Among early rock-and-rollers from strict Christian backgrounds, Jerry Lee Lewis was not unique in facing challenges reconciling his religious convictions with the moral aspects of the music he produced. Nonetheless, he may have been the sole artist whose religious turmoil was recorded on tape—during the recording of one of his iconic hit songs.
On October 8, 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis, who had dropped out of bible school, recorded the definitive version of “Great Balls Of Fire,” all while grappling with his conscience and the legendary Sam Phillips, head of Sun Records.
In September 1956, Jerry Lee Lewis made his debut at Sun Records, aiming to find his big break in the same Memphis studio that had launched Elvis. Lewis’ initial session in November 1956 yielded the minor hit “Crazy Arms,” but six months later, he and Phillips hit it big with “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On,” which became a million-selling hit.
With his signature piano-pounding style and electrifying stage presence, Lewis quickly became a star. However, the doubts instilled in him by his upbringing in the Assemblies of God church regarding rock and roll continued to haunt him. These internal struggles would become evident when he returned to the studio on this day in 1957.
Hours into the “Great Balls Of Fire” session, Jerry Lee started to argue with Sam Phillips, insisting that the song was too sinful for him to record. As their voices rose, Phillips urged Lewis to see that his music could be a positive moral influence.
Phillips: “You can save souls!”
Lewis: “No, no, no, no!”
Phillips: “YES!”
Lewis: “How can the devil save souls?…I got the devil in me!”
Over the next hour, Jerry Lee managed to find a resolution within himself, growing comfortable enough to share various unprintable comments before enthusiastically asking, “You ready to cut it? You ready to go?” right before he launched into the take that would soon become his second smash-hit single.
Throughout his illustrious career, Jerry Lee Lewis would continue to grapple with moral dilemmas, never fully recovering from the 1958 revelation of his marriage to a 13-year-old cousin. However, during the peak following “Great Balls Of Fire,” he emerged as one of the most magnetic figures in rock-and-roll history.
As producer Don Dixon would later remark in an NPR interview, “Little Richard was fun, Elvis was cool, but Jerry Lee Lewis was frightening.”
