Friday, October 14, 2016

The Killer Once Again-Jerry Lee's Back

CD REVIEWS

The Killer At The Top Of His Form

Jerry Lee Lewis-18 Original Greatest Hits, Jerry Lee Lewis, Rhino Records, 1984


The last time we heard the name Jerry Lee Lewis in this space was in connection with a rave review of his star-studded concert on DVD and in a CD in New York City in 2006 entitled The Last Man Standing. A couple of paragraphs below are taken from the concert and CD review because they certainly apply to this album which also gets a rave review from these quarters. The last paragraph details some of the highlights of this CD. If you need to go back to the Fifties there are plenty of his compilations to choice from but this one is a good primer. Here goes.

“…Elvis, Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Bo Diddley. Yes those are the men who created rock and roll, as we know it. However in that list do not forget one Jerry Lee Lewis. Fate dealt him an uneven hand due to the foibles of his personal life (the subject of a movie, Great Balls of Fire, with Dennis Quaid) but his form of rockabilly/boogie woogie piano-driven music and madman presentation must be placed in the mix of influences that drove the best of early rock.

If for no other reason that that he is one of the few `still standing' from that generation it is nice to see what the Killer can do in his 71st year in concert in New York City in 2006 with a host of guests some old, some young. Clearly off these performances he has lost a couple of steps. Hell the kind of energy that Jerry Lee produced in the 1950's definitely had a short shelf life. There are some nice clips from that period intertwined with the concert, by the way.”

Of the 18 original hits from the Fifties that are included here are about 16 are must haves in any Jerry Lee compilation. When the Saints Go Marching In and Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee one can pass on (although rapper Kid Rock did an incredible cover version on PBS’s American Masters- Sun Records Legacy tribute). Starting with Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On to the salacious Big Legged Woman you get Jerry Lee when he could pound it out all day and all night. Get it.


Jerry Lee Lewis and His Friends, Jerry Lee Lewis and other artist, Enterprise, 1989

I have attempted to make a case over the past several months for recognizing the musical talents of Jerry Lee Lewis. I have in essence argued that while, for a while, Elvis was clearly ‘king of the hill’ by the time Jerry Lee got rolling he was very well positioned to challenge that role. In the long haul he probably has ‘won’ that distinction but that is the subject for endless, sports-like, controversy. What matters is how he rates in his career against his early performances. I have argued that his 2006 Last Man Standing performances on CD and DVD are the standard by which to judge his later work. I continue to stand by that premise. By that standard this 1989 performance in England comes up short.

In one of the ironies of his very controversial and scandal-filled life Jerry Lee goes back to London in this concert film. The irony, of course, is that it is his obtracization by the British over his marriage to his young cousin that broke the back of a very promising career. A little vignette at the beginning of the concert asking fans and his fellow musicians why they were there puts paid to that long ago silliness. Notwithstanding all the good vibes produced by the show before devoted fans the technical production here of the film itself (the music comes across tinny) and of the meshing among the musicians does not work overall. High School Confidential, Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On and Goodnight, Irene (with Van Morrison), yes. The rest no. If you want to buy one DVD that reflects Jerry Lee when he rocks, is technically well done and has some very nice duos get that above-mentioned Last Man Standing. This, take it or leave it.


Jerry Lee Lewis: I Am What I Am, Jerry Lee Lewis and other, Enterprise, 2001

Apparently, I cannot leave this Jerry Lee Lewis thing alone. I have reviewed several of his CDs and DVDs in this space over the past several months as I have attempted argue for his proper place in the among the founders of rock and roll. This documentary is more in the way of a musical biography interspersing archival musical segments with the story of his life. And what a life. If one rocker epitomized the slogan drug, sex and rock and roll before the 1960’s the profile of Jerry Lee Lewis could serve as the model. Many marriages, many drug problems, many setbacks, many run ins with the law many… well, you get the picture. The real reason to get this film though is that early footage, like the Steve Allen Show performance of Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On. Those performances tell the tale. They tell why he could have been ‘king of the hill’. Hell, he didn’t do so badly after all. And he would be the first to tell you that. If you only need Jerry Lee’s music there are many good compilations, including an eight CD set that gives everything from the Sun Record period. If you like a little background get this.

