Great Balls of Fire! (1989) Movie Script
- I don't know, Jerry Lee. I don't know.
- You don't have to come, cousin.
My dad will whip me if he finds out
I went to the chocolate quarter with you.
- Jimmy Lee Swaggart, you're yellow.
- I am not.
- Think anybody seen us?
- Who cares?
Come on.
Come on!
Oh, yeah!
Come on, Jerry Lee. Let's get
outta here. It's the devil's music.
I can feel it.
Yeah.
Come on, Jerry Lee.
- Get your arms off my man.
- Hey, baby.
Yeah!
Hi, squirt.
Memphis, Tennessee
November - 1956
Myra, ain't it?
Yeah.
- Who are you?
- I'm your daddy's cousin.
Jerry Lee Lewis, from Ferriday, Louisiana,
your Aunt Mamie's boy.
I heard about you.
- They say you're a wild one.
- When it comes to playing this here piano
you are looking at
the wildest mother of them all.
- What are you doin' around here?
- Me and your dad are forming a band.
I'm gonna be the main attraction. I've
got a ferocious God-given talent on me.
We're goin' over to Sun Records.
We're gonna eyeball Sam Phillips,
see if he can get us a deal.
- Sam Phillips discovered Elvis, you know.
- I know.
I got all Elvis's records.
Oh, Elvis ain't so hot. He can't do this.
You sure think a whole lot
of yourself, don't you?
Sure I do.
- Don't you?
- Me?
I ain't nobody. I'm only 13.
Well, you look all woman to Jerry Lee.
Myra Gale, you better behave yourself.
I am!
Jerry Lee here's a married man.
Ain't that right, Jerry Lee?
- Uh, that's not necessarily so, Lois.
- And just what do you mean by that?
Well, you see, I was still married to my
first wife when I married my second wife,
so I never really was married to her.
And since I divorced my first wife
a couple of years ago,
I'm as free as a bird in a tree.
- Well, hello.
- Hey, babe.
- Hey, you ready to go?
- Where?
- Where? Sun Records.
- What, now?
Hell, yeah, now. What do you think
I've been waitin' around all day for?
- All right.
- Daddy, can I go too?
Little girl, you stay home
and do your homework.
Sorry Mr Phillips couldn't be here. I'll play
those tapes for him soon as he gets back.
Are you sure we recorded enough, Mr
Clement? I can play anything you want.
You're good, boy, but a piano
ain't never gonna make you no money.
Little girls like guitar players nowadays.
They like to watch 'em wiggle around.
You can't do that behind a piano.
So, what did Mr Sam Phillips
think of the great Jerry Lee Lewis?
- He ain't heard him yet.
- But he will. It's a guaranteed fact.
Thank you, Lord, for this,
your bountiful blessing.
Protect and guide us
in your everlasting grace.
For what we are about
to receive, we give thanks.
- Amen.
- Amen.
Amen.
Jerry Lee, have some of my meat loaf.
Here you go.
I'm takin' the car.
What in holy hell is wrong with him?
Sam Phillips was supposed
to be back four days ago.
All this waitin's
drivin' poor Jerry Lee nuts.
- Are you ready, Mr Phillips?
- Roll it.
Piano, huh?
I can sell that.
Wait! Well, I'll be dogged. It's Mr
Sam Phillips. Come on around here.
We got a brand-new record
recorded today in Memphis
at the same cotton-pickin' studio,
by the same cotton-pickin' man
that discovered Elvis, Mr Sam Phillips.
Good old Sam of Sun Records tells me
this boy he's got is gonna be bigger
than the Big E, Carl Perkins
and Johnny Cash combined.
That's me!
The name of the song is "Crazy
Arms" and the singer is Jerry Lewis.
Mama! Dad! Come quick!
Oh, my God!
Yeah!
What do you think, Memphis? Call
Daddy-O at the Red Hot and Blue Show,
KL55656, and tell me what you think
of "Crazy Arms" by Mr Jerry Lewis.
We love it, Daddy-O!
Hot dog!
Whoa!
Sorry.
I'll take him over Elvis
any old day, Daddy-O!
Whoo!
Well, that vote's in,
and 39 out of 40 callers say yes
to "Crazy Arms" by Jerry Lewis.
Well, Myra, throw away
them Elvis records.
Here comes Jerry Lee Lewis.
What's that on your face, Officer?
Get rid of that.
Straighten up. Now, you're gonna
go and meet Sam Phillips.
Hi.
For Pete's sakes, Jerry.
Hi. Jay Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis
to meet Sam Phillips.
Let me do the talkin', all right?
Sam? JW Brown. Remember me?
And Jerry Lee Lewis here.
Mr Phillips.
You take a white right hand
and a black left hand
and what do you got?
Son, you got rock and roll.
Jerry, I got big plans for them hands.
Well, Mr Phillips, these hands
can heal the sick, raise the dead,
and make girls talk
right out of their head.
Hallelujah.
Jerry Lee Lewis, JW Brown,
say hello to my brother, Jud Phillips.
My brother here's got a real good feelin'
about that hot piece of wax you cats cut.
I'm the legman here. I move
the merchandise. And it's movin' time.
You gonna bust us flat in no time.
Sam here don't understand that you
have to spend money to make money.
- That makes sense.
- And Jud don't understand
that you cannot spend
what you do not have.
- You got a point there.
- And that is from the genius
who sold Elvis Presley for $35,000.
I've got bigger fish to fry.
Jerry...
how would you like to become
a member of the Sun family?
- Golly! Where do I sign?
- On the dotted line.
- Maybe I'd better take a look at that first.
- You're the manager?
Why, sure I am. Ain't that right, Jerry?
Uh...
Yes, Mr Phillips, he's my manager.
He's my bass player too. We're family.
But he won't have to read it
cos we trust you, Mr Phillips.
Oh, man!
We're gonna batter eardrums
from coast to coast, man!
- Hot dog!
- Look who's outside!
Elvis! Elvis!
Excuse me a second, boys.
Elvis?
How would you boys like to meet
the king of rock and roll?
Why, hell, yeah!
How you doin', son?
Ferriday, Louisiana
Christmas - 1956
Jerry!
Here you go.
Y'all want one? All right. Here you go.
- Here.
- Oh, thanks.
- Ain't that Jimmy's car?
- It's Uncle Jimmy.
Hey! Here you go, cousin.
Take a look at that.
Just play it.
I'm of the opinion that a God-given talent
ought to be used for the glory of God.
I'm of the opinion that a God-given talent
ought to be for the glory of the talented.
Jimmy.
Come here.
How come you're actin' like this?
Boy, you got a smart mouth on you,
talkin' about God that way.
Loosen up, cousin. Now, look, I know you.
You're my blood and you're just like me
if you wouldn't fight it so hard.
So why don't you and me go down
to the chocolate quarter
and have some fun like we used to?
You remember how?
Now I'm going to tell you somethin'
and you listen close here.
God will not be mocked.
He speaks through those two hands
of yours, or tries to.
Your music is meant to serve him.
You were raised to preach his word.
Yeah, but his word is "Don't".
And I got this thing inside me
that says "Do, do, do".
Don't you believe in God any more?
Course I do. You know that I do.
Then talk to him.
And listen to what he has to say.
Read this.
"Narrow is the way to life everlasting. "
Other side.
"Broad is the road
that leadeth to destruction. "
- Sort of like heads or tails, ain't it?
- You keep it, Jerry Lee.
You keep it to remind you that
every day you live you have a choice
whether or not to serve God.
I will.
Choices, Jerry Lee. Talk to God.
Lord, I just wanna serve you
and I want to preach your word.
Hallelujah.
Just give me one hit record.
- Hey, killer.
- Hey.
- Take a look at that.
- Jerry!
Thank you.
Whoo!
Go, girl!
- Well, hello, girls.
- Come on.
Come on over.
A whole lotta shakin' goin' on.
Well, don't be afraid, little girls.
It's only me, Jerry Lee.
Don't you like it?
My mama don't want me
listening to rock and roll.
She says it leads to impure thoughts.
Her mama's right.
It is the devil's music.
Yeah.
- What do you think?
- Yeah.
Roy Hall had a country version
of that a couple of years ago.
- No big deal.
- Yes, sir, but mine's rock and roll.
Yeah, but, man, we can't
put out a song like that.
Man, it's too suggestive.
Everybody knows "whole lotta shakin"'
is what humpin' is all about.
- That's why the kids are gonna love it.
- And the parents ain't gonna stand for it.
- Play somethin' else.
- I can play anything, anywhere, anytime,
but that "Shakin"' song
has got 'em all beat.
And stay the hell out!
- Hey, buddy, where you going?
- I'm with the band. I'm with the band.
- Hey!
- Hey, I'm with the band.
- There's a queue.
- Come on, little lady. Get off him here.
What you gonna do about it?
Take your bald head and get out.
Let go!
Jerry. Jerry!
I've had it. I'm goin' back
to my job at the electric company.
