"Rusty Rocks" by RUSTY YORK. A Review Of The 2004 CD Compilation By Bear Family.

"…Sugaree…You Know I Love You So…"

Released on Bear Family BCD 16543 AR, "Rusty Rocks" is a 28-track CD compilation featuring his recordings between 1957 and 1964.
It's part of Bear Family's "Rocks" Series - which in April 2004 had only 5 other releases - but now in January 2012 sports 42 - and rising (see list below and other titles reviewed).

It comes in Bear Family's now standard packaging for this series – a 3-way foldout card digipak containing a detachable oversized booklet inside (52 pages for this issue). Pages 2 to 33 feature an in-depth essay on Charles Edward York (his real name) by noted writer and musicologist COLIN ESCOTT, Pages 35 to 40 show photos from Rusty’s own 'Scrapbook' - while Pages 41 to 50 have a full Discography on all 28 recordings (and more) by Bear's own RICHARD WEIZE. The text throughout is peppered with trade adverts from Billboard and Cashbox, black and white and colour photos of Rusty in the USA and Europe as well as reviews and posters for Dick Clark Shows in Hollywood and Michigan. It’s the usual classy act from Bear.

And then of course there's the great sound courtesy of JURGEN CRASSER. I’ve raved about his mastering work before (see my TAG for him and reviews for the astonishing "Blowing The Fuse" series (16 compilations) and the "Sweet Soul Music" series (10 discs). Musically it's Rock'n'Roll and Rockabilly with a little Pop on the later Sixties stuff, but it sounds great - full of atmosphere, echo and life.

TRACK LIST:
1. Sugaree
2. Sweet Love
3. The Girl Can't Help It
4. Mean Woman Blues
5. Peggy Sue
6. Great Balls Of Fire
7. Shake 'Em Up Baby
8. Red Rooster (Instrumental)
9. Sweet Talk
10. Peggy Sue (2)
11. Sadie Mae
12. Tore Up Over You
13. Tremblin'
14. Love Struck
15. La Dee Dah (Duet with BONNIE LOU]
16. Cajun Blues/Frosty (Instrumental)
17. Goodnight Cincinnati, Good Morning Tennessee
18. Sweet Love (2)
19. You'd Better Leave My Baby Alone
20. Baby What You Want Me to Do See [as BILL STAMPER]
21. Don't Do It
22. One, One, One, Wonderful (Instrumental)
23. Molly Darlin' [as BILL STAMPER]
24. Tremblin' (Alternate)
25. Tore Up Over You (Alternate)
26. The Girl Can't Help It (2)
27. A Fallen Star
28. Margaret Ann

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 11, 22, 23 and 24 are from the 1979 vinyl album "Rusty York: Rock And Roll Memories" on Jewel JRC 917

Tracks 4, 5, 6, 12, 16, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27, 28 are from a 1994 CD compilation called "Cincinnati Fireball" on Gee Dee 270 103

Tracks 24 and 25 are 'Alternate Takes' of "Tremblin'" and "Tore Up" and are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

The other tracks (and some above) are either 7” single releases or from rare US compilations – and many are seeing the CD light of day for the first time.

Born in Kentucky – Rusty York's lone chart entry is the fabulous "Sugaree" – a song I've loved and featured on many a rocking CD compilation. Its ultra-rare original US 45 is repro’d on the CD label (P.J. Records 100). "Sugaree" has a great history. Written by country singer Marty Robbins, it was aired by gospel group The Jordanaires on Capitol as their first secular release in late 1956. York’s version rearranged it into a faster beat and was recorded April 1959 as a casual B-side, but the finished Rock'n'Roller demanded release. It was immediately hawked around RCA, Mercury and other big record companies - but none showed any interest. Undeterred – it was put out on the self-published P.J. Records in April 1959 (P for was Pat Nelson and J for Jackie DeShannon). They pressed up a thousand copies at a time and sold them from cars. 10,000 singles later - it was picked up by Note Records that summer (Note 10021) and then at the end of the year released on the mighty Chess label. Chess 1730 finally charted on the Billboard Top 200 at a lowly ranking of 77. Hank Ballard and The Midnighters even put out a version on King in June 1959. "Sugaree" is just one of those irresistibly brill Rock'n'Roll records that never dates. Bolstered up by great Saxophone work from Jimmy Risch – it boogies along and wins fans every time. It's rare instrumental B-side "Red Rooster" is also on here.

