GREAT BALLS OF FIRE

Live 02 Sep 1995 version



[Spoken intro (Bruce Springsteen):] Thank you. It's my, my pleasure to bring out now one of my, one of my all-time heroes, the one, the only, the man who doesn't play Rock 'N' Roll, he is Rock 'N' Roll, Jerry Lee Lewis.

[Spoken intro (Jerry Lee Lewis):] Thank you, thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, very glad to be here at the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame opening here in Cleveland, Ohio, my name is Jerry Lee Lewis, thank you, Bruce.

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

I learned to love 'cause I thought it was funny
And then you came along and moved me honey
I changed my mind, looking fine
Goodness gracious great balls of fire

Kiss me baby, woo, feels good
Hold me baby, hey girl, just let me love you like a lover should
You're fine, so kind
I'm 'a tell this world that you're mine mine mine mine

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

Well kiss me baby, woooooooo, feels good
Hold me baby
Hey girl, just let me love you like a lover should
Your fine, so kind
I'm gon' tell this world that your mine mine mine mine

I chew my nails and I twiddle my thumbs
Feel nervous but it sure is fun
Come on baby, you're driving me crazy
Goodness gracious great balls of fire


Info

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE is a 1957 song by Jerry Lee Lewis. See the original Jerry Lee Lewis version for more details.

Live 02 Sep 1995 version

The above lyrics are for the live 02 Sep 1995 performance of GREAT BALLS OF FIRE at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, OH, during the Concert For the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The song was performed by Jerry Lee Lewis on piano and vocals, backed by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Bruce Springsteen on guitar, Roy Bittan on keyboards, Clarence Clemons on saxophones, Danny Federici on keyboards, Nils Lofgren on guitar, Patti Scialfa on percussion, Garry Tallent on bass, Steven Van Zandt on guitar, and Max Weinberg on drums. The concert was broadcast live by various TV stations in the United States.

Ticket stub for the 02 Sep 1995 show at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH
Ticket stub for the 02 Sep 1995 show at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH

Official Releases

The live 02 Sep 1995 version of GREAT BALLS OF FIRE appears on one official release.

Various artists -- The Concert For The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
Various artists -- The Concert For The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

2xCD - Columbia (C2K 67477) - USA, 1996
2xCD - Columbia (483793 2) - Austria, 1996

This release includes 3 tracks on which Bruce Springsteen appears:

  1. SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL [Live 02 Sep 1995 version]
  2. GREAT BALLS OF FIRE [Live 02 Sep 1995 version]
  3. WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON [Live 02 Sep 1995 version]

Other versions of GREAT BALLS OF FIRE were also officially released.

live.brucespringsteen.net
Audio recordings for most High Hopes Tour shows were officially released on live.brucespringsteen.net. These include one version of GREAT BALLS OF FIRE.

  1. 06 May 2014 at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX

Live History: on-tour

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE was performed one time during World Tour 1992-1993 (104 dates, June 1992 to June 1993), on 20 May 1993 in Dublin, Ireland. It featured a guest appearance by Jerry Lee Lewis who performed the song backed by Bruce Springsteen on his 1992-1993 touring band.

  1. 20 May 1993 at RDS Arena, Dublin, Ireland

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE was performed one time during the Working On A Dream Tour (83 dates, April to November 2009), on 01 Aug 2009 at Valladolid, Spain.

  1. 01 Aug 2009 at Estadio José Zorrilla, Valladolid, Spain

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE was performed one time during the High Hopes Tour (34 dates, January to May 2014), on 06 May 2014 in Houston, TX. The song featured a guest appearance by Joe Ely. Audio recordings for most High Hopes Tour shows are officially available for purchase.

  1. 06 May 2014 at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, TX

Live History: off-tour

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE was performed off-tour on 29 Oct 1990 at Tom Petty's House in San Fernando Valley, CA, during a gig with many of the guests at the party, including various Heartbreakers, Roger McGuinn, and Jeff Lynne.

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE was performed off-tour on 02 Sep 1995 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium in Cleveland, OH, during the concert for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. The song was performed by Jerry Lee Lewis backed by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. This live 02 Sep 1995 version of GREAT BALLS OF FIRE was officially released in 1996 on the various artists album The Concert For The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

  1. 29 Oct 1990 at Tom Petty's House, San Fernando Valley, CA
  2. 02 Sep 1995 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, OH

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE was performed during the fifth (2004) annual Light Of Day benefit. The song was perfumed with all of the night's performers and Bob Benjamin.

  1. 06 Nov 2004 at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ (during the fifth annual Light Of Day benefit)

Credits

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of GREAT BALLS OF FIRE on this website:

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE [Live 02 Sep 1995 version]
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE [Original Jerry Lee Lewis version]

Page last updated: 16 Mar 2008