You can't. We're gonna
cut another record soon.
"Crazy Arms" didn't make us
a nickel, man.
I got four mouths to feed.
Your big mouth is five.
Jay, I'll tell you what I'm gonna do.
We're gonna be partners.
Fifty-fifty. What do you say?
What's 50 per cent of nothin', man?
Look at these people.
Right, that does it.
- Let's do that "Shakin"' song.
- We can't play that nigger music in here.
These rednecks might lynch us.
Are you crazy?
Yeah.
Fifty-fifty, right?
Now real low.
All you got to do, honey, is just stand it...
right in one tight, little, sweet, little spot...
and then wiggle it around
just a little-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-
ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle bit.
And that's when you flat-out smack-dab
have got something, you know?
Let's go!
"Whole Lotta Shakin"' is bein' banned
by radio stations all over the South.
Now the preachers are
getting involved in the act.
Don't get your head turned
by a bunch of Bible-thumpers.
Give me some money. I'd take 'em
to New York. I'd put 'em on national TV.
- Why throw good money after bad?
- If you don't, you'll lose him
like you lost Elvis.
All right,
take the son of a bitch to New York.
Jerry Lee Lewis!
- Is that for me?
- Yes.
Get out the cheque.
- Well, sign it.
- It's a small fortune.
I know, but it's a quarter
of what we'll owe him. Now sign it.
It's great publicity.
Hi.
- Well, hello, doll.
- Excuse me, little lady. This way, Jerry.
Stand back. Give the boy air here.
Now, good people, since Jerry here
appeared on the Steve Allen Show,
"Whole Lotta Shakin"'
has sold 200,000 copies,
has hit number ten on the pop charts,
and is zooming higher every day.
Everybody is goin' crazy
for his pumpin' piano sound.
Why, this boy can make
a horse stop and listen.
He is an action artist.
Jerry, I'd like to present you with this,
your first royalty cheque.
There's more zeroes here than
there was Fs on my third-grade report.
Is that $4,000?
- No, cousin. That's $40,000.
- $40,000!
Fifty-fifty, remember?
Some religious people take exception
to the suggestiveness of your song
and its savage animal rhythms.
Well, I... It just comes out that way
naturally. I can't help it.
Hasn't your song been banned
by several radio stations?
- They say it's against God.
- Well, I don't understand that.
I serve him gladly. I sing. I shout. It's not
my fault I don't play like some old lady.
Amen, Brother Lewis. Amen. Come on,
let's go and get these bags here.
Any plans for sellin' Lewis
to a major label like Elvis?
Hell, no.
Jerry Lee Lewis is gonna
be bigger than Elvis.
See that look in his eye?
That boy could get himself,
and us, in a whole lotta trouble.
Oh, hell. He may be a little wild,
but he's a good old boy.
He's been stayin' at your place, hasn't he?
Well, yeah.
- But it's awful crowded.
- Look, Jay, it's like this.
If Casanova over there can live with you,
you can keep an eye on him,
keep him out of trouble.
Keep those cheques rolling in.
Ow! Ow!
All right. I guess we could
scooch things around a little.
Well, that's fine, Jay, fine.
There's the big man. Oop!
Freight train comin' through.
I really do appreciate you folks takin' me
in like this. I... I really do, Jay.
Well, shoot, cousin.
We're glad to have you here.
Well, it just goes to show you
how important family really is.
Sure is better than that old couch.
Well, you just make yourself
right at home here, cousin.
Thank you, Lois. Thank you very much.
I forgot something.
Hey.
What say you and me take a drive
down to the Kreme Kup?
- OK.
- I'm takin' the car.
It's Jerry Lee Lewis!
What? Hello, girls.
- Can I get a couple of cones?
- Oh, cones, cones, cones.
No dip.
Nice dry-cleaned uniforms y'all got there.
- What's your name?
- Missy.
Missy. That's a very nice name.
- That'll be 20 cents.
- You think you could take it out of this?
$40,000?!
- We don't have that kind of change.
- Gosh, I'm sorry. That's all I've got.
I got a dollar.
Oh, it's on the house.
Well, thank you very much.
You can get free custard here
any time you want!
I saw this thing at school.
They had this movie about the H-bomb.
You know, the hydrogen bomb. About it
comin' and blowin' up the whole world.
Oh, that's the Apocalypse.
That's in Revelations in your Bible.
You know, I go on fine all day at school.
And then at night, when I lay down,
I think to myself...
"Is this the night
the bomb's gonna come?"
All I ever wanted was a little
pink house with a blue door.
A little baby sittin' in a highchair.
Who do you see comin' up the walk
of that pink house? Hm?
I don't know.
You don't know?
Well?
Do you think he might be about,
oh, six foot tall,
with big blue eyes
and wavy, curly blond hair?
What?
Now maybe I won't have anything.
This old horrible bomb's
gonna come and wipe it all away.
Uh-uh.
Everything'll be destroyed,
and this is as far as I'll ever get in life.
Mm-mm.
I don't even know what hydrogen is.
And 1,000 makes $40,000.
Sh!
- Pow!
- Urgh!
Hi!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
I had my car break down once
on the side of the road.
And I got out and I laid hands
on the hood of this car
and I said "Devil, if you think I've been
crazy before, you just wait one minute
because I'm going to ask the Lord
to come down and heal this Plymouth. "
- Amen.
- Hallelujah.
So I got down and I asked the Holy Spirit
to make her whole again
and the Holy Spirit, lo and behold,
came down and made her good as new.
Glory, hallelujah, praise God, brother.
Well, this here is
my cousin, Jerry Lee Lewis.
Y'all probably know him from that
blasphemous "Shakin"' song he put out.
Number four in the top ten
this week, cousin.
Well, I really doubt
that it's in the Lord's top ten.
Rock and roll is the devil's music.
- Right.
- That's right.
Rock and roll is a rhythm. A feelin'.
A feeling that emanates
from the pit of hell.
- Right.
- Well, that feeling got me a hit record.
A hit record.
Do you still have that coin
I gave to you onetime?
Oh, as a matter of fact...
I do.
Choices, Jerry Lee.
This whole life is all about choices.
What choice are you going to make
with your music? With your life?
I don't play or sing as well as you do.
I heard that.
But all that I have belongs to God. All of it.
What would happen
if you gave him all you have?
Well, as a matter of fact, cousin,
I just might do that one day.
Praise God.
- What about today?
- What?
Do you remember what you said
you would do if you got a hit record?
You said you would go out
and preach his word.
Did I say that?
That's funny. I don't remember
sayin' that. I must have been drunk.
But the Lord remembers, cousin.
Well, is this that car
that God healed for you?
Well, that was six months ago.
She's up and died on me now.
Why don't you just lay hands on her here?
- I'd like to see that myself.
- Cousin, you cannot ask the Lord
for more help than you are willing
to help yourself. He's got me this far...
Why don't you just let this old Oldsmobile
here get you a little further along?
You made a choice just then, Jerry Lee.
From your singin' came this car,
and from this car will come
the spreading of God's word.
Amen.
- Thank you, Jesus.
- Well, don't thank Jesus.
Thank Jerry Lee Lewis.
Praise God, cousin.
- Let's go to bed, babe.
- OK.
Bedtime, Myra Gale.
Let them watch their movie.
Please, somebody!
Well, what do you think?
You know, Jay,
I reckon hooking up with Jerry Lee is
about the best thing ever happened to us.
Look here what I'm gonna buy next.
"The kitchen of tomorrow, today. "
- What in the hell are they doin' in there?
- Would you just leave them alone?
They're just watchin' TV.
That boy's been deep-fried.
It's only a movie.
Just a movie.
Here comes the creepy mouse.
Here comes the creepy mouse.
Um...
Whoo!
Mr Freed, Jerry Lee Lewis can blow
Chuck Berry right off of that stage.
Why do I have to go on before him?
He's had six number one hits
and you've only had two in the top ten.
- Who's got the number one record now?
- You.
- My point exactly.
- He should go on before me.
He can't. It's in his contract
that he closes the show.
OK, cat. If that's the way you want it.
Follow that, killer.
Come here, Romeo.
Let's get you in the car.
Drive.
Ooh, I want you to play me
like you play that piano, hot stuff.
Hey!
Hey!
Hey, you see that... that... Hey!
Don't be a bad sport. You got what
you wanted, and I got what I wanted.
Hey, you...
She cut off my goddamn hair.
Women.
I ain't never gettin' married.
They all turn on you.
First chance they get they're flat on
their back in bed with some other bastard.
You take JW there. He don't have to fool
around. He's got the perfect wife.
Lois is a lady, first and foremost. Quiet
and reserved, always stylishly dressed.
He never has to ask for his dinner
or hunt for clean socks.
You gotta get 'em while they're young
and take 'em right from their mama,
and you raise 'em up
right by you to keep 'em true.
You raise 'em just like
you would a bird dog.
- Jerry? Is that you?
- Did I wake you, darlin'?
- I was dreamin'.
- About me?
