Song of the Day: Elvis Presley, “Jailhouse Rock”

Song of the Day 1 Minute

Guitarist Scotty Moore, who started the Blue Mountain Boys, Elvis Presley’s backup band, and played with them from 1954 to 1968, would be 90 years old today. Wikipedia tells us:

> Rock critic Dave Marsh credits Moore with inventing power chords, on the 1957 Elvis hit "Jailhouse Rock", the intro of which Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana, according to the latter, "copped from a ’40s swing version of ‘The Anvil Chorus’." Moore was ranked 29th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2011. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007, and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in 2015. Rolling Stones’ lead guitarist Keith Richards has said of Moore:

> When I heard "Heartbreak Hotel", I knew what I wanted to do in life. It was as plain as day. All I wanted to do in the world was to be able to play and sound like the way Scotty Moore did. Everyone wanted to be Elvis, I wanted to be Scotty.

"Jailhouse Rock" was released in September 1957 and reached #1 on most of Billboard‘s charts in the US and #1 in the UK.

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

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9 thoughts on “Song of the Day: Elvis Presley, “Jailhouse Rock””

  1. Pingback: The Start Of 2022 Week That Was – The Sound of One Hand Typing

  2. Our bass player lived around 3-4 houses down from Scotty Moore. He said he talked to him a few times and he was a nice guy but he said he left him alone.
    Great great song.

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    1. I’m assuming you mean that your bass player left Moore alone. I can understand that: he probably didn’t want every Tom, Dick, and Harry dropping by… He was a hell of a player, that’s for sure…

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      1. Oh yes…sorry…yes Bob (the bass player) left Moore alone. If he saw him out he would say hi.
        I would have loved to see him play.

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  4. Hi John – definitely one of the influential songs changing so much for so many – I’ve never seen the video! Cheers Hilary

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    1. It’s from the movie “Jailhouse Rock,” if it ever comes on TV over there. It’s an Elvis movie, so not a lot of dramatic content, but the music’s good…

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