One of the most memorable rock and roll songs from the 1950s era was the incomparable ‘Great Balls of Fire’ performed by Jerry Lee Lewis. This 1957 uptempo rocker is forever immortalized in restored 4K video brilliance.
The updated, colorized version shows Jerry wearing a tan, collared button-up as he sits at the piano and plays the catchy song. He looks up at the camera and the sky like he’s howling at the moon as he sings.
The drummer and bassist stand beside him and play along as they swing their bodies and heads to the rhythm. Jerry taps his foot as he plays, and he faces toward the camera as he plays the piano at a sideways angle.
There is a musical break where Jerry slides down the keys multiple times and he hits them repeatedly. Jerry puts so much into his aggressive piano playing that it shakes his whole body.
And the band ends on a quick unison triple hit to end the song. It is a stunning performance of a high-energy dance tune from one of the greatest eras of rock and roll.
The song quickly reached number 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. The song became Jerry’s signature tune when he toured with Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry.
‘Great Balls of Fire’ was featured in the 1957 movie ‘Jamboree.’ The tune holds the ranking of 96th greatest song ever by Rolling Stone Magazine. Jerry Lee Lewis earned the nickname ‘The Killer’ through impressive performances like this one.