Oh, maybe.
And that pink house with that blue door
and the little baby in that highchair.
Quit teasin'. You're gonna
give me the sillies again.
- Myra Gale Brown.
- I gotta go.
What are you doin' callin' home
like this all the time?
Just talkin' to Myra.
Who are you talkin' to
at three o'clock in the mornin'?
- Well, what for, man?
- Cheerin' her up about her schoolwork.
It was Jerry Lee, wasn't it? Don't lie.
She don't need cheerin' up
ten times a day, now does she?
- Answer me.
- Nothin' else to do.
He's just feelin' far from home and he
wanted to hear a friendly voice is all.
- Stop or we send you to boardin' school.
- Stop or we send her to boardin' school.
"Great Balls of Fire"
is number one on the charts.
Knocked Elvis Presley's
"Teddy Bear" right off,
and remember, you heard it first
right here on WHBQ, Red Hot and Blue.
"Look" magazine called him
the other day "the wild man of rock".
Uh-huh, that's right.
This is "High School Confidential".
Everybody's dancin' to this.
Argh!
Where are we goin'?
Take a look in that glove compartment
there. I wanna show you somethin'.
It's a marriage licence.
I... I thought you had to stand there
and say something.
Well, it's only a permit, Myra.
Oh, so we ain't married?
Not yet.
But that's my prayer.
I'm asking you to marry me.
Me?
I love you.
Oh, Jerry.
Jerry, I'm only 13 years old.
Oh, heck. My sister Frankie Jean,
she was only 12 when she got married.
But...
- But you're as old as my daddy.
- What?
Oh, hell, I ain't that old.
- Can't we just wait three or four years?
- Well, now, I've got two hit records.
I got six months of dates booked up
in advance. I got me $100,000.
What more do you need?
I don't know. I... Just some time to think.
Why don't you think about
that pink house with the blue door
and that blue-eyed, blond-haired
son of God comin' up the walk?
Do you, Myra Gale Brown,
take this man, Jerry Lee Lewis,
to be your lawful wedded husband,
to have and to hold from this day forward,
till death do you part?
Oh, uh...
I do.
I now pronounce you husband and wife.
Who's gonna tell your folks?
You. You tell 'em.
No, you tell 'em.
No, Jerry. You tell 'em.
No, you tell 'em.
These potatoes are real good.
Well, thank you, Jerry Lee.
- What are you doing?
- What do you think?
- We can't till they know.
- When are you gonna tell 'em?
I thought you were gonna tell 'em.
- All right. I'll tell 'em right now.
- No.
By tomorrow night, I promise.
There's some people acting
mighty funny around here.
- Will you look at this?
- Rice.
Oh, no.
I knew it! They're married.
- Jay, what are you doin'?
- I'm gonna go kill that son of a bitch.
Jay!
Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow!
- Mr Phillips?
- Hey, man!
- Son, son, son.
- Glad you could come in, Jerry.
- We just been talking about you.
- I need to talk to you, too.
Can you believe it's been almost a year
since you first came to Sun
and cut your first record?
And we sure have come a long way
since then, ain't we?
Yes, sir.
Your new song's comin' out
in a big movie.
"High School Confidential" is gonna be
a bigger hit than "Great Balls of Fire".
Thank you, but I've got...
We got a brand-new
five-year contract to talk about.
In the spring we're gonna
be takin' that big tour to England.
- England?
- Over there, you're bigger than Elvis.
Bigger than Elvis?
Say, don't you want JW
to read that over first?
JW?
He's your partner, isn't he?
Well, Mr Phillips,
I've really got to tell you something.
It's...
Just a second, Jerry.
Yeah.
Hi, Lois.
Uh-huh.
You don't say.
Oh, you don't say.
Yeah. Yeah.
- Our boy just married JW's daughter.
- What?
That's what I was tryin' to say. We've
been holding back from tellin' her folks.
I told you the boy should
have had a place of his own.
It's too late now. The dam has broke loose
and there is all kinds of hell comin' down.
Well, I guess they didn't take it
none too good, did they?
JW is on his way over here now
to shoot your ass full of holes.
- We gotta get this boy outta here.
- I mean it.
And by the way, brother, next time,
let me handle the accommodations.
Shut up!
Come out, you rat bastard!
- Put the gun down. Ain't nobody here.
- Where is that son of a bitch?
- He's gone.
- Bullshit.
Jay, come on in here
and let's talk about this thing.
There ain't a goddamn thing
to talk about, Sam.
I'm gonna kill him. I swear I will kill him.
There are other ways
to handle this thing, man.
Give me the gun.
All right. I'm gonna call the police.
I'll have that little shit charged
with bigamy, incest, kidnapping.
I'll put his ass away for the rest of his life.
Think about it for a second.
You don't know if she's gonna
have a baby or what.
A baby?
It's happened before.
- Man, she's only 13 years old.
- You know something?
Who's to say things won't
work out between them?
Man, I've seen this happen
a hundred times before.
Sometimes they'll surprise you.
They may have a good life together.
Maybe not, but...
you're gonna have to live with
your actions for the rest of your life.
Bye, Daddy.
It's gonna be OK, Myra.
It's OK.
Hi. Hello, Lois.
Are you mad?
No, not any more.
Just hurt.
Well, I just want you to know
that I love Myra with all my heart,
and I'm gonna take real good care of her.
Jerry, she's just a child.
Maybe in years, but not inside
where it counts. And if you're worried...
Yeah, I'm worried about my little girl.
Well, don't.
Because she's my little girl now.
And I love her, and she loves me.
So I just hope you'll understand.
And I hope that Jay'll understand too
and stay on with the band,
now that we're makin' all this money.
Come on, baby doll.
That's Graceland.
That's where Elvis lives.
It's a sad day
for the women of America.
If you hadn't already heard, Elvis Presley
was inducted into the army today.
Can't help but make a fellow wonder
who'll be the next king of rock and roll.
That's gonna be you. I know it will.
- Goodbye, Elvis.
- And you'll be my queen.
Look, baby doll. Look right there.
Look at that. What is that?
- Oh! Jerry!
- What's that?
It's a pink house with a blue door,
that's what that is.
Just like my dollhouse!
- Hi.
- Hello. Go on in.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Oh!
So this room is the foyer
and a sunken living room.
Oh, my! The carpets, they come
with the house. So do the curtains.
Look at all the decorative trim. Over here
we have a wall, a whole wall of built-ins.
And the kitchen and the dining room. Over
here the black-and-white linoleum tile.
And the bedrooms.
Yes, you'll want to see those.
Yoo-hoo! Mr Lewis!
- Well, that's one pile. Now the other pile.
- Thanks.
Nine, ten. Be sure you date it.
Now, I want you boys to shake hands
and put your differences behind you.
I just want you to know, Jay,
she ain't pregnant.
I married her because I love her.
Now y'all are gonna be
one big happy family.
One, two, three, four.
I don't know how to be a wife.
I'm only 13 years old.
Oh.
You're all woman to Jerry Lee, honey.
Here comes the creepy mouse.
Ow!
Yeah.
There.
Where'd you learn to move like that?
I don't know. I just... I felt it in the music.
What?
What did I do? Did I do it wrong?
You don't move like no virgin.
Take it.
Just go on and take it.
Take the whole thing.
You'll come back, won't you?
I wonder if I shall.
We must obey the creeds and codes
that we've sworn our lives to.
I know that I must not come back.
And I know that nothing
in this world can keep me away.
I'm back, baby doll.
Oh, Jerry!
I don't care what you did before me.
- But, Jerry, I never...
- Sh.
30 shows in six cities in 37 days.
Man, we're gonna make us
a pile of money.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, how much, like, more or less?
- Well...
- Here he comes.
The next king of rock and roll.
Uh-oh.
- Hi, Daddy.
- What in the hell are you doin' here?
Wherever Jerry Lee Lewis goes,
Myra Gale Lewis goes too.
Uh, Jerry, we've been going all over
the plans for your big tour to England.
- Wanna take a look?
- Ooh, I'm so excited.
- I always wanted to go to England.
- Little lady,
we don't think it might be such a good
idea if you come along on this trip.
- Why not?
- Well, the folks over there, they...
they might not understand
about your marriage.
You being so young, and all.
We'll just say she's 15.
That'll be all right, won't it?
No.
The papers over there are saying you
could be the next king of rock and roll.
- But you gotta act accordingly.
- Yeah.
- It ain't fair. I wanna go.
- You're my daughter, and you ain't goin'.
She's my wife,
and I say she is goin'.
If Myra ain't goin', I ain't goin' neither.
It's all right, ma'am. She's my wife.
Well, maybe if someone got me a weddin'
ring people wouldn't do us thataway.
- I'm going back to talk to Mama.
- Hey, smell that.
Baby doll, I'm gonna buy you the finest
weddin' ring in all of London, England.
I hate covering arrivals.
I didn't hear you complain
when it was Liberace.