4 comments:

  1. Jerry Lee Lewis would have had Elvis's spot, if he could have kept his zipper shut.

    Locally we have a guy named Cadillac Kolstad, who does a good homage.

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  2. WEB SHERIFF
    Protecting Your Rights on the Internet
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    Hi Markin,

    On behalf of Exile Productions and Exile Publishing, many thanks for plugging Van Morrison and, for your readers’ info, up-to-the-minute news on Van’s latest album - Keep It Simple - and 2008 shows is, of course, available on www.vanmorrison.com and www.myspace.com/vanmorrison and, for a limited period, you can still see Van's exclusive BBC sessions at http://www.bbc.co.uk/musictv/vanmorrison/video/ . We’re also pleased to announce that an increasing archive of exclusive film footage of Van Morrison performances has now been made available for fans on Exile’s official YouTube channel at http://uk.youtube.com/user/OfficialExileFilms .

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  3. Here is a little somethin' for you old rock and rollers from the 1950's. Apparently Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska is not the only one who drops her g's. Right? For Jerry Lee we will not stand on ceremony though. Palin is another matter.

    Whole Lota Shakin' Goin' On

    I said come on over baby,
    a-whole lotta shakin' goin' on
    Yeah I said come on over baby,
    a-whole lotta shakin' goin' on
    Well we ain't fakin',
    a-whole lotta shakin' goin' on

    Mmm, I said come on over baby,
    we got chicken in the barn
    Whose barn, what barn, my barn
    Come on over baby,
    we got the bull by the horns
    Yeah, we ain't fakin',
    a-whole lotta shakin' goin' on

    Well, I said shake baby, shake
    I said shake, baby shake now
    I said shake it baby, shake it
    I said shake it baby, shake
    We ain't fakin',
    a-whole lotta shakin' goin' on

    Well, I said come on over baby,
    a-whole lot-ta shakin' goin' on
    I said come on over baby,
    a-whole lotta shakin' goin' on
    Well we ain't fakin',
    a-whole lotta shakin' goin' on

    Well my mom-mom-mom,
    I said shake it baby, shake it
    I said shake it baby, shake it
    I said shake it baby, shake all right
    I said shake it baby, shake it
    We ain't fakin',
    a-whole lotta shakin' goin' on

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  4. Jerry Lee Lewis
    Great Balls Of Fire lyrics

    You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain
    Too much love drives a man insane
    You broke my will
    But what a thrill
    Goodness gracious great balls of fire!

    I laughed at love cause I thought it was funny
    But you came along and moooooved me honey
    I've changed my mind
    This love is fine
    Goodness gracious great balls of fire!

    Kiss me baby
    Mmmm feels good
    Hold me baby
    Welll I want to love you like a lover should
    You're fine, so kind
    Got to tell this world that you're mine mine mine mine

    I chew my nails and I twiddle my thumbs
    I'm real nervous but it sure is fun
    C'mon baby, you drive me crazy
    Goodness gracious great balls of fire!

    (piano solo)

    Welll kiss me baby
    Mmmm feels good
    Hold me baby
    Welll I want to love you like a lover should
    You're fine, so kind
    Got to tell this world that you're mine mine mine mine

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

    Jerry Lee Lewis
    Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On lyrics
    Sung by Jerry Lee Lewis, 1957
    (from the 1957 Sun release)

    Come along my baby, whole lotta shakin' goin' on
    Yes, I said come along my baby, baby you can't go wrong
    We ain't fakin', while lotta shakin' goin' on.

    Well, I said come along my baby, we got chicken in the corn
    Woo-huh, come along my baby, really got the bull by the horn
    We ain't fakin', whole lotta shakin' goin' on.

    Well, I said shake, baby, shake,
    I said shake, baby, shake
    I said shake it, baby, shake it
    I said shake, baby, shake
    Come on over, whole lotta shakin' goin' on.

    Oh, let's go . . .(Piano break, guitar rift)

    Well, I said come along my baby, we got chicken in the barn,
    Whose barn, what barn, my barn
    Come along my baby, really got the bull by the horn
    We ain't fakin', whole lotta shakin' goin' on.

