Post by gremashlo on Oct 11, 2009 8:57:35 GMT -5
It was 1973, and Jerry Lee Lewis was restless.
He was safely into his country career, and Mercury, his record company, was pleased with his sales and status, as songs such as "What Made Milwaukee Famous" made for steady sales.
But Jerry Lee wasn't happy. He was in his forties, and looking at the inevitable slide into the oldies circuit that had claimed so many of his contemporaries. So, he packed his bags (and probably a gun or three) and flew to London, where for a month he gathered the prime of England's session musicians (including Roy Gallagher, Klaus Voorman Albert Lee, and Eric Clapton) and recorded his last great rock and roll album, "The Session". "Session" would prove to be "The Killer"'s last great bellow, as he slipped back to country soon afterward, and his health would keep him from anything this vibrant ever again.
The highlight of the album was its main single release, "Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-Dee", which Lewis actually recorded for Sun in a much tamer version years before. It proved to be a monster country hit, and its rockabilly anarchy ALMOST made Top 40, as it stalled at #41 (I blame radio for it's failure, as top 40 was at its wimpiest in 1973, and jocks simply didn't know what to do with the single). But, the curious who flipped the single over were in for a treat.
At first, the label simply says, "Rock and Roll Medley", but once you put the needle down and you hear a Chuck Berry-influenced guitar solo quickly transitioning to Jerry Lee's piano pounding in all its glory, you sit down and prepare yourself for a wave of musical fury. It is Jerry Lee's tribute to and put down of Little Richard, in a five minute blast of vinyl glory.
Essentially a jam session, it is Lewis' way of telling folks, "This is how it's DONE, son!" as he tears through Mr. Penniman's finest. Then, to wrap the session (and the album, as this is its final track) Lewis punctuates the song with a quick blast of "Whole Lotta Shakin'". For me, it is Jerry Lee's last great stand--his chance to show the world he was still the "Killer", and that he was still relevant on his own terms. If only his body could have held up to his fury...
(This is the actual flip--when I first posted this, all that was available was a "Midnight Special" performance...)
He was safely into his country career, and Mercury, his record company, was pleased with his sales and status, as songs such as "What Made Milwaukee Famous" made for steady sales.
But Jerry Lee wasn't happy. He was in his forties, and looking at the inevitable slide into the oldies circuit that had claimed so many of his contemporaries. So, he packed his bags (and probably a gun or three) and flew to London, where for a month he gathered the prime of England's session musicians (including Roy Gallagher, Klaus Voorman Albert Lee, and Eric Clapton) and recorded his last great rock and roll album, "The Session". "Session" would prove to be "The Killer"'s last great bellow, as he slipped back to country soon afterward, and his health would keep him from anything this vibrant ever again.
The highlight of the album was its main single release, "Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-Dee", which Lewis actually recorded for Sun in a much tamer version years before. It proved to be a monster country hit, and its rockabilly anarchy ALMOST made Top 40, as it stalled at #41 (I blame radio for it's failure, as top 40 was at its wimpiest in 1973, and jocks simply didn't know what to do with the single). But, the curious who flipped the single over were in for a treat.
At first, the label simply says, "Rock and Roll Medley", but once you put the needle down and you hear a Chuck Berry-influenced guitar solo quickly transitioning to Jerry Lee's piano pounding in all its glory, you sit down and prepare yourself for a wave of musical fury. It is Jerry Lee's tribute to and put down of Little Richard, in a five minute blast of vinyl glory.
Essentially a jam session, it is Lewis' way of telling folks, "This is how it's DONE, son!" as he tears through Mr. Penniman's finest. Then, to wrap the session (and the album, as this is its final track) Lewis punctuates the song with a quick blast of "Whole Lotta Shakin'". For me, it is Jerry Lee's last great stand--his chance to show the world he was still the "Killer", and that he was still relevant on his own terms. If only his body could have held up to his fury...
(This is the actual flip--when I first posted this, all that was available was a "Midnight Special" performance...)