THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.
954-Elvis Presley-Jailhouse Rock.
1958-Number 1 single. When re released in 2005, it once again went to Number 1.
Best Bit-At 0.01.When an old person tells you that today’s songs would make a vicar blush, ask them how this song of debauchery, and Sodom and Gomorrah, managed to get past the censors in 1957.
‘Jailhouse Rock’ was written for the film of the same name by the legendary songwriting team of Jerry Leiber (1933-2011,) and Mike Stoller. The film was the third of 31 films Elvis Presley (see also best songs 664-442 and 194) appeared in, and one of his more critically approved of. The dance scene in the film to this song, which Presley performed in, and also choreographed, is agreed upon as his greatest on screen moment.
Leiber and Stoller (see also best songs 804-124 and 86) obviously had a lot of fun writing the lyrics, which are very much tongue in cheek. Some of the characters are fictional, but some were real, ‘Shifty Henry’ was an American Blues songwriter,while ‘The Purple Gang’ who were ‘The whole rhythm section,’ were in fact a criminal mob of murderers, and armed robbers, who operated in Detroit, Michigan in the 1920’s. ‘Sad Sack’ is another character mentioned, Sad Sack was originally a comic book character created during World War 2, for the comic book ‘Yank,the Army Weekly.’ Sad Sack depicted a lowly private, experiencing some of the humiliations of military life, the title was a euphemistic shortening of the military slang,’Sad Sack of S..t.’
‘Number 47 said to Number 3, you’re the cutest jailbird I ever did see.’
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The countdown continues tomorrow at 1.0.pm.
For a list of all the best 1000 songs click on the blog at www.barryphilipsdiscos.