    (Talking break) Easy now. Shake.
    Ah, shake it baby
    Yeah, you can shake it one time for me

    Yeah-huh-huh-ha-ha, Come along my baby,
    Whole lotta shakin' goin' on.

    (Talking break) Now let's get down real low one time now
    Shake, baby, shake
    All you gotta do, honey, is kinda stand in one spot
    Wiggle around just a little bit, that's what you got
    Yeah, come on baby, whole lotta shakin' goin' on.

    Now let's go one time
    Shake it baby, shake, shake it baby, shake
    Woo, shake baby, come on baby, shake it, baby, shake
    Come on over, whole lot-ta sha-kin' go-in' on.

    Jerry Lee Lewis
    A Couple More Years lyrics

    (feat. Willie Nelson)
    (Shel Silverstein & Dennis Locorriere)

    I've got a couple more years on you, babe,that's all.
    I've had more chances to fly and more places to fall.
    And it ain't that I'm wiser - it's only that I've spent
    More time with my back to the wall.
    And I've picked up a couple more years on you, baby, that's all.

    I've walked a couple more roads than you, baby ,that's all.
    And I'm tired of runnin' while you're only learning to crawl.
    And you're headin somewhere , but I've been to somewhere
    And found it was nowhere at all.
    And I've picked up a couple of years on you baby , that's all.

    Now sayin' goodbye, girl don't never come easy at all.
    But you've got to fly 'cuz you're hearin' those young eagles call.
    And someday when you're older, you'll smile at a man strong and tall.
    And you'll say I've got a couple more years on you, baby - that's all.

    I've got a couple more years on you baby , that's all.
    You'll say I've had more chances to fly and more places to fall.
    It ain't that I'm wiser it's only that I've spent
    More time with my back to the wall.
    And I've picked up a couple more years on you baby, that's all.

    Jerry Lee Lewis
    High School Confidental lyrics
    You better open up honey it's your lover boy me that's a knockin'
    You better listen to me sugar all the cats are at the High School rockin'
    Honey get your boppin' shoes Before the juke box blows a fuse
    Got everbody hoppin' everybody boppin'
    Boppin' at the High School Hop
    Boppin' at the High School Hop
    Shakin' at the High School Hop
    I've rollin' at the High School Hop
    I've been movin' at the High School Hop
    Everybodys hoppin' Everybody's boppin'
    Boppin' at the High School Hop
    Come on little baby gonna rock a little bit tonight
    Woooh I got get with you sugar gonna shake things up tonight
    Check out the heart beatin' rhythm cause my feet are moving smooth and
    Light
    Boppin' at the High School Hop
    Shakin' at the High School Hop
    Rollin' at the High School Hop
    Movin' at the High School Hop
    Everybodys hoppin' just a boppin' just a boppin'
    Piano Solo!
    Come on little baby let me give a piece good news good news good news
    Jerry Lee is going to rock away all his blues
    My hearts beatin' rhythm and my soul is singin' the blues
    Oooooh Boppin' at the High School Hop
    Shakin' at the High School Hop
    Rollin' at the High School Hop
    Gettin' it at the High School Hop
    Everybodys hoppin' Everybody's boppin'
    Boppin' at the High School Hop

    Jerry Lee Lewis
    Breathless lyrics
    If you love me please don't tease if I can hold then let me squeeze
    My heart goes round and round my love comes a tumblin' down
    You leave me aaah breathless ah
    Oh I shake all over honey you know why I am sure love honey it ain't no no lie
    Cause when you call my name you know honey I burn like a wooden flame
    You leave me ooh breathless ah ooh baby ooh crazy
    Honey you're much too much you know I can't love you enough
    Well it's alright to hold me tight but when you love me love me right
    Oh come on baby now don't be shy this love was ment for you and I
    Wind rain sleet or snow I'm gonna get you baby wherever you go
    You have leave me aaah breathless ah
    [ piano - guitar ]
    Well ooh baby brrr crazy your much to much I can't love you enough
    Well it's alright to hold me tight but when you love me love me right
    Ah come on baby now don't be shy this love was ment for you and I
    Wind rain sleet or snow honey Jerry's gonna get you wherever you go
    You leave me aaah breathless ah

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