Great Balls Of Fire Analysis

In 1958, Jerry Lee Lewis performed two of his hit singles “Great Balls of Fire” and “Breathless” on the American Bandstand with Dick Clark. With his addition to the rock ‘n roll genre, these songs are classics which listeners have heard for the past several decades. The following analysis of the songs are important to me because my family members enjoy singing them during karaoke nights. In addition, the analysis will highlight important musical characteristics, an explanation of how the music added to the genre of rock ‘n roll, and the important social implications the songs had at the time. Finally, the analysis will provide a personal critical critique of the performance. If you wish to view the video, please click the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4NquCaWIQI

While listening to the songs, one should be able to highlight the many musical elements used to make the show a success. During his concert, one could recognize the quick tempo that was used in order to entertain, captivate, and energize the audience. In the song “Great Balls of Fire,” many major chords were used to give the song a happy and energetic feel, which helped improve the overall harmony of the song. In terms of the melody, which refers to the tune you remember, the music had a fast frequency which

allowed him to sing in a higher pitch as he danced around the stage and played the piano. The dynamics of both of the songs were loud throughout the concert. Although Lewis was the lead singer, without the bass and drums the songs would not have impacted the audience as much. When a person analyzes how the instruments are played and what they hear in a song, this is often referred to as timbre. Within the song “breathless” the song still had quite a bit of energy, however, he did slow the tempo down quite a bit which helped him adjust the emotional feel of the song. Although it is important to recognize the musical elements in the performance, it is also necessary to take into account the contributions he made to the genre at the time.
For those individuals who are fans of Jerry Lee Lewis’ music, there is no doubt that he contributed a great deal to the genre of rock ‘n roll. With his unique voice and style of music, he added elements to his songs which allowed performers who followed him to springboard off of his style. According to an excerpt written by Jim Miller within the illustrated history of rock ‘n roll, Lewis “emerged in giant, and entertainer gifted with intuitive slayer, musical brashness, and a genius for self-promotion” (p. 73). One other thing that Lewis proved throughout his life was that he was determined to get the job done no matter what. For example, when Lewis had hopes of getting a recording contract from Sun records, he proved that he would do anything as long as he was given a chance. According to an article written by Peter Guralnick about the era of rockabilly, Lewis once sold all of the eggs from his father’s farm and camped out at Sun records until they gave him an audition. This not only highlighted his love for the music business, but it also showed that he was willing to go the extra mile to get a chance to perform in front of the fans.
One key element within many of Lewis’ performances was his use of his piano. Within the video, viewers can witness that he played with such ease as he connected with the fans. Although it is clear that Lewis had his own unique style of playing the piano, Robert Palmer made a suggestion that his style was adapted from previous performers. He asserted that Lewis’s piano style was “shaped by the blues in both deep layers he heard in Haney’s Big House, (a black nightclub in his hometown) and perhaps by the recordings of white country boogie pianists like Miriam Mullican and Merrill Moore” (p. 14-15). Therefore, not only did Lewis create his own style from musicians who came before him, but he also paved the way for those singers who followed in his footsteps.
In terms of social implications for these two songs, the lyrics fit right in with what was happening in the 1950s and 60s.

After examining the lyrics of the songs, it is clear that both of them delivered a lot of love messages and sexual innuendos. In the first verse of “Breathless” Lewis said “now if you love me, please don’t tease, if I can hold you, then let me squeeze.” This is a clear message regarding a close relationship between two individuals. Within the song “Great Balls of Fire,” he discussed how he got cleaned up for the women he was trying to impress by trimming his nails. By making the songs about relationships, this is what probably helped boost their

popularity.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to both of the songs. One element that stood out to me more than others was how he used a special effect which look like an explosion during the song “Great Balls of Fire.” Right from the start, members of the audience were screaming at the top of their lungs with excitement for his songs. At one point, he got so excited that he had to stand up and play the piano because the fans were so energetic. One other element that stood out to me was what he wore during his performance. His outfit looks similar to a suit jacket today except it had a cheetah outline which was pretty unique and fashionable. The length of his hair allowed him to flip it as he sang and danced to the music. By examining makes two songs, I was able to gain a better understanding of one of rock ‘n roll’s greatest performers, and I will certainly listen to more of Jerry Lee Lewis’s music in the future.