Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
April 1955
Whole Lotta Shakin ' Goin' On is the title of an area famous for Jerry Lee Lewis Rock ' n ' roll songs in 1957 became the biggest hit for the singer and the record label Sun Records. The Rhythm and Blues by Big Maybelle original was released in 1955 on Okeh Records.
Genesis
Many backgrounds about the origins of the song are disputed. It is clear that as authors Dave " Curlee " Williams ( text ) and pianist Roy Hall ( music, for tax reasons under the pseudonym of " Sonny David " ) in the U.S. collecting society ASCAP registered.
The idea for the song to be taken during a fishing trip on Lake Okeechobee in Florida. Williams and Hall were drunk when they heard bells tolling of a sea-island and Hall exclaimed in surprise: " What's going on? " ("What 's going on? " ) And someone replied: "We have 21 drums, an old bass trumpet and someone plays a Ding- Dong, which was used for the first line of the original composition.
Roy Hall was a pianist in the band of country star Webb Pierce and took his composition on 15 September 1955 at the Bradley Film & Recording Studio in Nashville. The song was the beginning of October 1955 published with the All By Myself B-side as Decca # 29697. Although Hall was a good pianist, a piano comes with its receptacle used. It thus seems obvious for some of the literature that the co-composer is also regarded as interpreter of the original version. Roy Hall had in Nashville the pub " Musician's Hideaway " where in 1954 the still unknown Jerry Lee Lewis showed up at the Sun Records as a rock and roll musician made a career later. His virtuoso piano playing impressed Hall, and he procured Lewis in 1954 a part-time job in his restaurant.
However, strictly speaking, comes the original version of the Rhythm & Blues singer Big Maybelle, which had in fact recorded the song already on March 21, 1955 under the young producer Quincy Jones, and as their third last single on OKeh Records with the B-side One Monkey Do not Stop No Show was released in April 1955. With their inclusion ( OKeh # 7060 ) is labeled only with Williams as a composer, with the following cover versions additionally Hall ( as Sonny David) is mentioned.
Before the version of Jerry Lee Lewis still appear two other versions, namely in November 1955 by Dolores Fredericks ( Decca # 29716 ) and in January 1956 by the Commodores ( not to be confused with the band of Lionel Richie; Dot # 45-15439 ).
Version of Jerry Lee Lewis
It is unclear how Lewis has gained knowledge of the song. While many suspect that he has come in connection with its activities in Halls pub with the piece, Lewis reminds himself because he had heard here over by the radio DJ and bandleader Johnny Littlejohn ( wnat / Natchez, Mississippi), when he 1954 played in Little John's band.
As a recording date in the Sun Record Studios March 15, 1957 was scheduled. It was only the second recording session of Lewis. Under the supervision of producer Jack Clement Lewis left the original text beginning with " 21 Drums " from. In addition, he has with his driving piano style also changed the original music radically. His piano style is here specifically a fast-paced mix of up -enhancing honky tonk and blues shuffle elements represent, which is further emphasized by Jimmy Van Eaton's energy- driven drums.
Following the publication on 27 May 1957 with the It'll Be Me B-side (composed by Clement ) as Sun # 267 took first on 17 June 1957, the country charts note of the song. On June 24, he climbed to number 70 on the pop charts. Only Lewis' television debut in the Steve Allen Show on July 28, 1957, the breakthrough; the piece reached number two on the Pophitparade. On 9 September, the song reached the top spot in the country charts for two weeks, which was a mirror image reconstructed in the Rhythm & Blues charts.
The public debate on the right lascivious text content for the southern origin of the Bible Belt ( Bible Belt ) has not harmed the success, because until the end of 1957, the title had become the million-seller with three million copies, a total thereof were six million records sold. It was the first million-seller of Jerry Lee Lewis.
Other cover versions and Statistics
The sale 's success made the piece to a standard of rock & roll. Soon after the great success, other artists tried thereto. In particular, Ricky Nelson ( October 1957 ), Carl Perkins (3 November 1958) or Chubby Checker ( October 1960 ) should be mentioned. Overall, ASCAP registered 25 cover versions of single registered for David Williams composition. In the list of 500 greatest songs of all time of the music magazine Rolling Stone, the piece is ranked 61st