John Mellencamp — Jailhouse Rock
Album: Honeymoon in VegasAvg rating:
Your rating:
Total ratings: 136
Length: 3:33
Plays (last 30 days): 0
share
tweet
Written by Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller
The warden threw a party in the county jail.
The prison band was there and they began to wail.
The band was jumpin' down they began to swing.
You should've heard those jailbirds sing.
Let's rock, everybody, let's rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Well Spider Murphy played on the 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 dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Well number forty-seven said to number three:
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see.
I sure could enjoy some of 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 dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Well sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone
When over in the corner weepin' all alone.
The warden said, "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 dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Well 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 dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
The warden threw a party in the county jail.
The prison band was there and they began to wail.
The band was jumpin' down they began to swing.
You should've heard those jailbirds sing.
Let's rock, everybody, let's rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
was dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Well Spider Murphy played on the 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 dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Well number forty-seven said to number three:
"You're the cutest jailbird I ever did see.
I sure could enjoy some of 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 dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Well sad sack was a sittin' on a block of stone
When over in the corner weepin' all alone.
The warden said, "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 dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Well 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 dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.
Comments (37)add comment
Shit Sandwich.
That was craptastic!
james_of_tucson wrote:
The only thing I get from this song is the fact that a lyric like:
"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. "
in 1956 could be interpreted as anything *but* a homoerotic allusion.
I think the song is far more naive than ironic, though. I could be wrong, but it's impossible to tell :-)
You'd have to ask Leiber & Stoller, who wrote this, and about 900 other hit songs.
The only thing I get from this song is the fact that a lyric like:
"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. "
in 1956 could be interpreted as anything *but* a homoerotic allusion.
I think the song is far more naive than ironic, though. I could be wrong, but it's impossible to tell :-)
You'd have to ask Leiber & Stoller, who wrote this, and about 900 other hit songs.
Doing my part to bring the rating down.
wow this is really cool & dark. thanks B & R for playing it!! never woulda known it existed otherwise.
michaelgmitchell wrote:
The only thing I get from this song is the fact that a lyric like:
"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. "
in 1956 could be interpreted as anything *but* a homoerotic allusion.
I think the song is far more naive than ironic, though. I could be wrong, but it's impossible to tell :-)
Something wrong with this. Not sure what. But it's just 'wrong'.
The only thing I get from this song is the fact that a lyric like:
"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. "
in 1956 could be interpreted as anything *but* a homoerotic allusion.
I think the song is far more naive than ironic, though. I could be wrong, but it's impossible to tell :-)
I like this version
isayhoomhom wrote:
It's a good thing your opinion is meaningless.
I'm personally of the opinion that John Mellencamp should be banned from RP forever. Feh.
It's a good thing your opinion is meaningless.
isayhoomhom wrote:
I agree with you...and let's not even bother trying to figure out 1.) Why this song needs to be covered. 2.) Why should it be covered by someone like JM. 3.) The feel isn't even conducive to the "let's rock" lyric. This is just dumb, dumb and more dumb. The ending is pretty good...cuz it leads to a different damn song!!!
I'm personally of the opinion that John Mellencamp should be banned from RP forever. Feh.
I agree with you...and let's not even bother trying to figure out 1.) Why this song needs to be covered. 2.) Why should it be covered by someone like JM. 3.) The feel isn't even conducive to the "let's rock" lyric. This is just dumb, dumb and more dumb. The ending is pretty good...cuz it leads to a different damn song!!!
eww... bhallmark wrote:
Agreed.
Oddly and disturbingly enjoyable.
Agreed.
Always thought the Elvis version was to playful. This version is kinda creepy, menacing maybe.
Not a big John Cougar fan though..........
Start at 6
Not a big John Cougar fan though..........
Start at 6
I like it and I liked this album for the most part when it came out. Some fun versions on it.
I have to agree — Mellencamp is not a fav of mine, but this version is sexy — something very seductive about it. 
Why Why Why!!!!
thats a great version
This is awful. John Mellencamp has better songs
I'm personally of the opinion that John Mellencamp should be banned from RP forever. Feh.
jhorton wrote:
Makes a nice change from the clichéd original, which was trailblazing in Elvis's day but is now hard on the ears. This is a nice interpretation which goes with a tasteful salsa-like swing. 6 from the hip-swinging Nottingham jury.
Another cover that just shouldn't have been done.
Makes a nice change from the clichéd original, which was trailblazing in Elvis's day but is now hard on the ears. This is a nice interpretation which goes with a tasteful salsa-like swing. 6 from the hip-swinging Nottingham jury.
John-boy saves this AWFUL Presley tune!! It sooo needed updating!
ottojschlosser wrote:
Respectfully but completely disagree. I like the tension and slyness of this version and think the King would have, too.
I like it, too.
Respectfully but completely disagree. I like the tension and slyness of this version and think the King would have, too.
I like it, too.
DaveInVA wrote:
Respectfully but completely disagree. I like the tension and slyness of this version and think the King would have, too.
This is the worst Mellonhead I've heard yet, bet ol' Elvis is spinning in his grave
Respectfully but completely disagree. I like the tension and slyness of this version and think the King would have, too.
This is the worst Mellonhead I've heard yet, bet ol' Elvis is spinning in his grave
Interesting!
Another cover that just shouldn't have been done.
Oddly and disturbingly enjoyable.
Something wrong with this. Not sure what. But it's just 'wrong'.
Just brutal.
I'm torn on this version. There's a certain creepiness in the presentation, so there's mad props on that front, but I'm not sure if the creepiness was -intentional-, and _THATS_ creepy :)
Thanks, but no thanks.
Looking at the lineup of artists on this album, it makes me think the whole thing might be decent. 
Mellencamp's not one of my faves...but strangely, I really like this.
As long as its not Elvis I'm ok with it.
When it first started I was reaching for the "1" key, but that might have something to do with my aversion to any Elvis songs.
This grew on me once I stopped comparing it to the original.
This grew on me once I stopped comparing it to the original.
BigTimber wrote:
Yep, Jailhouse blues definitely
I like this take on it, seems darker and mournful
Yep, Jailhouse blues definitely
I like his take on it, darker and mournful