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 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 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 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 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 dancin' to the Jailhouse Rock.

RCA 20-7035, 1957, Jailhouse Rock / Treat Me Nice (78)

Soundtrack Session for MGM: Radio Recorders Jailhouse Rock, April 30, 1957

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller wrote Jailhouse Rock for the big production number in Elvis's 1957 movie of the same title. Dudley Brooks played piano on the recording, which was made on April 30, 1957, at Radio Recorders. Mike Stoller, however, claims that he played piano on the song. He did make a cameo appearance in the film as Vince Everett's (Elvis) piano player. Jailhouse Rock entered Billboard's Top 100 chart at #15. Three weeks later it was number one, replacing the Everly Brothers' Wake Up Little Susie. After seven weeks in the top spot, Jailhouse Rock was replaced by Sam Cooke's You Send Me. Elvis's recording spent a total of 27 weeks on the chart. The record was also number one on the Country Best-Seller (for one week) and rhythm & blues (for five weeks) charts. In England, Jailhouse Rock entered the chart at number one – the first single in the history of the British charts to do so. Worldwide, the record sold several million copies. Take #6 is the one on record.

Elvis sang Jailhouse Rock in two of his TV specials, Elvis and Elvis in Concert.