About The Song

Released 65 years ago in 1957, the popular recording from Lewis and Sun Records was featured in the film, Jamboree, that same year. While Lewis made it a hit on the piano with his rockabilly voice and earth-rattling talent, the track was written by Otis Blackwell and Jack Hammer.

Amazingly, the song sold more than one million copies in its first 10 days upon its release in the United States, making it one of the best-selling songs of its generation.

The song was recorded in Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee on October 8, 1957. Lewis was on piano and vocals, Sidney Stokes was on bass, and session drummer Larry Linn was on the kit. The combination proved fruitful, if not a bit mysterious to Lewis, himself.

“I knew Sidney Stokes but I didn’t know him that well either, and I don’t know what happened to them people,” said Lewis in the book JLL: His Own Story by Rick Bragg. “That’s the last time I ever seen ’em. That’s strange isn’t it?”

Nevertheless, the track has since taken on a life of its own. Perhaps it was luck, perhaps it was lightning in a bottle. The combination proved to work for the writers and for Lewis, though in later listenings, knowing the history of his personal relationships, which includes marrying a 13-year-old cousin, the song can take on several meanings, from the sordid to the romantic.

The 1989 Lewis biopic was named after the song. Great Balls of Fire! depicted Lewis’ life with actor Dennis Quaid portraying Lewis. It showed the ups and downs of the artist’s career and personal life, from his creative success to his odd and questionable romances.

Since its release, the track has been noted and used in other films and bits of pop culture, including WWE events. Iconic wrestler Ric Flair even started his catchphrase “Wooo!” in 1974 after he heard Lewis sing the refrain from the song. “Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire, woo!”

But most famously, the song was used prominently in the 1986 movie Top Gun. In the action thriller, the character Goose (Anthony Edwards) plays the song with his family and Maverick (Tom Cruise). Later, the song appears in the Top Gun sequel, performed by Rooster (Miles Teller), who is Goose’s son, in an authentic live performance.

Video

Lyric

🎵 Let’s sing along with the lyrics! 🎤

You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
Too much love drives a man insane
You broke my will, but what a thrill
Goodness gracious great balls of fire

I laughed at love when I thought it was funny
But you came along and you moved me honey
I’ve changed my mind, this love is fine
Goodness gracious great balls of fire

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Kiss me baby, woo, it feels good
Hold me baby, ooh, yeah, you gonna love me like a lover should
You’re fine, so kind, I’m gonna tell this world that you’re mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!

I chew my nails, I twiddle my thumbs
I’m really nervous but it sure is fun
Come on baby, you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious great balls of fire

Ohhh, kiss me baby, woo-oooooo, feels good, yeah
Let me love you like a lover should.
You’re fine. So kind.
I gonna tell this world that you’re mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!

I chew my nails and I twiddle my thumbs
I’m real nervous but it sure is fun
Come on baby, you drive me crazy
Goodness gracious great balls of fire