The rest of the tracks comprise of like-minded cover versions – Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue", Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It", "Mean Woman Blues" (sung by Elvis Presley in 1957 on his "Loving You" album) and Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls Of Fire". He sounds like 1950's Buddy Holly on the pretty "A Fallen Star". The cool Rockabilly of "Shack 'Em Up Baby" turned up on "All I Wanna Do Is ROCK" – Bear Family's budget-priced CD sampler for the "Rocks" series (a great introduction). I also particularly like the two versions of 1957's "Sweet Love" which is very Gene Vincent in his prime. The instrumental "Cajun Blues/Frosty" too features JIMMY RISCH on sax, but also has some excellent guitar work from York himself. Even the 1961 material like "Tore Up Over You" and "Love Struck" is good – sounding not unlike period Jerry Lee Lewis. There's also a tremendous boogie cover of Jimmy Reed's shuffling Blues classic "Baby What You Want Me To Do" which was put out as a 45 in 1964 with "Molly Darlin'" on the A (REM Records REM 330 - credited to BILL STAMPER). The only real turkey for me here is a terrible duet with Bonnie Lou on "La Dee Dah" – a sappy 1959 "cha cha cha" song on King Records – I guess it's been included due to its rarity.

To sum up – I liked this compilation a lot. Rusty York may be a criminally forgotten figure in the Rock’n’Roll and Rockabilly pantheon – but this superb "Rocks" compilation by the incomparable Bear Family does him and his recorded legacy proud.

PS: The "Rocks" Series by Bear Family features the following artists:

1. Chuck Berry [see REVIEW}
2. Pat Boone
3. Johnny Burnette [see REVIEW]
4. The Cadillacs
5. Eddie Cochran
6. Bobby Darin
7. Fats Domino
8. Connie Francis
9. Don Gibson
10. Glen Glenn
11. Bill Haley
12. Roy Hall
13. Slim Harpo [see REVIEW]
14. Dale Hawkins
15. Ronnie Hawkins
16. Screamin' Jay Hawkins
17. Wanda Jackson [see REVIEW]
18. Sonny James
19. Buddy Knox & Jimmy Bowen with the Rhythm Orchids
20. Sleepy LaBeef
21. Brenda Lee
22. Jerry Lee Lewis
23. Smiley Lewis [see REVIEW]
24. Little Richard
25. Bob Luman
26. Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers
27. Carl Mann
28. Amos Milburn [see REVIEW]
29. Ella Mae Morse [see REVIEW]
30. Ricky Nelson
31. Carl Perkins
32. Roy Orbison
33. Lloyd Price
34. Piano Red (aka Dr. Feelgood) [see REVIEW]
35. Charlie Rich [see REVIEW]
36. Jack Scott
37. Shirley & Lee
38. The Treniers
39. Big Joe Turner [see REVIEW]
40. Conway Twitty
41. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
42. Rusty York [see REVIEW]

The Bear Family "Rockin' Rollin'" Series features:

1. Johnny Horton
2. Marvin Rainwater
3. Marty Robbins Vol.1
4. Marty Robbins Vol.2
5. Marty Robbins Vol.3

"Chuck Berry Rocks" aka "Rocks" by CHUCK BERRY (2011 Bear Family CD Compilation Of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

This Review Along With 100s Of Others Is Available in my

SOUNDS GOOD E-Book on all Amazon sites

BLUES, VOCAL GROUPS, RHYTHM 'n' BLUES and ROCK 'n' ROLL ON CD   

Just Click Below To Purchase for £3.95

Thousands of E-Pages - All Details and In-Depth Reviews From Discs 

(No Cut and Paste Crap)

