of the rockabilly style, prioritizing momentum over functional resolution.
The song was written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer specifically for the 1957 film 'Jamboree'. While Blackwell was a prolific writer for Elvis Presley, this became one of his most enduring contributions to rock and roll history.
Recorded at Memphis's Sun Studio, this 1957 classic redefined the piano's role in rock and roll through its aggressive boogie-woogie rhythm. It remains a cultural touchstone that reached #1 in the UK and solidified Lewis's legacy as a pioneer of high-energy performance.
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Song DNA
Genre
Rock
Era
50s
Mood
Euphoric
Tempo
Fast
Key
Major
Texture
Full Band
Sound
Piano-led
Feel
Shuffle
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Statistics
3.0M
Plays
652K
Listeners
664K
Genius Views
3
Annotations
100%
Popularity
1:49
Duration
4/4
Time
Credits
Written by
Produced by
From the album Jerry Lee’s Greatest!
Compilations
- The Killer: Breathless (Studio Out Takes 1956-1958)1993
- The Ultimate: The Sun Years1993
- The Killer: The Extreme Sun and Early Years