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Nobody cuts the Killer!

JERRY LEE LEWIS - Great Ball Of Fire!

Greatest pop songs of all time . . . an occasional series 

On this day in music history: October 8, 1957 - “Great Balls Of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis is recorded. Written by Otis Blackwell (“Don’t Be Cruel”, “All Shook Up”, “Return To Sender”, “Handy Man”) under the pseudonym “Jack Hammer”, it is the biggest hit for the Louisiana born rock & roll musician nicknamed “The Killer”. The single is recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis, TN and is featured in the film “Jamboree”. Released on November 11, 1957 as the follow up to “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”, the single is an across the board smash, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Best Sellers, #1 on the Country and #3 on the Rhythm & Blues charts. The song is regarded as one of the most important and influential songs of the early rock era, also being covered by numerous artists over the years. The song also features prominently in the blockbuster “Top Gun” in 1986, as it is sung and used as a catch phrase by actor Anthony Edwards throughout the film. The original recording is also featured on an expanded remastered edition of the soundtrack album in 1998. The song is also used as the title for the 1989 biopic on the rock & roll icon starring Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder and Alec Baldwin. Jerry Lee Lewis’ original recording of “Great Balls Of Fire” is also inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1998.

with thanks as ever to Jeff Harris' blog Behind the Grooves