"…Dancin' And Hummin' A Rock 'n' Roll Melody…"

With the US reissue label Hip-O Select having filled the marketplace with 3 x 4CD retrospectives in 2005, 2007 and 2009 covering 'all' of Chuck Berry’s Chess recordings – and with endless cheapo Universal double CD sets that will offer the same material and more - then this 2011 Bear Family single CD might seem superfluous to requirements. But I'm glad to announce that it isn't. The big draw here for collectors will be Bear’s top quality remastered sound and a thoroughly researched booklet. Here are the details…

Released November 2011 - "Chuck Berry Rocks" by CHUCK BERRY on Bear Family BCD 17139 AR (Barcode 4000127171399) stretches to a chunky 80:01 minutes and features 32 tracks. 

All bar one were Chess 7" singles - from his first "Maybelline" on Chess 1604 in 1955 to "Dear Dad" on Chess 1926 in 1965. The only exception here is "Betty Jean" which featured on the 1960 LP "Rockin' At The Hops". Most of the Fifties recordings are MONO while the Sixties stuff is in STEREO (neither the booklet nor the outer card wrap indicates which is which).

1	Maybellene	2:20
2	Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)	2:23
3	You Can't Catch Me	2:43
4	No Money Down	2:57
5	Brown Eyed Handsome Man	2:16
6	Roll Over Beethoven	2:24
7	Too Much Monkey Business	2:56
8	School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)	2:42
9	Rock And Roll Music	2:32
10	Oh Baby Doll	2:36
11	Sweet Little Sixteen	3:03
12	Reelin' And Rocking	3:16
13	Johnny B. Goode	2:39
14	Around & Around	2:39
15	Beautiful Delilah	2:08
16	Carol	2:47
17	Memphis, Tennessee	2:14
18	Sweet Little Rock And Roller	2:21
19	Run Rudolph Run	2:43
20	Little Queenie	2:41
21	Almost Grown	2:21
22	Back In The U.S.A.	2:28
23	Betty Jean	2:30
24	Let It Rock	1:45
25	Bye Bye Johnny	2:04
26	Jaguar And Thunderbird	1:50
27	Go-Go-Go	2:33
28	Nadine (Is It You?)	2:33
29	You Never Can Tell	2:42
30	Promised Land	2:23
31	No Particular Place To Go	2:43
32	Dear Dad

"Chuck Berry Rocks" comes in Bear's now standard packaging for this series – a 3-way foldout card digipak containing a detachable oversized booklet inside (52 pages for this issue). The CD itself repros the "Around & Around" 45 on Chess 1691 with it's famous Blue label. Pages 5 to 40 feature an in-depth essay on the American Rock 'n' Roller by noted writer and musicologist BILL DAHL whose affection and awe of Berry’s influence seem to know no bounds (in a typically scholarly way he cites both book and internet 'sources' for his liner notes). Pages 31 to 49 have a full Discography on all 32 recordings by label boss RICHARD WEIZE with contributions from BILL DAHL and FRED ROTHWELL. The text is peppered with black and white photos of the great man doing his trademark 'duck walk' on Television and Live settings, some Tel-Mar Studio shots of recording sessions and one particularly tasty moment where he shares a 'Love You' card from two female British fans at the Lewisham Odeon in London in the Sixties. 

While it’s the usual classy act from Bear, I’d have to express extreme disappointment in not seeing any COLOUR photos of either those stunning album sleeves or Berry in action. Apart from one colour photo that begins the Discography – I’d confess that the endless black and white shots give the booklet a rather monotonous look that somehow undermines Dahl’s great written work. But that’s quickly forgotten once you start playing this baby…

I’ve raved about JURGEN CRASSER and his mastering work before (see my TAG for him and reviews for the astonishing "Blowing The Fuse" series (16 compilations) and the "Sweet Soul Music" series (10 discs). The best way to describe the sound here is 'clean' – Berry’s Chess recordings are for the most part notoriously 'lo-fi' – but here there is very little hiss on any of the tracks. The recordings are still suitably ramshackle and even crude, but there’s a power in them now that 'just' pips the otherwise superlative remasters Erick Labson did for those 3 Hip-O Select tomes (and Universal's "Gold" double CD set).