Oh, look here. You're not suggesting
that an artiste of Liberace's stature
can be likened to the boogie-woogie
of a gum-chewing country bumpkin?
Well, hello.
Look at him, sport! He's the new king
of rock and roll. Mr Lewis! Mr Lewis!
- Do you intend to record here?
- You stay right there.
Are you gonna meet your British fans?
How will British youngsters
respond to your music?
Just point me at a piano
and in 15 minutes
I'll have 'em shoutin' and a-shakin'
and a-shiverin' and a-shackin'.
What about that long hair
of yours, Mr Lewis?
Well, my killer wavy blond hair? It's just
so pretty I can't bring myself to cut it.
What cities are you playing in, Mr Lewis?
How long will you be
touring for, Mr Lewis?
Excuse me, Miss.
Are you related to Mr Lewis?
I'm Frankie Jean, Jerry Lee's sister.
Oh, yes. And what about you, Miss?
Um, I'm his wife.
I beg your pardon. I didn't catch that.
I'm Mrs Jerry Lee Lewis.
Mr Lewis.
Is it true that you're married to this... girl?
Yes, I am. And proud of it.
This is my little bride, Myra Gale Lewis.
- But she looks so young.
- How old is she?
Uh, she's 15.
- 15!
- Did he say 15?
15 years old? Isn't that
a bit young to be a wife?
Gosh, no. Back home, people get married
at ten. One girl got wed at nine.
- Married at ten?
- Wed at nine?
- How could you?
- I love her.
But she's only a baby.
Hello, Jerry!
Yesterday, Britons
were shocked to discover
that visiting American rock-and-roll
star Mr Jerry Lee Lewis
was married to a 15-year-old girl.
- Looky there! My baby's famous.
- Well, brace yourself, England.
The child bride in question
is 13 years of age,
and furthermore, she's his cousin.
Second cousin twice removed.
You're on every front page in England.
"Child bride is so young. "
I begged you to keep your big mouth shut.
A few pictures of Myra ain't no big deal.
Jerry, this is a big deal.
I mean, will you listen to this guy?
Let's show Mr Lewis what we think of him
and his baby-snatching ways.
Hell, Mr Phillips, we've got
nothin' to be ashamed of.
The moment you're waiting for,
that fabulous rock-and-roll sensation
from the US of A, Jerry Lee Lewis.
Hello, England. How are y'all doin'?
Y'all don't have to just sit there quiet,
you know. This is a rock-and-roll session.
Y'all can let your hair down.
It'll be all right.
It's awful quiet out there.
I hope y'all aren't as dead
as you sound. I'm alive.
- Sissy!
- Queer!
- Put a lid on it.
- Jerry!
- Cradle robber!
- Baby snatcher!
- Jerry, just play.
- I got married before God.
- Oh, get out of it!
- Get on your bike!
And what's between me and Myra
is between us and God.
And everybody else can just
mind their own business.
- Go back to America!
- Get off!
Get lost!
- How was the concert?
- Great.
Did all those English girls
try to rip your clothes off?
"Police to act in case of child bride. "
"Home Office to investigate. "
Good morning.
- Investigate what?
- They call you a bigamist.
They found out you weren't divorced from
your second wife when you married Myra.
You mean we ain't married?
I never was married to my second wife
in the first place.
I already told you
I didn't need to get a divorce.
Yeah. Um, take a look down there.
We're under siege.
They don't want us here.
- Hello.
- May we see your passports?
Uh, yes. Yeah.
Right over here. Just a second.
- Why don't they just go away?
- They're just curious.
They wanna see the new king.
Don't you understand?
They're angry with you because of me.
Don't let that bother you, baby doll.
You're just going to have
to get used to being my queen.
What do you mean? But...
You gotta give the boy a chance now.
The promoters have cancelled the tour.
The government is tryin' to deport you.
We're washed up here, kids.
We're gettin' out.
Oh, Mama. I wanna go home.
Well, what if I don't wanna go?
Well, why would you wanna stay?
I promised Myra
I'd buy her a weddin' ring.
Well, what do I need a ring for
if we ain't even married?
- Put him in jail!
- Where's Jerry, then?
- They're coming out!
- Oi, mate! Where's Jerry?
It's him!
It's Jerry Lee and Myra!
Come on!
My God!
Did I do this? This is all my fault.
I've ruined your career.
You never should have married me.
Everything was fine until me.
Myra? Baby doll?
You're my wife and I love you,
and I'll marry you a hundred times
to prove it if I have to.
- What do you think of your "king" now?
- You're right.
- Elvis Presley is the true king.
- What was that?
He said Mr Presley is
the true king of rock and roll.
Y'all would have lost the war
without us. You just think about that.
Do you think your expulsion from England
is a repudiation of rock and roll?
They cancelled Jerry Lee's tour because
of our marriage, not cos of his music.
We've been beat up pretty bad
because of this publicity,
but Myra and I love each other,
and we mean to keep it that way.
Jerry, looking ahead, don't you think your
popularity will be diminished at home?
Back home they take a different view
of this sort of a thing.
I expect a great reception
when I get back there.
My fans'll understand.
Mr Lewis, do you have
any final words for England?
Yeah.
England can kiss my ass.
They had a double-ring ceremony -
a wedding ring and a teething ring.
You've heard of sack dresses?
Myra wears sack diapers.
She can't go to see her husband's show -
her bedtime is 8.30.
Myra.
Mr Phillips! What's this all about?
Uh...
Jerry, we were thinkin'
that maybe it would be a good idea
if we took out a full-page ad...
- In Billboard.
- In Billboard.
Uh, sort of a...
An apology.
It might get your phone
to start ringin' again.
Who are you people?
Who are you to walk into my house
and tell me to apologise?
You're makin' more off me
than you ever made off Elvis.
- Jerry Lee, I don't think...
- What, are you in on this too? Huh?
I see that you are.
You all want Jerry Lee
just to get down on his knees
so you can go on gettin'
your little piece of him?
Dogs. You're all a bunch
of snappin' dogs at my heel.
You see this hand?
It makes $5,000 a night.
You see this one? It does too.
$10,000 a night I've made.
Man, I am Jerry Lee Lewis!
I am the goddamn king!
I have a God-given talent!
I shine like gold when I play that piano.
And you want me
to bend my knee?
And what the hell I got to apologise for?
I married the girl I love.
I married her twice.
And I sang and I played my guts out!
I shine like gold.
Don't you tell me to apologise.
Your telephone hasn't been ringing, Jerry.
If you sign this, it may well start.
- I quit.
- Jay.
I quit.
Jerry, why do you do it? Don't!
Will you tell me who the hell is there?!
Come here. Come here.
- Don't you like it?
- Stop!
Ow!
Do you believe I'm sorry?
I am.
My hand to God.
Well... you know, you can't
hit me no more, Jerry.
I just said I was sorry, didn't I?
- Yeah, but that ain't what I mean.
- I know what you mean.
You won't let me forget this, will you?
- No, Jerry, that ain't it at all.
- Oh, yes, it is.
What, you think you're the only one
that gets hit around here?
- You don't think I get hit?
- Please listen to me.
You don't think there ain't a day goes by
that I don't get smacked by some thieving
promoter or chicken-livered disc jockey,
- or lyin' reporter?
- I've got somethin' to tell you!
- This is the thanks I get?
- Jerry, I'm having a baby!
I'm having a baby!
I want to tell you a story.
A story about... two cousins.
Closer than brothers,
who came upon two roads that diverged.
Now, one took the dirt path.
The less-travelled way.
Serving the Lord for the reward
that waits in heaven.
The other started down the wide street,
paved with gold,
hypnotising millions of disciples
in the sin that is the devil's music.
Rock and roll is like a painted woman.
And he could not resist her charms.
Along the way he married and divorced.
Married and divorced again!
Married a third time...
to his 13-year-old cousin!
The whole world was appalled...
because he had sinned against the Lord.
Nor walked in his laws!
Nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies.
Therefore is this land
become a desolation,
and an astonishment, and a curse.
Many are those that say of his soul
there is no salvage for him in God.
But I say that anyone who is ready
to accept Jesus Christ into their life -
let him come forward and be saved!
Is there anyone here today ready
to accept Jesus Christ into their life?
Grab hold of that nail-scarred hand
and take a walk toward glory!
Hallelujah! Come on up here, sister.
Hallelujah! God loves you.
Devil, you gonna get a black eye today!
Praise Jesus! Are you ready
to accept Jesus Christ into your life?
- Are you ready to accept Christ?
- Yes!
Rapture her up, Lord! Hallelujah!
Cousin, do you still have
that coin I gave you?
I've got it, cousin.
Cousin, the time has come
for you to choose.
Will you choose the gold-paved road
of the devil?
Or the rocky path of the Lord?
Cousin, my road was paved
a long time ago
and there ain't nothin' I can do about it.
Lord, help him.
So if I'm goin' to hell...
I'm goin' there playin' the piano.
Jerry!
I love you, Jerry.
Steve Allen Lewis was born
February 27, 1959
Jerry! Jerry!
