Jailhouse Rock | Chords + Lyrics (tune down 1/2)
Intro
| N.C Eb | E | E Eb | E | E Eb |
Verse 1
| E | E Eb |
The warden threw a party in the county jail.
| E | E Eb |
The prison band was there and they began to wail.
| E | E Eb |
The band was jumpin’ and the joint began to swing.
| E N.C | N.C |
You should’ve heard those knocked-out jailbirds sing.
Chorus 1
| A (A6) | A (A6) | E (E6) | E (E6) |
Let’s rock. Everybody, let’s rock.
| B (B6) | A (A6) |
Everybody in the whole cell block.
| E (E6) | E Eb |
Was dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock.
Verse 2
| E | E Eb |
Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone.
| E | E Eb |
Little Joe was blowin’ on the slide trombone.
| E | E Eb |
The drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang.
| E N.C | N.C |
The whole rhythm section was a purple gang.
Chorus 2
| A (A6) | A (A6) | E (E6) | E (E6) |
Let’s rock. Everybody, let’s rock.
| B (B6) | A (A6) |
Everybody in the whole cell block.
| E (E6) | E Eb |
Was dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock.
Verse 3
| E | E Eb |
Number 47 said to number three.
| E | E Eb |
“You’re the cutest jailbird I ever did see.
| E | E Eb |
I sure would be delighted with your company.
| E N.C | N.C |
Come on and do the Jailhouse Rock with me”.
Chorus 3
| A (A6) | A (A6) | E (E6) | E (E6) |
Let’s rock. Everybody, let’s rock.
| B (B6) | A (A6) |
Everybody in the whole cell block.
| E (E6) | E Eb |
Was dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock, Rock, Rock.
Solo
| A A6 | A7 A6 | E E6 | E7 E6 |
| B B6 | A A6 | E E6 | E7 Eb |
Verse 4
| E | E Eb |
Sad Sack was sittin’ on a block of stone.
| E | E Eb |
Way over in the corner weepin’ all alone.
| E | E Eb |
The warden said, “Hey, buddy, don’t you be no square.
| E N.C | N.C |
If you can’t find a partner, use a wooden chair”.
Chorus 4
| A (A6) | A (A6) | E (E6) | E (E6) |
Let’s rock. Everybody, let’s rock.
| B (B6) | A (A6) |
Everybody in the whole cell block.
| E (E6) | E Eb |
Was dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock.
Verse 5
| E | E Eb |
Shifty Henry said to Bugs, “For Heaven’s sake.
| E | E Eb |
No one’s lookin’, now’s the chance to make a break”.
| E | E Eb |
Bugsy turned to Shifty and he said, “Nix nix.
| E N.C | N.C |
I wanna stick around a while and get my kicks”.
Chorus 6
| A (A6) | A (A6) | E (E6) | E (E6) |
Let’s rock. Everybody, let’s rock.
| B (B6) | A (A6) |
Everybody in the whole cell block.
| E (E6) | (E E6) |
Was dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock.
Outro
||: E (E6) | (E E6) :||
||: Dancin’ to the Jailhouse Rock :|| to fade
Jailhouse Rock’s chords, progressions, and TAB
On the original recording, the band is tuned down to Eb. Should you want to play along with it, you can use my free online chromatic tuner to get to Eb.
Once you’re in tune with Elvis and the gang, you’ll soon discover that there are two sections in Jailhouse Rock.
Both sections are seemingly simple, but you must get the chord shape right in order for it to sound like the original verse.
For the chorus, you need to play 8th notes as the bass player plays 1/4 notes. This needs to be played using open A and E strings, hence the need to tune down 1/2 step.
Should you want to play all this in the same key as Blues Brothers, and many covers bands do, tune back up to standard tuning, then transpose all of Jailhouse Rock’s chords to the key of D.
Members get TAB for how to do all of this, here’s a link to the complete lesson (members only): Jailhouse Rock chord analysis and TAB.
Become a member today and get unlimited access to all my guitar courses, the SEPR practice route, and the eBook Spytunes Method – You can learn guitar!
Jailhouse Rock chords | Related pages
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