11.07.2010

How Can The Killer Save Souls? | Lost In The Grooves

How Can The Killer Save Souls?

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   Where:  Sun Record Company,                                                                                   706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee
                                                When:  October, 1957
                                                Why:  recording “Great Balls Of Fire”
Who:  Jerry Lee Lewis  (pumping piano)
           Sam C. Phillips  (producer extraordinaire)
           J. W. Brown  (bass, Jerry Lee’s father-in-law)
           Billy Lee Riley  (guitar)         
           J. M. Van Eaton  (drums)

Jerry Lee LewisH-E-L-L.
Sam C. Phillips
I don’t believe it.
J. W. Brown
Great Godamighty, great balls of fire!
Billy Lee Riley
THAT’S RIGHT!
JLL
That’s it, that’s it.  That’s it!
SCP
I don’t believe it.
JLL
It says, it says MAKE MERRY with the joy of God, only!  But when it comes to worldly music, rock ‘n’ roll –
BLR
ROCK IT OUT!   
JLL
-- anything like that, you have done brought yourself into the world, and you’re in the world, and you hadn’t come from out of the world, and you’re still a sinner.  You’re a sinner – and unless you be saved -- and borned again -- and be made as a little child and walk before God -- and be holy, and brother, I mean you got to be so pure!  And no sin shall enter there:  No sin!  For it says, no sin!  It don’t say just a little bit, it says, NO SIN SHALL ENTER THERE -- brother, not one little bit!  You got to walk and talk with God to go to Heaven.  You’ve got to be so good.
BLR
Hallelujah!
SCP
All right.  
BLR
You’re right.  
SCP
Now look, Jerry.  Religious conviction doesn’t mean anything resembling extremism.  All right.  You mean to tell me that you’re gonna take the Bible, that you’re gonna take God’s word, and that you’re gonna revolutionize the whole universe?  Now listen!  Jesus Christ was sent here by God Almighty.  
JLL
Right.
SCP
Did He convict, did He save, all of the people in the world?
JLL
No, but he tried to.
SCP
He sure did.  NOW, WAIT JUST A MINUTE.  Jesus Christ came into this world.  He tolerated man.  He didn’t preach from one pulpit.  He went around, and did good.
JLL
That’s right!  He preached everywhere!
SCP
Everywhere!
JLL
He preached on land!
SCP
Everywhere!  That’s right!  That’s right!
JLL
He preached on the water!
SCP
That’s right, that’s exactly right!  Now –
JLL
And then He done everything!  He healed!
SCP
Now, now – here’s -- here’s the difference --
JLL
Are you followin’ those that heal?  Like Jesus Christ did?
SCP
What do you mean, I, I, what –
JLL
Well, it’s happening every day!  
SCP
What do you mean?
JLL
The blind had eyes opened.  
SCP
Jerry --
JLL
The lame are made to walk.
SCP
Jesus Christ --
JLL
The crippled are made to walk.
SCP
Jesus Christ, in my opinion, is just as real today --
J. M. Van Eaton
Let’s cut it.
SCP
-- as He was when He came into this world.
JLL
Right, right, you’re so right you don’t know what you’re sayin’.
SCP
Now, then!  I will say, I will say more so --
JMV
It’s very commercial…
BLR
Let’s cut it.
SCP
You see, you see –
JVE
We’ll cut it ourselves!
SCP
No, we’ll be with you in a minute.  
JWB
It’ll sell.  It’s very commercial.    
SCP
But look.  Now, listen.  I’m tellin’ you outta my heart.  And I have studied the Bible, a little bit –
JLL
Well, I have too.
SCP
And I have studied it through and through and through and through and Jerry, Jerry, when you, listen, when you think that you can’t, can’t do good, if you’re a rock ‘n’ roll exponent
JLL
You can do good, Mr. Phillips, don’t get me wrong –
SCP
Now wait a minute, wait a minute, now when I say do good –
JLL
YOU CAN HAVE A KIND HEART!
SCP
I don’t mean, I don’t mean just –
JLL
You can help people!
SCP
YOU CAN SAVE SOULS!
JLL
No – NO!  No, no!
SCP
Yes!
JLL
How can the, how can the Devil save souls?  What are you talkin’ about?
SCP
Listen, listen –
JLL
Man, I got the Devil in me!  If I didn’t have I’d be a Christian!
SCP
Well, you may have him –
JLL
JESUS!  Heal this man!  He cast the Devil out, the Devil says, Where can I go?  He says, Can I go into this swine?  He says, Yeah, go into him.  Didn’t he go into him?
SCP
Jerry.  The point I’m tryin’ to make is – if you believe what you’re sayin’ --  you got no alternative whatsoever – out of – LISTEN! – out of –
JLL
Mr. Phillips!  I don’t care, it ain’t what you believe, it’s what’s written in the Bible!
SCP
Well, wait a minute, what you believe --
JLL
It’s what’s there, Mr. Phillips.
SCP
No, no.
JLL
It ain’t what you believe, it’s just what I --
SCP
No, by gosh, if it’s not what you believe, then how do you interpret the Bible!
BLR
Man alive –
SCP
Huh?  How do you interpret the Bible if it’s not what you believe?!!

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