| features in: Album Chart of 1958 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1950s |
Issued in June was the first Jerry Lee Lewis LP. There was no place for his biggest single sellers “'Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On'', “'Great Balls Of Fire” or “Breathless”, presumably it was felt they had sold so many that nobody needed them on the long player. Cover versions dominate proceedings, although Jerry Lee puts his stamp all over them, whether Country weepers or Rock n Roll stompers. A great honky-tonk-blues version of Lead Belly’s “Irene” is an early highlight, whilst his rendition of Billy Mizes’ “Who Will Buy The Wine” is a stone classic, with lyrics that slay: ”Not long ago you held our baby’s bottle, but the one you’re holding now’s a different kind, you just sit and wait to be somebody’s baby, and it all depends on who will buy the wine” This is followed by an excellent, hard-driving version of Warren Smith’s “Ubangi Stomp” with Jerry Lee’s debut single “Crazy Arms” finding a place to wrap up side 1. Originally done by Ray Price in 1956, Jerry’s version has my kind of driven beat - the drummer seems so effortlessly cool you could be forgiven for thinking he was Jamaican.
Label boss Sam Phillips was clearly a big fan of the Jerry Lee sound. He takes the entire backside of the LP to wax lyrical:
“Jerry Lee Lewis is very versatile. You'll see what I mean when you listen to this LP. He goes from a wild ''High School Confidential'' (which is from his MGM movie of the same name) to a tender ballad such as “Fools Like Me”' with no difficulty whatsoever. In fact, Jerry Lee sings a mean ballad. He gives the old folk tune ''Goodnight Irene'' a bluesy shuffle interpretation I'd be willing to bet you've never heard before. Likewise, ''It All Depends'' is given the full Lewis treatment – and if it doesn't move you, you've just got no sentimentality. Jerry Lee's version of “When The Saints Go Marching In” will probably strike you as something quite out of the ordinary. Only a southerner, who has attended camp meetings or other revival-type gatherings, can fully appreciate the quality of fervor and abandonment that Jerry Lee gives this selection. Whereas ''When The Saints Go Marching In'' is thought of now mostly as a Dixieland standard, this version goes back to its origin as an authentic fundamentalist religious song. I believe this is one of the finest albums ever assembled – truly showing the limitless versatility and talent of Jerry Lee. Playing and singing for you – here is Jerry Lee Lewis”
Well said that man ;-)
The Jukebox Rebel
19–Oct–2009
| Tracklist |
| A1 | [02:00]  Jerry Lee Lewis - Don’t Be Cruel (Elvis Presley, Otis Blackwell) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
| A2 | [02:52]  Jerry Lee Lewis - Goodnight Irene (Huddie Ledbetter, John Lomax) Blues / Rhythm n Blues |
| A3 | [02:06]  Jerry Lee Lewis - Put Me Down (Roland Janes) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
| A4 | [02:57]  Jerry Lee Lewis - It All Depends (On Who Will Buy The Wine) (Billy Mize) Country |
| A5 | [01:44]  Jerry Lee Lewis - Ubangi Stomp (Charles Underwood) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
| A6 | [02:41]  Jerry Lee Lewis with his pumping piano - Crazy Arms (Ralph Mooney, Charles Seals) Blues / Rhythm n Blues |
| B1 | [01:57]  Jerry Lee Lewis - Jambalaya (On The Bayou) (Traditional, Hank Williams) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
| B2 | [02:47] Jerry Lee Lewis and his pumping piano - Fools Like Me (Jack Clement, Pee Wee Maddux) Country |
| B3 | [02:27]  Jerry Lee Lewis and his pumping piano - High School Confidential (Jerry Lee Lewis, Ron Hargrave) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
| B4 | [02:06]  Jerry Lee Lewis - When The Saints Go Marching In (Traditional) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
| B5 | [01:40]  Jerry Lee Lewis - Matchbox (Carl Perkins) Blues / Rhythm n Blues |
| B6 | [02:12]  Jerry Lee Lewis and his pumping piano - It’ll Be Me (Jack Clement) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