- You don't have to come, cousin.
My dad will whip me if he finds out
I went to the chocolate quarter with you.
- Jimmy Lee Swaggart, you're yellow.
- I am not.
- Think anybody seen us?
- Who cares?
Come on.
Come on!
Oh, yeah!
Come on, Jerry Lee. Let's get
outta here. It's the devil's music.
I can feel it.
Yeah.
Come on, Jerry Lee.
- Get your arms off my man.
- Hey, baby.
Yeah!
Hi, squirt.
Memphis, Tennessee
November - 1956
Myra, ain't it?
Yeah.
- Who are you?
- I'm your daddy's cousin.
Jerry Lee Lewis, from Ferriday, Louisiana,
your Aunt Mamie's boy.
I heard about you.
- They say you're a wild one.
- When it comes to playing this here piano
you are looking at
the wildest mother of them all.
- What are you doin' around here?
- Me and your dad are forming a band.
I'm gonna be the main attraction. I've
got a ferocious God-given talent on me.
We're goin' over to Sun Records.
We're gonna eyeball Sam Phillips,
see if he can get us a deal.
- Sam Phillips discovered Elvis, you know.
- I know.
I got all Elvis's records.
Oh, Elvis ain't so hot. He can't do this.
You sure think a whole lot
of yourself, don't you?
Sure I do.
- Don't you?
- Me?
I ain't nobody. I'm only 13.
Well, you look all woman to Jerry Lee.
Myra Gale, you better behave yourself.
I am!
Jerry Lee here's a married man.
Ain't that right, Jerry Lee?
- Uh, that's not necessarily so, Lois.
- And just what do you mean by that?
Well, you see, I was still married to my
first wife when I married my second wife,
so I never really was married to her.
And since I divorced my first wife
a couple of years ago,
I'm as free as a bird in a tree.
- Well, hello.
- Hey, babe.
- Hey, you ready to go?
- Where?
- Where? Sun Records.
- What, now?
Hell, yeah, now. What do you think
I've been waitin' around all day for?
- All right.
- Daddy, can I go too?
Little girl, you stay home
and do your homework.
Sorry Mr Phillips couldn't be here. I'll play
those tapes for him soon as he gets back.
Are you sure we recorded enough, Mr
Clement? I can play anything you want.
You're good, boy, but a piano
ain't never gonna make you no money.
Little girls like guitar players nowadays.
They like to watch 'em wiggle around.
You can't do that behind a piano.
So, what did Mr Sam Phillips
think of the great Jerry Lee Lewis?
- He ain't heard him yet.
- But he will. It's a guaranteed fact.
Thank you, Lord, for this,
your bountiful blessing.
Protect and guide us
in your everlasting grace.
For what we are about
to receive, we give thanks.
- Amen.
- Amen.
Amen.
Jerry Lee, have some of my meat loaf.
Here you go.
I'm takin' the car.
What in holy hell is wrong with him?
Sam Phillips was supposed
to be back four days ago.
All this waitin's
drivin' poor Jerry Lee nuts.
- Are you ready, Mr Phillips?
- Roll it.
Piano, huh?
I can sell that.
Wait! Well, I'll be dogged. It's Mr
Sam Phillips. Come on around here.
We got a brand-new record
recorded today in Memphis
at the same cotton-pickin' studio,
by the same cotton-pickin' man
that discovered Elvis, Mr Sam Phillips.
Good old Sam of Sun Records tells me
this boy he's got is gonna be bigger
than the Big E, Carl Perkins
and Johnny Cash combined.
That's me!
The name of the song is "Crazy
Arms" and the singer is Jerry Lewis.
Mama! Dad! Come quick!
Oh, my God!
Yeah!
What do you think, Memphis? Call
Daddy-O at the Red Hot and Blue Show,
KL55656, and tell me what you think
of "Crazy Arms" by Mr Jerry Lewis.
We love it, Daddy-O!
Hot dog!
Whoa!
Sorry.
I'll take him over Elvis
any old day, Daddy-O!
Whoo!
Well, that vote's in,
and 39 out of 40 callers say yes
to "Crazy Arms" by Jerry Lewis.
Well, Myra, throw away
them Elvis records.
Here comes Jerry Lee Lewis.
What's that on your face, Officer?
Get rid of that.
Straighten up. Now, you're gonna
go and meet Sam Phillips.
Hi.
For Pete's sakes, Jerry.
Hi. Jay Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis
to meet Sam Phillips.
Let me do the talkin', all right?
Sam? JW Brown. Remember me?
And Jerry Lee Lewis here.
Mr Phillips.
You take a white right hand
and a black left hand
and what do you got?
Son, you got rock and roll.
Jerry, I got big plans for them hands.
Well, Mr Phillips, these hands
can heal the sick, raise the dead,
and make girls talk
right out of their head.
Hallelujah.
Jerry Lee Lewis, JW Brown,
say hello to my brother, Jud Phillips.
My brother here's got a real good feelin'
about that hot piece of wax you cats cut.
I'm the legman here. I move
the merchandise. And it's movin' time.
You gonna bust us flat in no time.
Sam here don't understand that you
have to spend money to make money.
- That makes sense.
- And Jud don't understand
that you cannot spend
what you do not have.
- You got a point there.
- And that is from the genius
who sold Elvis Presley for $35,000.
I've got bigger fish to fry.
Jerry...
how would you like to become
a member of the Sun family?
- Golly! Where do I sign?
- On the dotted line.
- Maybe I'd better take a look at that first.
- You're the manager?
Why, sure I am. Ain't that right, Jerry?
Uh...
Yes, Mr Phillips, he's my manager.
He's my bass player too. We're family.
But he won't have to read it
cos we trust you, Mr Phillips.
Oh, man!
We're gonna batter eardrums
from coast to coast, man!
- Hot dog!
- Look who's outside!
Elvis! Elvis!
Excuse me a second, boys.
Elvis?
How would you boys like to meet
the king of rock and roll?
Why, hell, yeah!
How you doin', son?
Ferriday, Louisiana
Christmas - 1956
Jerry!
Here you go.
Y'all want one? All right. Here you go.
- Here.
- Oh, thanks.
- Ain't that Jimmy's car?
- It's Uncle Jimmy.
Hey! Here you go, cousin.
Take a look at that.
Just play it.
I'm of the opinion that a God-given talent
ought to be used for the glory of God.
I'm of the opinion that a God-given talent
ought to be for the glory of the talented.
Jimmy.
Come here.
How come you're actin' like this?
Boy, you got a smart mouth on you,
talkin' about God that way.
Loosen up, cousin. Now, look, I know you.
You're my blood and you're just like me
if you wouldn't fight it so hard.
So why don't you and me go down
to the chocolate quarter
and have some fun like we used to?
You remember how?
Now I'm going to tell you somethin'
and you listen close here.
God will not be mocked.
He speaks through those two hands
of yours, or tries to.
Your music is meant to serve him.
You were raised to preach his word.
Yeah, but his word is "Don't".
And I got this thing inside me
that says "Do, do, do".
Don't you believe in God any more?
Course I do. You know that I do.
Then talk to him.
And listen to what he has to say.
Read this.
"Narrow is the way to life everlasting. "
Other side.
"Broad is the road
that leadeth to destruction. "
- Sort of like heads or tails, ain't it?
- You keep it, Jerry Lee.
You keep it to remind you that
every day you live you have a choice
whether or not to serve God.
I will.
Choices, Jerry Lee. Talk to God.
Lord, I just wanna serve you
and I want to preach your word.
Hallelujah.
Just give me one hit record.
- Hey, killer.
- Hey.
- Take a look at that.
- Jerry!
Thank you.
Whoo!
Go, girl!
- Well, hello, girls.
- Come on.
Come on over.
A whole lotta shakin' goin' on.
Well, don't be afraid, little girls.
It's only me, Jerry Lee.
Don't you like it?
My mama don't want me
listening to rock and roll.
She says it leads to impure thoughts.
Her mama's right.
It is the devil's music.
Yeah.
- What do you think?
- Yeah.
Roy Hall had a country version
of that a couple of years ago.
- No big deal.
- Yes, sir, but mine's rock and roll.
Yeah, but, man, we can't
put out a song like that.
Man, it's too suggestive.
Everybody knows "whole lotta shakin"'
is what humpin' is all about.
- That's why the kids are gonna love it.
- And the parents ain't gonna stand for it.
- Play somethin' else.
- I can play anything, anywhere, anytime,
but that "Shakin"' song
has got 'em all beat.
And stay the hell out!
- Hey, buddy, where you going?
- I'm with the band. I'm with the band.
- Hey!
- Hey, I'm with the band.
- There's a queue.
- Come on, little lady. Get off him here.
What you gonna do about it?
Take your bald head and get out.
Let go!
Jerry. Jerry!
I've had it. I'm goin' back
to my job at the electric company.
You can't. We're gonna
cut another record soon.
"Crazy Arms" didn't make us
a nickel, man.
