Ok all now i love elvis, since i was a wee babe and Jail House Rock is one of my fave songs but i have a problem with the opening line
"Warden threw a party in the county jail"
ok we know the song is called jailhouse rock, so where the hell else would the warden be throwing the party, his place?
Thunderbirds Aren't Slow
What's the problem with that, I mean what is the problem if the Warden throw a party in the county jail, I mean it could have been a celberation. Do they have to be in trouble all the time when they are in jail? None of ous rgiht the songs, it was Elvis Presley's usual song wrting team that wrote this song, so please don't take it out at us if you don't like the opennning to the song, we have nothing to do with the lyrics of the song. But if the warden wants to throw a party, let him, and he can always re-lock up, prisoners being bad at the party, or some other kind of punishment.
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I always interpreted the "Warden's party" in a sarcastic way, the same way you'd talk about a "necktie party". With that in mind, all the lyrics take on a sinister meaning, if you want it to. The jailhouse rock could be a violent riot, a prisoner uprising, a political coup, what have you.
Think of the Led Zeppelin lyrics for "Four Sticks"
"[Policeman] asked us to stay for tea and have some fun / he said that his friends would all drop by."
Who knows, could Elvis have been 20 years ahead of his time with the double-entendre?
Oh, but anyway, when I read the title of this thread I thought it was referring to that horrible "broadway" lead-in to the number. I've never heard it that way, and I hated it. I'm used to the power chord lead in, 1 guitar, 1 snare drum and Elvis the way it's played on the radio. Imo that's the most powerful rock opening ever (followed closely by Sabbath's "Iron Man") ;)
Here's a cool side note. I had the famed writer, Ace Collins on my program a couple years back. He had just released his new book, "Untold Gold, the stories behind Elvis's #1 hits". He told me a interesting story about the recording of the "JHR".
Bill black the bass player was given a new Fender bass to play for "Jail House Rock" By the producers. Bill always played a standup Bass and he refused to use the Fender. The produces insisted. They didn't want anything but the Fender used in the recording. Bill Black walked out. It looked like the session was over. Elvis walked over and picked up the bass, and when you here the recording It is in fact, Elvis playing Bass.
"I was plumb horn swoggled.By the time I got back to my car a plumber swoggled my horn." Bob Hope
Aw, c’mon, people, it's just a SONG! Lots of rock-and-roll songs have silly lyrics that don't make much sense. Take another classic by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, "Love Potion Number 9." Are we supposed to believe that drinking a mysterious, magical liquid that smells like turpentine and looks like India ink can make you run out into the street and start kissing everything in sight, including a cop?
shareSorry, I can't accept the "it's just a song" attitude, not with this or any song. Sure, it may be just a song, just like a sunset may be "just a sunset", but our individual interpretations make it interesting, for what it's worth. Btw Love Potion Number 9 is a socio-political metaphor about communism ;)
share"Love Potion Number 9 is a socio-political metaphor about communism"
WTF???
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Then don't listen to it, smart one. Not every song has to be interpreted or taken seriously, you know. This was one of the best songs by Elvis Presley, and that's all there is to it.
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Fool. The reason you're an idiot is not that you don't see deeper meaning in Jailhouse rock. The reason you're an idiot is that you don't respect others' choice to see deeper meaning. It's ok to be ignorant. But when you combine it with being close-minded, you just look like trash. Good luck with that.
share[deleted]
ignorant: lacking knowledge
Example: not knowing that "Jailhouse Rock" was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller; not knowing what they intended the song to be about. "It's just a damn song!!"
close-minded: intolerant of the beliefs and opinions of others
Example: attacking someone for daring to discuss whether "Jailhouse Rock" has any deeper symbolic meaning. "Don't listen to it, smart one!!"
Like I said, it's ok to be ignorant, and I'm impressed that you had the humility to admit you didn't know the definition of those words. But when you combine ignorance with close-mindedness, you're just trash.
I hope this helped illuminate how ridiculous you are. I really can't help you any more than this.
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He wasn't telling us where he had the party he was telling us he had party
shareI think it's entirely possible a prison warder could throw a party at his own house.
shareI've read a lot of pathetic threads on these boards. I'm sure I've contributed to some of them. But this one takes the cake. People are reading a whole lot into a novelty song (that's actually one hell of a rock 'n' roll song, by the way).
But if that's what floats your boat...