Great Balls Of Fire | Chords + Lyrics
Verse 1
| N.C (G A B ) | C N.C | N.C (C D E) |
You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain.
| F N.C | N.C (E F F#) |
Too much love drives a man insane.
| G N.C (G G F#) | F N.C (G A B) |
You broke my will, but what a thrill.
| C N.C | N.C C(m) |
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire.
Verse 2
| C (chord riff) | C (chord riff) |
I laughed at love ’cause I thought it was funny.
| F9 | F9 |
You came along and you moved me honey.
| G7 | F9 |
I’ve changed my mind, this love is fine.
| C5 N.C | N.C C(m) |
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire.
Bridge 1
| F6 | F6 | C6 | C6 |
Kiss me, baby, ooh, feels good.
| F6 | F6 |
Hold me, baby.
| G7 N.C | N.C G |
Well, I’ll still love you like a lover should.
| G N.C G7 | G7 N.C G7 |
You’re fine, so kind.
| G7 N.C | G7 |
Got to tell this world that you’re mine, mine, mine, mine.
Verse 3
| C (chord riff) | C (chord riff) |
I chew my nails and then I twiddle my thumbs.
| F9 | F9 |
I’m real nervous, but it sure is fun.
| G7 | F9 |
Come on, baby, you drive me crazy.
| C5 N.C | N.C |
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire.
Solo
||: C6 | C6 | F6 | F6 |
| G6 | F6 | C6 | C6 :||
Bridge 2
| F6 | F6 | C6 | C6 |
Well kiss me, baby, ooh, feels good.
| F6 | F6 |
Hold me, baby.
| G7 N.C | N.C G |
Well, I’ll still love you like a lover should.
| G N.C G7 | G7 N.C G7 |
You’re fine, so kind.
| G7 N.C | G7 |
Got to tell this world that you’re mine, mine, mine, mine.
Verse 4
| C6 | C6 |
I chew my nails and I twiddle my thumbs.
| F6 | F6 |
Real nervous, but it sure is fun.
| G6 | F6 |
Come on, baby, drive me crazy.
| C5 N.C | N.C |
Goodness gracious, great balls of fire.
Solo (guitar)
||: C6 | C6 | F6 | F6 |
| G6 | F6 | C6 | C6 :||
Solo (piano, bridge)
| F6 | F6 | C6 | C6 |
| F6 | F6 | G7 N.C | N.C G |
| G N.C G7 | G7 N.C G7 |
| G7 N.C | G7 |
End
| C6 | C6 | F6 | F6 |
| G6 | F6 | C5 N.C | N.C C | C5 N.C |
Great Balls Of Fire’s chords, progressions, and TAB
There are an enormous amount of chord notes played in Jerry Lee Lewis’s classic Great Balls Of Fire.
First of all, the lower part of the piano is playing the honky-tonk pattern we know from Chuck Berry going C5 – C6 and back.
Secondly, the guitar is also playing these intervals, although not like Chuck Berry would, but more like a bass player does, including the 3rd.
On top of this, there are all kinds of chords played by the piano. Should you not have a piano player at the gig, you may want to include these chords. Over the C chord, you need to play this:
Cm ||: C F/C Cm C F/C Cm :||
I’ve described these as C (chord riff) above with chords and lyrics.
Then over the F chord we want an F9, the G is a G7. Also, notice how over the G chord stops, we play first G7, then G, then G7 again.
All this is clearly best described using TAB which, as a member, you get for both this piano part adapted to the guitar, as well as the C6 bass line-esque riff.
Here’s a link to the complete lesson (members only): Great Balls Of Fire chord analysis and TAB.
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Jerry Lee Lewis
After having almost instant success with Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On and Great Balls Of Fire, Jerry Lee Lewis made some poor decisions.
After marrying his 13-year-old cousin, the world turned against Jerry Lee, still, a few years later he was back on track.
Jerry Lee Lewis on the web
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