I got four mouths to feed.
Your big mouth is five.
Jay, I'll tell you what I'm gonna do.
We're gonna be partners.
Fifty-fifty. What do you say?
What's 50 per cent of nothin', man?
Look at these people.
Right, that does it.
- Let's do that "Shakin"' song.
- We can't play that nigger music in here.
These rednecks might lynch us.
Are you crazy?
Yeah.
Fifty-fifty, right?
Now real low.
All you got to do, honey, is just stand it...
right in one tight, little, sweet, little spot...
and then wiggle it around
just a little-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-
ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle-ittle bit.
And that's when you flat-out smack-dab
have got something, you know?
Let's go!
"Whole Lotta Shakin"' is bein' banned
by radio stations all over the South.
Now the preachers are
getting involved in the act.
Don't get your head turned
by a bunch of Bible-thumpers.
Give me some money. I'd take 'em
to New York. I'd put 'em on national TV.
- Why throw good money after bad?
- If you don't, you'll lose him
like you lost Elvis.
All right,
take the son of a bitch to New York.
Jerry Lee Lewis!
- Is that for me?
- Yes.
Get out the cheque.
- Well, sign it.
- It's a small fortune.
I know, but it's a quarter
of what we'll owe him. Now sign it.
It's great publicity.
Hi.
- Well, hello, doll.
- Excuse me, little lady. This way, Jerry.
Stand back. Give the boy air here.
Now, good people, since Jerry here
appeared on the Steve Allen Show,
"Whole Lotta Shakin"'
has sold 200,000 copies,
has hit number ten on the pop charts,
and is zooming higher every day.
Everybody is goin' crazy
for his pumpin' piano sound.
Why, this boy can make
a horse stop and listen.
He is an action artist.
Jerry, I'd like to present you with this,
your first royalty cheque.
There's more zeroes here than
there was Fs on my third-grade report.
Is that $4,000?
- No, cousin. That's $40,000.
- $40,000!
Fifty-fifty, remember?
Some religious people take exception
to the suggestiveness of your song
and its savage animal rhythms.
Well, I... It just comes out that way
naturally. I can't help it.
Hasn't your song been banned
by several radio stations?
- They say it's against God.
- Well, I don't understand that.
I serve him gladly. I sing. I shout. It's not
my fault I don't play like some old lady.
Amen, Brother Lewis. Amen. Come on,
let's go and get these bags here.
Any plans for sellin' Lewis
to a major label like Elvis?
Hell, no.
Jerry Lee Lewis is gonna
be bigger than Elvis.
See that look in his eye?
That boy could get himself,
and us, in a whole lotta trouble.
Oh, hell. He may be a little wild,
but he's a good old boy.
He's been stayin' at your place, hasn't he?
Well, yeah.
- But it's awful crowded.
- Look, Jay, it's like this.
If Casanova over there can live with you,
you can keep an eye on him,
keep him out of trouble.
Keep those cheques rolling in.
Ow! Ow!
All right. I guess we could
scooch things around a little.
Well, that's fine, Jay, fine.
There's the big man. Oop!
Freight train comin' through.
I really do appreciate you folks takin' me
in like this. I... I really do, Jay.
Well, shoot, cousin.
We're glad to have you here.
Well, it just goes to show you
how important family really is.
Sure is better than that old couch.
Well, you just make yourself
right at home here, cousin.
Thank you, Lois. Thank you very much.
I forgot something.
Hey.
What say you and me take a drive
down to the Kreme Kup?
- OK.
- I'm takin' the car.
It's Jerry Lee Lewis!
What? Hello, girls.
- Can I get a couple of cones?
- Oh, cones, cones, cones.
No dip.
Nice dry-cleaned uniforms y'all got there.
- What's your name?
- Missy.
Missy. That's a very nice name.
- That'll be 20 cents.
- You think you could take it out of this?
$40,000?!
- We don't have that kind of change.
- Gosh, I'm sorry. That's all I've got.
I got a dollar.
Oh, it's on the house.
Well, thank you very much.
You can get free custard here
any time you want!
I saw this thing at school.
They had this movie about the H-bomb.
You know, the hydrogen bomb. About it
comin' and blowin' up the whole world.
Oh, that's the Apocalypse.
That's in Revelations in your Bible.
You know, I go on fine all day at school.
And then at night, when I lay down,
I think to myself...
"Is this the night
the bomb's gonna come?"
All I ever wanted was a little
pink house with a blue door.
A little baby sittin' in a highchair.
Who do you see comin' up the walk
of that pink house? Hm?
I don't know.
You don't know?
Well?
Do you think he might be about,
oh, six foot tall,
with big blue eyes
and wavy, curly blond hair?
What?
Now maybe I won't have anything.
This old horrible bomb's
gonna come and wipe it all away.
Uh-uh.
Everything'll be destroyed,
and this is as far as I'll ever get in life.
Mm-mm.
I don't even know what hydrogen is.
And 1,000 makes $40,000.
Sh!
- Pow!
- Urgh!
Hi!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
I had my car break down once
on the side of the road.
And I got out and I laid hands
on the hood of this car
and I said "Devil, if you think I've been
crazy before, you just wait one minute
because I'm going to ask the Lord
to come down and heal this Plymouth. "
- Amen.
- Hallelujah.
So I got down and I asked the Holy Spirit
to make her whole again
and the Holy Spirit, lo and behold,
came down and made her good as new.
Glory, hallelujah, praise God, brother.
Well, this here is
my cousin, Jerry Lee Lewis.
Y'all probably know him from that
blasphemous "Shakin"' song he put out.
Number four in the top ten
this week, cousin.
Well, I really doubt
that it's in the Lord's top ten.
Rock and roll is the devil's music.
- Right.
- That's right.
Rock and roll is a rhythm. A feelin'.
A feeling that emanates
from the pit of hell.
- Right.
- Well, that feeling got me a hit record.
A hit record.
Do you still have that coin
I gave to you onetime?
Oh, as a matter of fact...
I do.
Choices, Jerry Lee.
This whole life is all about choices.
What choice are you going to make
with your music? With your life?
I don't play or sing as well as you do.
I heard that.
But all that I have belongs to God. All of it.
What would happen
if you gave him all you have?
Well, as a matter of fact, cousin,
I just might do that one day.
Praise God.
- What about today?
- What?
Do you remember what you said
you would do if you got a hit record?
You said you would go out
and preach his word.
Did I say that?
That's funny. I don't remember
sayin' that. I must have been drunk.
But the Lord remembers, cousin.
Well, is this that car
that God healed for you?
Well, that was six months ago.
She's up and died on me now.
Why don't you just lay hands on her here?
- I'd like to see that myself.
- Cousin, you cannot ask the Lord
for more help than you are willing
to help yourself. He's got me this far...
Why don't you just let this old Oldsmobile
here get you a little further along?
You made a choice just then, Jerry Lee.
From your singin' came this car,
and from this car will come
the spreading of God's word.
Amen.
- Thank you, Jesus.
- Well, don't thank Jesus.
Thank Jerry Lee Lewis.
Praise God, cousin.
- Let's go to bed, babe.
- OK.
Bedtime, Myra Gale.
Let them watch their movie.
Please, somebody!
Well, what do you think?
You know, Jay,
I reckon hooking up with Jerry Lee is
about the best thing ever happened to us.
Look here what I'm gonna buy next.
"The kitchen of tomorrow, today. "
- What in the hell are they doin' in there?
- Would you just leave them alone?
They're just watchin' TV.
That boy's been deep-fried.
It's only a movie.
Just a movie.
Here comes the creepy mouse.
Here comes the creepy mouse.
Um...
Whoo!
Mr Freed, Jerry Lee Lewis can blow
Chuck Berry right off of that stage.
Why do I have to go on before him?
He's had six number one hits
and you've only had two in the top ten.
- Who's got the number one record now?
- You.
- My point exactly.
- He should go on before me.
He can't. It's in his contract
that he closes the show.
OK, cat. If that's the way you want it.
Follow that, killer.
Come here, Romeo.
Let's get you in the car.
Drive.
Ooh, I want you to play me
like you play that piano, hot stuff.
Hey!
Hey!
Hey, you see that... that... Hey!
Don't be a bad sport. You got what
you wanted, and I got what I wanted.
Hey, you...
She cut off my goddamn hair.
Women.
I ain't never gettin' married.
They all turn on you.
First chance they get they're flat on
their back in bed with some other bastard.
You take JW there. He don't have to fool
around. He's got the perfect wife.
Lois is a lady, first and foremost. Quiet
and reserved, always stylishly dressed.
He never has to ask for his dinner
or hunt for clean socks.
You gotta get 'em while they're young
and take 'em right from their mama,
and you raise 'em up
right by you to keep 'em true.
You raise 'em just like
you would a bird dog.
- Jerry? Is that you?
- Did I wake you, darlin'?
- I was dreamin'.
- About me?
Oh, maybe.
And that pink house with that blue door
and the little baby in that highchair.
