The year 1957 was pivotal for Elvis Presley, marked by a deepening involvement in Hollywood and the creation of one of his most enduring musical and cinematic statements: “Jailhouse Rock.” The music, immortalized on the “Jailhouse Rock Ep,” wasn’t just a collection of songs; it represented a complex interplay between Elvis’s burgeoning artistry, Colonel Tom Parker’s strategic career management, and the crucial, if sometimes fraught, collaboration with songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Understanding the story behind the “Jailhouse Rock Ep” requires looking at the confluence of music, film, and the personalities shaping the King of Rock and Roll’s trajectory.
Colonel Tom Parker had always envisioned a film career for Elvis. Even before managing Presley, Parker had attempted to steer other talents towards the silver screen. His focus sharpened on Hal Wallis at MGM, seeing film as the ideal medium – it reached millions but, crucially for Parker, required paid admission. While television had made Elvis ubiquitous, Parker disliked the idea of free access. Why pay for records or concert tickets if you could see him at home for nothing? Cinema offered a way to maximize paying customers, a strategy Parker believed essential for long-term success. Consequently, from late 1956 onwards, Elvis’s career path tilted significantly towards films, which invariably centred around his music.
From Screen Ambitions to Soundtrack Gold
Elvis’s initial foray into film, Love Me Tender (originally titled The Reno Brothers), was intended as a serious acting debut with no singing. However, four songs were added last minute, the title changed, and Elvis’s minor role expanded. The result was an awkward hybrid – neither a compelling Western nor a fully realized rock and roll vehicle.
The follow-up, Loving You, represented a significant step forward. This film was a more straightforward rock and roll story, loosely fictionalizing Elvis’s own rise to fame. He played Deke Rivers, a singer discovered by a manager (who also served as the love interest). While the plot was somewhat predictable, the soundtrack was a marked improvement over Love Me Tender. It featured some of Elvis’s strongest material to date, including the title track penned specifically for him by the burgeoning songwriting duo, Leiber and Stoller.
Leiber and Stoller: The Reluctant Hitmakers for the King
Leiber and Stoller’s initial involvement with Elvis stemmed from the success of his cover of their song “Hound Dog.” Summoned to provide more material, they weren’t initially impressed by Elvis’s rendition and offered him “Love Me,” a song they had written as a country music parody for the duo Willy and Ruth.
[Excerpt: Willy and Ruth, “Love Me”]
They considered the song a joke, but numerous artists had covered it, signaling some commercial appeal. Leiber and Stoller suggested Elvis try it. To their surprise, Elvis delivered a sincere, powerful performance, taking the song seriously in a way they never had.
[Excerpt: Elvis Presley, “Love Me”]
This performance earned Elvis their respect as a vocalist, leading them to write the title track for Loving You. Despite this growing connection through music, they hadn’t yet met Presley and still viewed him, in their own words, as an “idiot savant” – a marketable talent rather than a true artist like those they typically collaborated with.
Crafting the Jailhouse Rock EP Songs Under Pressure
Elvis, however, was deeply impressed by Leiber and Stoller’s writing. The call soon came for them to write more songs, this time for his next film project, Jailhouse Rock. The initial plan was for them to compose the entire soundtrack. However, flown back to New York from Los Angeles and ensconced in an expensive hotel suite, the distractions of the city proved potent. With Miles Davis, Count Basie, and Thelonious Monk playing gigs, theatre productions running, and friends wanting dinners out, work took a backseat.
Eventually, Jean Aberbach from Hill and Range publishing arrived at their suite, demanding the promised songs. Assured they would have them soon, Aberbach declared he wouldn’t leave until they did, physically blocking the door with a sofa and settling down to wait. Under this unique pressure, Leiber and Stoller wrote four songs in the next five hours. These tracks would form the core of the Jailhouse Rock soundtrack, supplemented by two less remarkable songs from other writers (both co-written by Aaron Schroeder): “Don’t Leave Me Now” (an unused track from Loving You already on its soundtrack album) and a new ballad, “Young and Beautiful.” The film’s opening credits acknowledged the disparity, stating “songs mostly by Mike Stoller and Jerry Leiber,” implicitly recognizing where the real musical power lay.
