Jerry Lee Lewis - Last
Man Standing By: George
Peden, CSO Staff Journalist
He’s
amazing. At 71 years young, when many of a similar vintage are
slowing down and smelling the roses and enjoying the chase for
retirement tranquility, the ol’ Killer is back. Pounding
and ripping apart musical notes that challenge description,
all with a fevered style and urgency that’s both scary and
inspiring, Jerry Lee Lewis lives up to one of his
chartbusters; he leaves you breathless. He can still
make, to my ears, one of the most electrifying albums of the
year. The wildman of country and rock, he with a charred
history of drugs, booze, interesting marriages (he once
married his 13 year-old cousin) and erratic behaviour (he
likes to kick his stool away while playing), the man who
declares “I’m the best there ever was” is back with Last
Man Standing. While really a rock’n’roll release,
there’s still a whole lot of shakin’ going on, country
style, to make this a must-have album. As the lone survivor of
the Presley, Cash, Perkins and Orbison Sun Records legacy, the
Killer delivers on an album that has already worked its way to
the chart peak. And no wonder. Diehard fans have been waiting
on a follow-up release since ‘95’s, Young Blood.
“I got music in my soul,
rhythm in my veins and a lotta thunder in my left-hand,”
says the Hall Of Fame “pianna” man. As if we needed
reminding. With all the intensity of a train wreck, the
unpredictable and self-taught piano rocker has welded a host
of pop, country and blues royalty to an album that bops and
jumps right across its generous 21 duet tracks. This album
wins me for two simple, but practical, reasons. There’s not
a dud in the pack, and ol’ Jerry Lee sounds like he’s
having the time of his life. And that comes across. Now that,
to me, is a good album.
Pairing with show stoppers like
Willie Nelson, Toby Keith, Merle Haggard, Rod Stewart and John
Fogerty, the erratic piano-thumper from Ferriday, Louisiana
– Jerry Lee once arrived at Elvis’ Graceland unannounced
in the early morning and was told there would be no
admittance; when asked why he was there, he moved back a coat
flap and revealed a gun; he said the Killer wanted to shoot
the King. (It was later proven to be a misunderstood joke).
But on this album of remembered favorites, there’s no hit
and miss. On this assortment of high gauge rock, roll, blues
and country the delivery is like the joked about bullet:
it’s capable of changing your mood…and quickly.
Ol’ Jerry Lee, who has the
envy of being able to work his name into just about every
tune, yelps, pounds, bangs and bumps, while thumping, hard,
his reliable Baldwin piano. Every note comes bathed in high
stoked energy; you can imagine him standing over the keys,
punching musical sense out those white and black notes. It’s
art. Many have tried to copy it, a few may have come close;
but no one, no one, does it quite like Jerry Lee Lewis.
Jimmy Page joins Jerry Lee on
the opening blitz, “Rock And Roll”. Spirited guitars and
Jerry Lee striking like a branding iron – hot, on target and
sizzling. If you’ve come to dance, turn up the volume on
“Pink Cadillac” with Bruce Springsteen; listen for a rug
mover with Kid Rock on the Stones’ classic “Honky Tonk
Woman”. More glide in the slide comes with the Killer
trading boogie woogie energy with John Fogerty on the standout
“Travelin’ Band”, while Little Richard forgets his
wop-bop-a –loo-bop and hammers home a Beatles catchcry, “I
Saw Her Standing There”. A bluesy album favorite comes with
Buddy Guy on “Hadacol Boogie”. There’s humor too. As the
track fades, Buddy asks Jerry Lee, “Why’d they call it the
Hadacol Boogie?” “Well…they had to call it somethin',
tells Jerry.
If you’ve come to listen,
tune in to Rod Stewart doing “What’s Made Milwaukee
Famous”. It’s a gem. So, too, is “Don’t Be Ashamed Of
your Age” with George Jones. Willie guests on the Doctor
Hook memory “Couple More Years”, and Kris Kristofferson
pairs, perfectly, on The Pilgrim”. Robbie Robertson delivers
on “Twilight”, while Keith Richards pleases on “That
Kind Of Fool”
If you’re ready for some real
music, played like time is short, then get this album. It’s
a blast. It’s left Jerry Lee unmoved, unrepentant, and
hootin’ and hollering like his remembered past.
“I am what I am. I’ve
always said what I wanted to say, done what I’ve wanted to
do and been what I wanted to be. I’ve never tried to hide
anything,” tells Jerry Lee in his memoirs. “Everything
I’ve done has been out in the open. If people don’t like
that then that’s their problem. I’ve been picked on,
abused, sued, jailed, ridiculed, persecuted and prosecuted but
I never let it bother me.”
The Last Man Standing is
out now on Artists First.
Click on the CD cover to order yours!
1. Rock And Roll / Jimmy Page
2. Before The Night Is Over/BB King
3. Pink Cadillac/Bruce Springsteen
4. Evening Gown /Mick Jagger & Ronnie Wood
5. You Don't Have To Go/ Neil Young
6. Twilight/Robbie Robertson
7. Travelin' Band/ John Fogerty
8. That Kind Of Fool/Keith Richards
9. Sweet Little 16/Ringo Starr
10. Just A Bummin' Around/Merle Haggard
11. Honky Tonk Woman/ Kid Rock
12. What's Made Milwakuee Famous/Rod Stewart
13. Don't Be Ashamed Of Your Age/ George Jones
14. Couple More Years/Willie Nelson
15. Ol’ Glory/Toby Keith
16. Trouble In Mind / Eric Clapton
17. I Saw Her Standing There/ Little Richard
18. Lost Highway /Delaney Bramlett
19. Hadacohl Boogie/Buddy Guy
20. What Makes The Irish Heart Beat/Don Henley
21. The Pilgrim / Kris Kristofferson
He’s
amazing. At 71 years young, when many of a similar vintage are
slowing down and smelling the roses and enjoying the chase for
retirement tranquility, the ol’ Killer is back. Pounding
and ripping apart musical notes that challenge description,
all with a fevered style and urgency that’s both scary and
inspiring, Jerry Lee Lewis lives up to one of his
chartbusters; he leaves you breathless. He can still
make, to my ears, one of the most electrifying albums of the
year. The wildman of country and rock, he with a charred
history of drugs, booze, interesting marriages (he once
married his 13 year-old cousin) and erratic behaviour (he
likes to kick his stool away while playing), the man who
declares “I’m the best there ever was” is back with Last
Man Standing. While really a rock’n’roll release,
there’s still a whole lot of shakin’ going on, country
style, to make this a must-have album. As the lone survivor of
the Presley, Cash, Perkins and Orbison Sun Records legacy, the
Killer delivers on an album that has already worked its way to
the chart peak. And no wonder. Diehard fans have been waiting
on a follow-up release since ‘95’s, Young Blood.