Quit teasin'. You're gonna
give me the sillies again.
- Myra Gale Brown.
- I gotta go.
What are you doin' callin' home
like this all the time?
Just talkin' to Myra.
Who are you talkin' to
at three o'clock in the mornin'?
- Well, what for, man?
- Cheerin' her up about her schoolwork.
It was Jerry Lee, wasn't it? Don't lie.
She don't need cheerin' up
ten times a day, now does she?
- Answer me.
- Nothin' else to do.
He's just feelin' far from home and he
wanted to hear a friendly voice is all.
- Stop or we send you to boardin' school.
- Stop or we send her to boardin' school.
"Great Balls of Fire"
is number one on the charts.
Knocked Elvis Presley's
"Teddy Bear" right off,
and remember, you heard it first
right here on WHBQ, Red Hot and Blue.
"Look" magazine called him
the other day "the wild man of rock".
Uh-huh, that's right.
This is "High School Confidential".
Everybody's dancin' to this.
Argh!
Where are we goin'?
Take a look in that glove compartment
there. I wanna show you somethin'.
It's a marriage licence.
I... I thought you had to stand there
and say something.
Well, it's only a permit, Myra.
Oh, so we ain't married?
Not yet.
But that's my prayer.
I'm asking you to marry me.
Me?
I love you.
Oh, Jerry.
Jerry, I'm only 13 years old.
Oh, heck. My sister Frankie Jean,
she was only 12 when she got married.
But...
- But you're as old as my daddy.
- What?
Oh, hell, I ain't that old.
- Can't we just wait three or four years?
- Well, now, I've got two hit records.
I got six months of dates booked up
in advance. I got me $100,000.
What more do you need?
I don't know. I... Just some time to think.
Why don't you think about
that pink house with the blue door
and that blue-eyed, blond-haired
son of God comin' up the walk?
Do you, Myra Gale Brown,
take this man, Jerry Lee Lewis,
to be your lawful wedded husband,
to have and to hold from this day forward,
till death do you part?
Oh, uh...
I do.
I now pronounce you husband and wife.
Who's gonna tell your folks?
You. You tell 'em.
No, you tell 'em.
No, Jerry. You tell 'em.
No, you tell 'em.
These potatoes are real good.
Well, thank you, Jerry Lee.
- What are you doing?
- What do you think?
- We can't till they know.
- When are you gonna tell 'em?
I thought you were gonna tell 'em.
- All right. I'll tell 'em right now.
- No.
By tomorrow night, I promise.
There's some people acting
mighty funny around here.
- Will you look at this?
- Rice.
Oh, no.
I knew it! They're married.
- Jay, what are you doin'?
- I'm gonna go kill that son of a bitch.
Jay!
Pow! Pow! Pow! Pow!
- Mr Phillips?
- Hey, man!
- Son, son, son.
- Glad you could come in, Jerry.
- We just been talking about you.
- I need to talk to you, too.
Can you believe it's been almost a year
since you first came to Sun
and cut your first record?
And we sure have come a long way
since then, ain't we?
Yes, sir.
Your new song's comin' out
in a big movie.
"High School Confidential" is gonna be
a bigger hit than "Great Balls of Fire".
Thank you, but I've got...
We got a brand-new
five-year contract to talk about.
In the spring we're gonna
be takin' that big tour to England.
- England?
- Over there, you're bigger than Elvis.
Bigger than Elvis?
Say, don't you want JW
to read that over first?
JW?
He's your partner, isn't he?
Well, Mr Phillips,
I've really got to tell you something.
It's...
Just a second, Jerry.
Yeah.
Hi, Lois.
Uh-huh.
You don't say.
Oh, you don't say.
Yeah. Yeah.
- Our boy just married JW's daughter.
- What?
That's what I was tryin' to say. We've
been holding back from tellin' her folks.
I told you the boy should
have had a place of his own.
It's too late now. The dam has broke loose
and there is all kinds of hell comin' down.
Well, I guess they didn't take it
none too good, did they?
JW is on his way over here now
to shoot your ass full of holes.
- We gotta get this boy outta here.
- I mean it.
And by the way, brother, next time,
let me handle the accommodations.
Shut up!
Come out, you rat bastard!
- Put the gun down. Ain't nobody here.
- Where is that son of a bitch?
- He's gone.
- Bullshit.
Jay, come on in here
and let's talk about this thing.
There ain't a goddamn thing
to talk about, Sam.
I'm gonna kill him. I swear I will kill him.
There are other ways
to handle this thing, man.
Give me the gun.
All right. I'm gonna call the police.
I'll have that little shit charged
with bigamy, incest, kidnapping.
I'll put his ass away for the rest of his life.
Think about it for a second.
You don't know if she's gonna
have a baby or what.
A baby?
It's happened before.
- Man, she's only 13 years old.
- You know something?
Who's to say things won't
work out between them?
Man, I've seen this happen
a hundred times before.
Sometimes they'll surprise you.
They may have a good life together.
Maybe not, but...
you're gonna have to live with
your actions for the rest of your life.
Bye, Daddy.
It's gonna be OK, Myra.
It's OK.
Hi. Hello, Lois.
Are you mad?
No, not any more.
Just hurt.
Well, I just want you to know
that I love Myra with all my heart,
and I'm gonna take real good care of her.
Jerry, she's just a child.
Maybe in years, but not inside
where it counts. And if you're worried...
Yeah, I'm worried about my little girl.
Well, don't.
Because she's my little girl now.
And I love her, and she loves me.
So I just hope you'll understand.
And I hope that Jay'll understand too
and stay on with the band,
now that we're makin' all this money.
Come on, baby doll.
That's Graceland.
That's where Elvis lives.
It's a sad day
for the women of America.
If you hadn't already heard, Elvis Presley
was inducted into the army today.
Can't help but make a fellow wonder
who'll be the next king of rock and roll.
That's gonna be you. I know it will.
- Goodbye, Elvis.
- And you'll be my queen.
Look, baby doll. Look right there.
Look at that. What is that?
- Oh! Jerry!
- What's that?
It's a pink house with a blue door,
that's what that is.
Just like my dollhouse!
- Hi.
- Hello. Go on in.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Oh!
So this room is the foyer
and a sunken living room.
Oh, my! The carpets, they come
with the house. So do the curtains.
Look at all the decorative trim. Over here
we have a wall, a whole wall of built-ins.
And the kitchen and the dining room. Over
here the black-and-white linoleum tile.
And the bedrooms.
Yes, you'll want to see those.
Yoo-hoo! Mr Lewis!
- Well, that's one pile. Now the other pile.
- Thanks.
Nine, ten. Be sure you date it.
Now, I want you boys to shake hands
and put your differences behind you.
I just want you to know, Jay,
she ain't pregnant.
I married her because I love her.
Now y'all are gonna be
one big happy family.
One, two, three, four.
I don't know how to be a wife.
I'm only 13 years old.
Oh.
You're all woman to Jerry Lee, honey.
Here comes the creepy mouse.
Ow!
Yeah.
There.
Where'd you learn to move like that?
I don't know. I just... I felt it in the music.
What?
What did I do? Did I do it wrong?
You don't move like no virgin.
Take it.
Just go on and take it.
Take the whole thing.
You'll come back, won't you?
I wonder if I shall.
We must obey the creeds and codes
that we've sworn our lives to.
I know that I must not come back.
And I know that nothing
in this world can keep me away.
I'm back, baby doll.
Oh, Jerry!
I don't care what you did before me.
- But, Jerry, I never...
- Sh.
30 shows in six cities in 37 days.
Man, we're gonna make us
a pile of money.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, how much, like, more or less?
- Well...
- Here he comes.
The next king of rock and roll.
Uh-oh.
- Hi, Daddy.
- What in the hell are you doin' here?
Wherever Jerry Lee Lewis goes,
Myra Gale Lewis goes too.
Uh, Jerry, we've been going all over
the plans for your big tour to England.
- Wanna take a look?
- Ooh, I'm so excited.
- I always wanted to go to England.
- Little lady,
we don't think it might be such a good
idea if you come along on this trip.
- Why not?
- Well, the folks over there, they...
they might not understand
about your marriage.
You being so young, and all.
We'll just say she's 15.
That'll be all right, won't it?
No.
The papers over there are saying you
could be the next king of rock and roll.
- But you gotta act accordingly.
- Yeah.
- It ain't fair. I wanna go.
- You're my daughter, and you ain't goin'.
She's my wife,
and I say she is goin'.
If Myra ain't goin', I ain't goin' neither.
It's all right, ma'am. She's my wife.
Well, maybe if someone got me a weddin'
ring people wouldn't do us thataway.
- I'm going back to talk to Mama.
- Hey, smell that.
Baby doll, I'm gonna buy you the finest
weddin' ring in all of London, England.
I hate covering arrivals.
I didn't hear you complain
when it was Liberace.
Oh, look here. You're not suggesting
that an artiste of Liberace's stature
can be likened to the boogie-woogie
of a gum-chewing country bumpkin?