Studio Sessions: Collaboration and Unexpected Turns
It wasn’t until April 1957 that Leiber and Stoller finally met Elvis Presley in person. The meeting took place at Radio Recorders Annex in Hollywood, the very studio where they had recorded Big Mama Thornton’s original “Hound Dog” five years earlier. They entered the session uncertain what to expect but were immediately struck by three things: Elvis’s striking physical presence, far more impressive in person; his surprising shyness and quiet demeanour, which paradoxically enhanced his charisma; and his deep knowledge and love of R&B and blues music.
Leiber and Stoller, who had considered themselves among the few white people of their generation truly immersed in R&B, found Elvis passionately discussing B.B. King, Big Bill Broonzy, Arthur Crudup, and even their own compositions. He expressed particular fondness for a song they’d written for Ray Charles, “The Snow is Falling.”
[Excerpt: Ray Charles, “The Snow is Falling”]
The connection was immediate. Elvis ended up playing a four-handed blues tune on the piano with Mike Stoller. What was intended as a brief introductory visit morphed into Leiber and Stoller essentially producing the session. Leiber guided Elvis on phrasing from the control room, while Stoller worked directly with the musicians on the studio floor, even playing piano on one track. They were particularly impressed by Elvis’s relentless work ethic. The film’s plot required multiple versions of songs – tentative renditions, versions with deliberate mistakes, different arrangements – simulating the character Vince Everett learning and developing the material. Elvis tackled take after take with unwavering dedication.
The Bass Incident: A Changing Soundscape
These sessions also highlighted a shift in musical technology and personnel dynamics. Bill Black, Elvis’s longtime double bassist, was struggling with the transition to the Fender electric bass guitar, which was rapidly becoming the studio standard. The upright double bass, common in country and rockabilly, required a different technique than the fretted, horizontally held electric bass. Black, known more for his energy than technical prowess, found the switch challenging.
Adding to the tension was Black’s growing dissatisfaction with the Presley organization. Colonel Parker was actively isolating Elvis from his bandmates, who were also frustrated with what they considered meagre salaries. During the recording of “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care,” after repeatedly struggling with the intro, Black threw his bass down and stormed out of the studio.
Without missing a beat, Elvis picked up the electric bass himself and laid down the part. It’s his competent bass playing heard on the final record.
[Excerpt: Elvis Presley, “(You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care”]
Despite Black’s walkout, he, along with guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana, still appeared in the Jailhouse Rock film, miming their instruments (they couldn’t have lines as they weren’t Screen Actors’ Guild members). Mike Stoller also appeared, miming piano. Ironically, Jerry Leiber was initially tapped for the piano part because a studio representative thought he “looked like a piano player.” Leiber agreed, but a severe toothache on the filming day led him to send Stoller instead, correctly assuming the film crew wouldn’t notice the substitution. Stoller’s only instruction was to shave his goatee, deemed too distracting from the film’s star.
Filming “Jailhouse Rock”: Choreography, Danger, and Legacy
The centrepiece of the film was the elaborate dance sequence set to the title track, “Jailhouse Rock.” This iconic number featured dozens of dancers dressed as convicts.
[Excerpt: Elvis Presley, “Jailhouse Rock”]
Elvis Presley strikes an iconic pose during the Jailhouse Rock movie dance sequence from 1957
Some suggest the sequence drew inspiration from a scene in The Girl Can’t Help It, which featured a rock and roll parody performed by convict characters. The film version of “Jailhouse Rock” does include extra orchestration and an introduction not present on the record, potentially lending credence to this theory.
[Excerpt: Elvis Presley, “Jailhouse Rock”, film version]
Compare with “Rock Around the Rockpile”:
[Excerpt: “Jerri Jordan”, “Rock Around the Rockpile”]
However, the song itself aligns perfectly with Leiber and Stoller’s recurring themes exploring the justice system, evident in earlier songs like “Framed” and “Riot in Cell Block #9” for The Robins.
[Excerpt: The Robins, “Framed”]
[Excerpt: The Robins, “Riot in Cell Block #9”]
The song also contained Leiber and Stoller’s characteristic wit. Lines like “Number forty-seven said to number three / ‘You’re the cutest jailbird I ever did see’” have often been noted for their homoerotic undertones.
