Jerry Lee Lewis Archives - Page 2 of 2

Elvis Goes Into the Army: March 25, 1958

At the age of 23, Elvis Presley went into the U.S. Army in March 25, thus suspending his promising career that had already altered the music landscape.

On December 20, 1957, Elvis was drafted while he was celebrating Christmas at Graceland, and three months later on March 25, the 23-year-old Elvis went into the U.S. Army. During his time in the Army, Presley served as a member of two armor battalions, first completing basic and advanced training with Company A, 2d Medium Tank Battalion, 37th Armor, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas until September 1958.

Starting in October 1958, Presley served in Germany until March 2, 1960, as a member of the 1st Medium Tank Battalion, 32d Armor. It was during this time in Germany that he met the young teenager Priscilla Beaulieu, who would become his wife. Elvis left active duty on March 5, 1960 and received his discharge from the Army Reserve on March 23, 1964.

This newsreel has the story of the induction.

There were some downsides to these Army years. It was during this period that Elvis began abusing prescription drugs, a practice that would later lead to his death. As Elvis went into the Army, many wondered how his absence would affect his career.

When Presley returned from the Army, he showed he could still generate pop hits like “It’s Now or Never.” Additionally, he would return to making movies, but he was an adult and further away from his teenage rebel rock and roll years.

Although Presley would still make great music after his army years, the music scene had changed during the short time he was gone. In addition to the loss of Elvis during those years, Chuck Berry fell into trouble with the law, Little Richard joined the ministry, Jerry Lee Lewis lost his popularity when he married his young cousin, and Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper, and Buddy Holly died in a plane crash in Iowa in early 1959.

While the survivors of those years would resurrect their careers to varying degrees, American music was never again like it was before the date in 1958 when Elvis went into the U.S. Army..

Do you remember when Elvis went into the Army? Leave your two cents in the comments.

Elvis Presley With the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: “If I Can Dream”

The Impromptu Million Dollar Quartet

The End of Maryland’s Death Penalty and “Green, Green Grass of Home”

Although the Oscars Passed Over “Little Richard: I Am Everything,” You Shouldn’t

Esquerita, the Man Buried in an Unmarked Grave Who Inspired Little Richard and Rock and Roll

Chuck Jackson Was There Before Elvis: “Any Day Now”

(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

Watch Classic Music from Dick Clark’s Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show

NRR Archives on YouTube started posting old rock and roll clips from Dick Clark’s Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show. Clips feature Johhny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Connie Francis, Dion and the Belmonts, Bobby Darin, Annette Funicello, The Platters, Sam Cooke, The Everly Brothers, Conway Twitty, Ronnie Hawkins, Jackie Wilson and many others. Check out the NRR Archive link to see the clips. Here is Roy Orbison singing “Uptown” (the clip also includes Anita Bryant singing “Paper Roses”).

Dick Clark’s Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show, also known as “The Dick Clark Show,” ran on ABC at 7:30-8:00 p.m. (EST) on Saturdays (of course) from February 15, 1958 through September 10, 1960. During this same period, Clark also hosted the show for which he is most remembered, American Bandstand, which ran on weekdays. Bandstand, which in contrast to the Beech-Nut Show featured dancing, was mainly broadcast from Philadelphia, requiring Clark to travel back and forth to Manhattan, from where the Beech-Nut Show was generally broadcast.

Although the Saturday show sponsored by “the brightest and the happiest gum there ever was” may be less remembered than some of Clark’s other work, the show had a lot of great classic music. Check out Johnny Cash singing “The Rebel (Johnny Yuma)” below and then check out the other clips.

What is your favorite clip in the archive? Leave your two cents in the comments.

The 1977 Johnny Cash Christmas Show

Jackie Wilson’s Final Performance on Sept. 29, 1975

What Is the Meaning of the Song “Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)”?

Roy Orbison Without the Sunglasses: “Only the Lonely”

What Is the Murder Ballad That Holly Hunter Sings to Nathan Jr. in “Raising Arizona”?

The Gang’s All Here: Muhammad Ali & Sam Cooke

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire!

After much debate on on Oct. 8, 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis poured his divided soul into recording “Great Balls of Fire” at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. The song was released on November 11 of that year, and it went on to enter the top ten on the U.S. country, pop, and R&B charts, as well as number one on the U.K. pop charts.

A “Blasphemous” Song?

But Lewis initially refused to record the song. Lewis grew up in the Assemblies of God church and had attended Southwest Bible College in Texas before getting expelled for playing rock and roll music.

Lewis was tortured about whether or not to record this song. Many in the church considered the southern expression “Great Balls of Fire” to be blasphemous, as it refers to the Holy Spirit appearing as fire.

Argument with Sam Phillips

Before the recording of the song in October 1957, Lewis argued with Sun Studio’s Sam Phillips about whether or not he could bring himself to record the song. Phillips encouraged Lewis, telling him that he could save souls.

Lewis responded, “How can the devil save souls?…I got the devil in me!” The tape was rolling during the argument, so you may hear Lewis and Phillips discussing the song in the clip below:

Jerry Lee Lewis & Sam Phillips Argue

The argument continued in a dialogue that appears somewhat disjointed. But after awhile, Lewis came around and recorded the song.

After the Recording of “Great Balls of Fire”

Lewis, who is cousins with preacher Jimmy Swaggart, would continue to be tortured by the divide between his upbringing and his rock and roll lifestyle. As recounted in a book and movie about his life, after his rise to fame, audiences deserted him because he married his 13-year-old cousin. Lewis’s career would be resurrected eventually, and he continues to record and perform.

Lewis must have found peace with the blasphemous song, which he continued to perform. But he could not have predicted in 1957 that he would become so associated with the phrase “Great Balls of Fire.” It would become the title for his biography and the movie about his life, starring Dennis Quaid in an interesting, over-the-top performance.