Well, hello.
Look at him, sport! He's the new king
of rock and roll. Mr Lewis! Mr Lewis!
- Do you intend to record here?
- You stay right there.
Are you gonna meet your British fans?
How will British youngsters
respond to your music?
Just point me at a piano
and in 15 minutes
I'll have 'em shoutin' and a-shakin'
and a-shiverin' and a-shackin'.
What about that long hair
of yours, Mr Lewis?
Well, my killer wavy blond hair? It's just
so pretty I can't bring myself to cut it.
What cities are you playing in, Mr Lewis?
How long will you be
touring for, Mr Lewis?
Excuse me, Miss.
Are you related to Mr Lewis?
I'm Frankie Jean, Jerry Lee's sister.
Oh, yes. And what about you, Miss?
Um, I'm his wife.
I beg your pardon. I didn't catch that.
I'm Mrs Jerry Lee Lewis.
Mr Lewis.
Is it true that you're married to this... girl?
Yes, I am. And proud of it.
This is my little bride, Myra Gale Lewis.
- But she looks so young.
- How old is she?
Uh, she's 15.
- 15!
- Did he say 15?
15 years old? Isn't that
a bit young to be a wife?
Gosh, no. Back home, people get married
at ten. One girl got wed at nine.
- Married at ten?
- Wed at nine?
- How could you?
- I love her.
But she's only a baby.
Hello, Jerry!
Yesterday, Britons
were shocked to discover
that visiting American rock-and-roll
star Mr Jerry Lee Lewis
was married to a 15-year-old girl.
- Looky there! My baby's famous.
- Well, brace yourself, England.
The child bride in question
is 13 years of age,
and furthermore, she's his cousin.
Second cousin twice removed.
You're on every front page in England.
"Child bride is so young. "
I begged you to keep your big mouth shut.
A few pictures of Myra ain't no big deal.
Jerry, this is a big deal.
I mean, will you listen to this guy?
Let's show Mr Lewis what we think of him
and his baby-snatching ways.
Hell, Mr Phillips, we've got
nothin' to be ashamed of.
The moment you're waiting for,
that fabulous rock-and-roll sensation
from the US of A, Jerry Lee Lewis.
Hello, England. How are y'all doin'?
Y'all don't have to just sit there quiet,
you know. This is a rock-and-roll session.
Y'all can let your hair down.
It'll be all right.
It's awful quiet out there.
I hope y'all aren't as dead
as you sound. I'm alive.
- Sissy!
- Queer!
- Put a lid on it.
- Jerry!
- Cradle robber!
- Baby snatcher!
- Jerry, just play.
- I got married before God.
- Oh, get out of it!
- Get on your bike!
And what's between me and Myra
is between us and God.
And everybody else can just
mind their own business.
- Go back to America!
- Get off!
Get lost!
- How was the concert?
- Great.
Did all those English girls
try to rip your clothes off?
"Police to act in case of child bride. "
"Home Office to investigate. "
Good morning.
- Investigate what?
- They call you a bigamist.
They found out you weren't divorced from
your second wife when you married Myra.
You mean we ain't married?
I never was married to my second wife
in the first place.
I already told you
I didn't need to get a divorce.
Yeah. Um, take a look down there.
We're under siege.
They don't want us here.
- Hello.
- May we see your passports?
Uh, yes. Yeah.
Right over here. Just a second.
- Why don't they just go away?
- They're just curious.
They wanna see the new king.
Don't you understand?
They're angry with you because of me.
Don't let that bother you, baby doll.
You're just going to have
to get used to being my queen.
What do you mean? But...
You gotta give the boy a chance now.
The promoters have cancelled the tour.
The government is tryin' to deport you.
We're washed up here, kids.
We're gettin' out.
Oh, Mama. I wanna go home.
Well, what if I don't wanna go?
Well, why would you wanna stay?
I promised Myra
I'd buy her a weddin' ring.
Well, what do I need a ring for
if we ain't even married?
- Put him in jail!
- Where's Jerry, then?
- They're coming out!
- Oi, mate! Where's Jerry?
It's him!
It's Jerry Lee and Myra!
Come on!
My God!
Did I do this? This is all my fault.
I've ruined your career.
You never should have married me.
Everything was fine until me.
Myra? Baby doll?
You're my wife and I love you,
and I'll marry you a hundred times
to prove it if I have to.
- What do you think of your "king" now?
- You're right.
- Elvis Presley is the true king.
- What was that?
He said Mr Presley is
the true king of rock and roll.
Y'all would have lost the war
without us. You just think about that.
Do you think your expulsion from England
is a repudiation of rock and roll?
They cancelled Jerry Lee's tour because
of our marriage, not cos of his music.
We've been beat up pretty bad
because of this publicity,
but Myra and I love each other,
and we mean to keep it that way.
Jerry, looking ahead, don't you think your
popularity will be diminished at home?
Back home they take a different view
of this sort of a thing.
I expect a great reception
when I get back there.
My fans'll understand.
Mr Lewis, do you have
any final words for England?
Yeah.
England can kiss my ass.
They had a double-ring ceremony -
a wedding ring and a teething ring.
You've heard of sack dresses?
Myra wears sack diapers.
She can't go to see her husband's show -
her bedtime is 8.30.
Myra.
Mr Phillips! What's this all about?
Uh...
Jerry, we were thinkin'
that maybe it would be a good idea
if we took out a full-page ad...
- In Billboard.
- In Billboard.
Uh, sort of a...
An apology.
It might get your phone
to start ringin' again.
Who are you people?
Who are you to walk into my house
and tell me to apologise?
You're makin' more off me
than you ever made off Elvis.
- Jerry Lee, I don't think...
- What, are you in on this too? Huh?
I see that you are.
You all want Jerry Lee
just to get down on his knees
so you can go on gettin'
your little piece of him?
Dogs. You're all a bunch
of snappin' dogs at my heel.
You see this hand?
It makes $5,000 a night.
You see this one? It does too.
$10,000 a night I've made.
Man, I am Jerry Lee Lewis!
I am the goddamn king!
I have a God-given talent!
I shine like gold when I play that piano.
And you want me
to bend my knee?
And what the hell I got to apologise for?
I married the girl I love.
I married her twice.
And I sang and I played my guts out!
I shine like gold.
Don't you tell me to apologise.
Your telephone hasn't been ringing, Jerry.
If you sign this, it may well start.
- I quit.
- Jay.
I quit.
Jerry, why do you do it? Don't!
Will you tell me who the hell is there?!
Come here. Come here.
- Don't you like it?
- Stop!
Ow!
Do you believe I'm sorry?
I am.
My hand to God.
Well... you know, you can't
hit me no more, Jerry.
I just said I was sorry, didn't I?
- Yeah, but that ain't what I mean.
- I know what you mean.
You won't let me forget this, will you?
- No, Jerry, that ain't it at all.
- Oh, yes, it is.
What, you think you're the only one
that gets hit around here?
- You don't think I get hit?
- Please listen to me.
You don't think there ain't a day goes by
that I don't get smacked by some thieving
promoter or chicken-livered disc jockey,
- or lyin' reporter?
- I've got somethin' to tell you!
- This is the thanks I get?
- Jerry, I'm having a baby!
I'm having a baby!
I want to tell you a story.
A story about... two cousins.
Closer than brothers,
who came upon two roads that diverged.
Now, one took the dirt path.
The less-travelled way.
Serving the Lord for the reward
that waits in heaven.
The other started down the wide street,
paved with gold,
hypnotising millions of disciples
in the sin that is the devil's music.
Rock and roll is like a painted woman.
And he could not resist her charms.
Along the way he married and divorced.
Married and divorced again!
Married a third time...
to his 13-year-old cousin!
The whole world was appalled...
because he had sinned against the Lord.
Nor walked in his laws!
Nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies.
Therefore is this land
become a desolation,
and an astonishment, and a curse.
Many are those that say of his soul
there is no salvage for him in God.
But I say that anyone who is ready
to accept Jesus Christ into their life -
let him come forward and be saved!
Is there anyone here today ready
to accept Jesus Christ into their life?
Grab hold of that nail-scarred hand
and take a walk toward glory!
Hallelujah! Come on up here, sister.
Hallelujah! God loves you.
Devil, you gonna get a black eye today!
Praise Jesus! Are you ready
to accept Jesus Christ into your life?
- Are you ready to accept Christ?
- Yes!
Rapture her up, Lord! Hallelujah!
Cousin, do you still have
that coin I gave you?
I've got it, cousin.
Cousin, the time has come
for you to choose.
Will you choose the gold-paved road
of the devil?
Or the rocky path of the Lord?
Cousin, my road was paved
a long time ago
and there ain't nothin' I can do about it.
Lord, help him.
So if I'm goin' to hell...
I'm goin' there playin' the piano.
Jerry!
I love you, Jerry.
Steve Allen Lewis was born
February 27, 1959
Jerry! Jerry!