[Excerpt: Elvis Presley, “Jailhouse Rock”]
Given the songwriters’ history and the film’s other suggestive imagery (Elvis shirtless, tied up, being whipped), it’s likely these implications were intentional nods to a segment of the audience.
The ambitious dance sequence nearly derailed the film and Elvis’s career. Elvis, a naturally gifted mover but unaccustomed to formal choreography, initially struggled to sync with the trained dancers. Choreographer Alex Romero devised a clever solution: he had Elvis perform naturally, moving as he would on stage while miming to his records. Romero then integrated Elvis’s signature movements into the larger routine, making it comfortable for Elvis while still working for the ensemble. (Claims that Elvis choreographed the sequence himself are unfounded; Romero was the credited choreographer).
A more serious crisis occurred on the first day of filming the dance number when Elvis dislodged a dental crown, insisting it had gone down into his chest. Initially dismissed as dramatics, a whistling sound during his breathing later confirmed his fear: he had inhaled the crown. Major surgery was required to retrieve it from his lung, necessitating the separation of his vocal cords. In a strange case of life imitating art, a key plot point in Jailhouse Rock involves Elvis’s character undergoing throat surgery and fearing he’ll never sing again. Fortunately, like his character, Elvis made a full recovery.
Despite these challenges, Jailhouse Rock is widely regarded as one of Elvis’s better films. He plays a notably unsympathetic character – Vince Everett, imprisoned after accidentally killing a man, who finds fame as a singer. While not high cinema, it’s a solid genre film. Tragically, just days after filming wrapped, Judy Tyler, Elvis’s co-star and love interest in the film, died in a car crash. Elvis reportedly found it too painful to ever watch the completed film as a result.
Rising Tensions: Control vs. Creativity
The Jailhouse Rock experience initially brought Elvis and Mike Stoller closer. While shooting pool on set, Elvis heard The Drifters’ “Ruby Baby,” another Leiber and Stoller composition, and began singing along, asking Stoller about their songwriting process.
[Excerpt: The Drifters, “Ruby Baby”]
Moments later, however, Elvis was pulled aside and returned to tell Stoller he had to leave. Colonel Parker didn’t want Elvis associating with music industry figures outside his direct control. Parker even attempted to become Leiber and Stoller’s manager, sending them blank contracts to sign with promises of a favourable deal – an offer they bluntly refused.
Elvis, however, valued their contribution, calling them his “good luck charms” and requesting their presence at all recording sessions, a request Parker momentarily agreed to. But Leiber and Stoller’s independence was a thorn in the side of Parker’s tightly controlled operation. They continued writing hits for other artists like Perry Como, Ruth Brown, and The Drifters, alongside their work with The Coasters.
This independence clashed sharply with the established system. Freddy Bienstock at Hill and Range publishing, who controlled Elvis’s song selection, was furious when the duo gave the song “Don’t” directly to Elvis after he personally requested “a real pretty ballad.”
[Excerpt: Elvis Presley, “Don’t”]
Bienstock reprimanded them, explaining that songs went through him or Jean Aberbach first. Contracts had to be secured before Elvis even heard a song, ensuring Hill and Range, Elvis, and the Colonel received their cuts of the publishing royalties. Giving a song directly to Elvis bypassed this structure, undermining Parker’s control – something the Colonel vehemently disliked. Leiber and Stoller argued they weren’t circumventing anyone, assuming the usual contract terms would apply.
By the time the “Jailhouse Rock” single and EP were released in September 1957, Elvis’s situation was more complex than it appeared. Parker had successfully weakened ties with the original band members through fixed salaries, tightened his grip on song selection, and removed Sam Phillips from the equation. Leiber and Stoller remained the only significant independent creative force in Elvis’s professional life. Everyone else – RCA, the film studios, Hill and Range – operated within Parker’s network of mutual interests and kickbacks. Getting rid of these “good luck charms” was becoming a priority for the Colonel. With Elvis eligible for the military draft in January 1958, Parker only had to wait a few months to potentially regain absolute control over his star’s career. The stage was set for another major shift in the Elvis Presley story, even as the music from the “Jailhouse Rock EP” dominated the charts.