Another nice aspect to the sound achieved here is that Chuck’s in-house musicians gave his records a certain glorious Rock ’n’ Roll feel – and principal among them is the mighty JOHNNIE JOHNSON. His rattling and fabulous piano playing is now a little more to the fore – and what an audio treat that is (he passed away in 2005 – inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 as one the great sidemen).

Highlights – I loved rehearing the lesser-heard "Dear Dad", "Let It Rock" and "Sweet Little Rock And Roll" (lyrics above) which Rod Stewart covered so well on his underrated "Smiler" album in 1973. And the STEREO takes are particularly alive too – the Leroy Davis and James Robinson brass/Johnnie Johnson piano on "You Never Can Tell" and the wonderful "No Particular Place To Go" which still sounds so totally kicking ("…stole a kiss at the turn of a mile…") And on that point – the lyrics – witty, smart, full of cool Americanisms – he really did chronicle the teenage experience (and thankfully no dire "Ding A Ling" to pollute the proceedings).

The incomparable Bear Family folks – class and quality - they may cost you – but the best always does.

PS: The "Rocks" Series by Bear Family features the following artists:

1. Chuck Berry [see REVIEW]

2. Pat Boone

3. Johnny Burnette [see REVIEW]

4. The Cadillacs

5. Eddie Cochran

6. Bobby Darin

7. Fats Domino

8. Connie Francis

9. Don Gibson

10. Glen Glenn

11. Bill Haley

12. Roy Hall

13. Slim Harpo [see REVIEW]

14. Dale Hawkins

15. Ronnie Hawkins

16. Screamin' Jay Hawkins

17. Wanda Jackson [see REVIEW]

18. Sonny James

19. Buddy Knox & Jimmy Bowen with the Rhythm Orchids

20. Sleepy LaBeef

21. Brenda Lee

22. Jerry Lee Lewis

23. Smiley Lewis [see REVIEW]

24. Little Richard

25. Bob Luman

26. Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers

27. Carl Mann

28. Amos Milburn [see REVIEW]

29. Ella Mae Morse [see REVIEW]

30. Ricky Nelson

31. Carl Perkins

32. Roy Orbison

33. Lloyd Price

34. Piano Red (aka Dr. Feelgood) [see REVIEW]

35. Charlie Rich [see REVIEW]

36. Jack Scott

37. Shirley & Lee

38. The Treniers

39. Big Joe Turner [see REVIEW]

40. Conway Twitty

41. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps

42. Rusty York [see REVIEW]

The Bear Family "Rockin' Rollin'" Series features:

1. Johnny Horton

2. Marvin Rainwater

3. Marty Robbins Vol.1

4. Marty Robbins Vol.2

5. Marty Robbins Vol.3

"Slim Harpo Rocks" by SLIM HARPO. A Review Of The 2011 Bear Family CD Compilation.

"…I'm A King Bee…Buzzin' 'Round Your Hive…"

Saying that Slim Harpo 'rocks' is probably pushing it a tad – but that doesn’t stop this CD compilation from being another winner in a series that is fast becoming definitive. There’s a lot on here - so let’s the details out of the way first…

Released November 2011, Bear Family BCD 17129 AR breaks down as follows (75:41 minutes):

