About the Song
Background
- Accidental Creation: “What’d I Say” was born out of improvisation during Jerry Lee Lewis’s late-night club sets in 1958. He’d often stretch out the endings of shows with spontaneous jams alongside his band.
- Ray Charles Influence: The song’s call-and-response format and elements of gospel were heavily inspired by Ray Charles, who Lewis deeply admired.
- Controversial Release: Due to its sexually suggestive lyrics and ecstatic performance style, the song was initially controversial, and some radio stations were reluctant to play it.
- Enduring Classic: Despite the initial controversy, it rocketed to popularity and became one of the most iconic rock and roll songs of all time.
Themes
- Uninhibited Desire: The song centers on raw physical attraction and the powerful, almost uncontrollable desire to connect with another person.
- Liberation and Energy: It revels in the expressive freedom of rock and roll, breaking away from the more structured pop music of the time.
- Transgressive Sexuality: For its era, the song’s overtly suggestive lyrics and the frenetic energy of Lewis’s performance hinted at a more open and unrestrained expression of sexuality.
Lyrics
- Call and Response: The song is built on a dynamic call-and-response structure between Lewis and his backup singers. This conversational format roots the song in the traditions of gospel and blues.
- Suggestive Wordplay: Lyrics like “See the girl with the red dress on, She can do the Birdland all night long” use double entendres and playful euphemisms to imply sexual desire.
- Breakdown of Structure: As the song progresses, the lyrics become less structured and more improvisational. This mirrored Lewis’s own performance style, where pure energy and emotion took over.
Legacy
“What’d I Say” is widely considered:
- A Blueprint for Rock & Roll: Its raw energy, rhythmic drive, and focus on bodily expression influenced countless artists and helped define the sound of rock and roll.
- Bridge Between Genres: It fused elements of gospel, blues, rhythm & blues, and boogie-woogie, creating a cross-genre sound that broke down barriers.
Video
Lyrics
Yeah, mama don’t treat me wrong
Come and love your daddy all night long, alright
Hey hey, uh-huh, alright
See the gal with the diamond ring?
She knows how to shake that thing, alright
Hey hey, uh-huh, alright
Tell your mama, tell your pa
I’m gon’ send you back to Arkansas
Honey, you don’t do it right (ain’t do it right, baby)
You don’t do it right
Yeah!
See the woman with the red dress on?
She can d-d-d-d-do it, do it all night long, alright
Hey, hey
Uh-huh, alright
Let’s get it now
Tell me what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Tell me what I’ll say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Tell me, what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Baby, what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
What’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Tell me what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Yeah, mama don’t treat me wrong
Come and love your daddy all night long, alright
Hey hey, uh-huh, alright
See the gal with the diamond ring?
She knows how to shake that thing, alright
Hey hey, uh-huh, alright
Tell your mama, tell your pa
I’m gon’ send you back to Arkansas
Honey, you don’t do it right (ain’t do it right, baby)
You don’t do it right
Yeah!
See the woman with the red dress on?
She can d-d-d-d-do it, do it all night long, alright
Hey, hey
Uh-huh, alright
Let’s get it now
Tell me what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Tell me what I’ll say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Tell me, what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Baby, what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
What’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Tell me what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Tell me, what I’d say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Tell me, what I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Woo, tell me what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Oh, tell me, what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
C’mon tell me, what’d I say? (tell me, what’d I say?)
Baby, what’d I say? (tell me what’d I say?)