Great Balls of fire: Bass or no Bass?

[halblaineisgood]

I've been damn curious about this for years. great Balls of fire being one of my all time favorite tracks.... is there a bass part on this song. Ive heard lots rumours that its just drums and jerry lee. In fact thats what it says at all music guide. My ears can not discern. Sometimes I think its just the may the bass drum is mixed, sometimes I don't.  anyone have any opinions? anyone got the straight dope?

[mikee]

I hear what you are saying about the bass drum.  My inclination is to guess is that there is an upright bass augmenting the bottom with Jerry Lees left hand.  It's hard to say for sure since the recording is so lo-fi and the bass, if it's there, is acoustic.  I guess that's how you know it's a Sun recording - you can't tell for sure if there is bass.  The bottom on this track is not exactly going to move a subwoofer much.  Presumably it is an all live track?  It sort of seems like there are 3 hands playing piano at times but probably it's just that  Jerry is (and was) pretty good.   
The same question could be asked on the earlier 'Whole Lot Of Shaking'.

[Rocker]

Jack Clement says that "Great balls of fire" is just piano and drums. I believe him, because I don't hear no bass.
"Crazy arms" is also just piano and drums with an off-mic stand-up bass and one single guitar note at the end played by the great Billy Lee Riley

[halblaineisgood]

J.M Van Eaton is a fine drummer.

[Rocker]

I was just reminded of this thread when I saw this video. I guess it shows that there really was no bass needed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvsYU7O4lsc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elvisclub.de%2Fforum%2Findex.php%3Fshowtopic%3D18824%26st%3D855&feature=player_embedded


Oh and be sure to catch the dog at the end...