1. Wild About My Baby (1960 recording 1st issued on a 1978 USA 45 on Blues Unlimited 2015, A-side)
2. I Got Love If You Want It (1957 USA 45 on Excello 2113, B-side)
3. I'm A King Bee (1957 USA 45 on Excello 2113, A-side)
4. You'll Be Sorry One Day (1959 USA 45 on Excello 2162, B-side)
5. That Ain't Your Business (1957 recording 1st issued in 1976 on the UK LP called "Blues Hangover – The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Volume 4" on Flyright 520)
6. Buzz Me Babe (1960 USA 45 on Excello 2171, A-side)
7. My Little Queen Bee (Got A Brand New King) (1964 USA 45 on Excello 2246, A-side)
8. I’m Waiting On You Baby (1964 recording 1st issued in 1993 on a UK CD called "I'm A King Bee" on Ace CDCHD 510)
9. Something Inside Me (1961 recording 1st issued in 1969 on a US LP called "Rural Blues Vol.2 – Saturday Night Function" on Imperial 94001)
10. Bobby-Sox Baby (from Slim Harpo's 1961 USA LP "Raining In My Heart" on Excello LP 8003)
11. I Need Money (Keep Your Alibis) (1964 USA 45 on Excello 2246, B-side)
12. Yeah Yeah Baby (1960 recording 1st issued in 1993 on a UK CD called "I'm A King Bee" on Ace CDCHD 510)
13. Shake Your Hips (1966 USA 45 on Excello 2278, B-side)
14. Harpo's Blues (1965 USA 45 on Excello 2265, B-side)
15. Don't Start Cryin’ Now (1961 USA 45 on Excello 2194, B-side)
16. Boogie Chillun (1964 recording 1st issued in 1993 on a UK CD called "I'm A King Bee" on Ace CDCHD 510)
17. Baby, Scratch My Back (1965 USA 45 on Excello 2273, A-side)
18. Buzzin' [Instrumental] (1963 USA 45 on Excello 2239, A-side)
19. Hey Little Lee (1968 USA LP called "Tip On In" on Excello LPS-8008)
20. The Music's Hot (1970 USA LP called "Slim Harpo Knew The Blues" on Excello LPS-8013)
21. Wondering And Worryin' (1958 USA 45 on Excello 2138, A-side)
22. Late Last Night (1959 recording 1st issued on the 1996 CD compilation "The Scratch – Rare And Unissued, Volume 1" on AV/Excello CD 3015)
23. That's Alright (aka "You'll Be Sorry One Day") (1959 recording 1st issued in 1976 on the UK LP called "Blues Hangover – The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Volume 4" on Flyright 520)
24. That's Alright Baby (aka "Don't Start Cryin' Now") (1960 recording 1st issued in 1993 on a UK CD called "I'm A King Bee" on Ace CDCHD 510)
25. Cigarettes (1959 alternate version 1st issued on a 1986 UK LP called "Baton Rouge Blues – The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Volume 42" on Flyright 607)
26. Buzz Me Babe (1959 recording 1st issued in 1993 on a UK CD called "I'm A King Bee" on Ace CDCHD 510)
27. I'm A King Bee (1957 alternate recording 1st issued in 1976 on the UK LP called "Blues Hangover – The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Volume 4" on Flyright 520)
28. You Ain't Never Had To Cry (1959 recording 1st issued in 1976 on the UK LP called "Blues Hangover – The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Volume 4" on Flyright 520)
29. I Got Love If You Want It (1957 recording 1st issued in 1980 on the UK LP called "Got Love If You Want It – The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Volume 20" on Flyright 558)
30. Wondering And Worryin' (1957 recording 1st issued on the 1996 CD compilation "The Scratch – Rare And Unissued, Volume 1" on AV/Excello CD 3015)
31. Rainin' In My Heart (1961 USA 45 on Excello 2194, A-side)

[Note: As you can see from the track list above - there were many unreleased recordings put out on reissue vinyl albums by revered labels like Flyright, Imperial and England’s Ace Records – many of which (not all) are featured here on CD for the first time. Most songs however are Excello Recordings from 1957 to 1970 – American 7" singles and key album tracks.]

"Slim Harpo Rocks" comes in Bear's now standard packaging for this series – a 3-way foldout card digipak containing a detachable oversized booklet inside (32 pages for this issue). Pages 5 to 18 feature an in-depth essay on James Moore (his real name) by noted writer and musicologist JEFF HANNUSCH and Pages 19 to 29 have a full Discography on all 31 recordings by archivist BILL MILLAR. The text is peppered with trade adverts, black and white and colour photos of the great man with his guitar in hand and harmonica in mouth - as well as lovely repros of 3 rare album sleeves. It’s the usual classy act from Bear. And then of course is the great sound courtesy of JURGEN CRASSER. I’ve raved about his work before (see my TAG for him and reviews for the astonishing "Blowing The Fuse" series (16 compilations) and the "Sweet Soul Music" series (10 discs). It's old Blues and R'n'B for sure, but it sounds great - full of atmosphere, echo and life.

Second only to Jimmy Reed, Slim was the most successful Blues and R'n'B artist on the Excello label and a product of JAY MILLER'S legendary studio in Crawley, Louisiana. One of Slim's most famous and beloved songs "I'm A King Bee" defined his witty languid style for decades (lyrics above) – yet as his debut single - it never charted. "King Bee" would later however take on a life of its own – to a point where like Elmore James who found a riff and stuck with it – Slim would repeat the style again and again (both the CD and the inlay beneath the see-through tray picture the 7" of "I'm A King Bee" on Excello 2113). Slim pumped out more soundalikes for years (both Muddy Waters and The Rolling Stones covered it).

Highlights include "I Got Love If You Want It" (another signature hit for him) and the rockin' harmonica-driven of "That Ain't Your Business" where sauciness is always close to the surface ("…when I pulled down the shade…and turned out the light…"). The huge drum sound of "Buzz Me Babe" is irresistible foot-tapping stuff – in fact – there’s a great fun vibe about so many of the songs on here. "I'm Waiting On You Baby" first turned up on an Ace CD in 1993 and it's a "did me wrong girl" bopper – misery with a beat. "Shake Your Hips" was famously covered by the Stones on their 1972 2LP masterpiece "Exile On Main St." – it shuffles along like his cover of John Lee Hooker's "Boogie Chillun". But best of all is the slinky "Baby, Scratch My Back" which I've been featuring on R'n'B compilations for years in the shop shuffle – it now sounds just HUGE. And it all ends on the lovely "Rainin' In My Heart" - a winner from 1961.

Niggles - it’s a shame there isn’t more from the later years – the track "Hey, Little Lee" is from his 1968 LP "Tip On In" and the recording quality is fantastic – chugging along like a cool Sixties R'n'B tune should. "The Music's Hot" from the 1970 LP "Slim Harpo Knows The Blues" is the same – sounding tremendous – and both in STEREO. The song "Tip On In" is excellent too - but again a no-show when there was room. But still, it's a great listen overall and makes you ache for more...as a good compilation should.

The incomparable Bear Family folks – class and quality - they may cost you – but the best always does.

I’m off now to review the Chuck Berry set and hide the bills from the missus…and convince her that the recession is not my fault all in 'her' mind...

SLIM HARPO USA LPs referenced in the Bear Family discography:

"Slim Harpo Sings Raining in My Heart"
USA 1961 LP on Excello LP 8003 [Mono]

Side 1:
1. Rainin’ In My Heart [31]
2. Blues Hangover
3. Bobby-Sox Baby [10]
4. I Got Love If You Want It [2]
5. Snoopin’ Around
6. Buzz Me Baby [6]

Side 2:
1. I’m A King Bee [3]
2. What A Dream
3. Don’t Start Cryin’ Now [15]
4. Moody Blues
5. My Home Is A Prison
6. Dream Girl

"Baby Scratch My Back"
USA 1966 on Excello LP 8005 [Mono]

Side 1:
1. Shake Your Hips [13]
2. Midnight Blues
3. Harpo’s Blues [14]
4. Buzzin’ [18]
5. My Little Queen Bee [7]
6. I Love The Life (I’m Livin’)

Side 2:
1. Baby, Scratch My Back [17]
2. I’m Gonna Miss You (Like The Devil)
3. Rainin’ In My Heart
4. Wonderin’ Blues
5. We’re Two Of A Kind
6. I Need Money [11]

"Tip On In"
USA 1968 LP on Excello LPS-8008 [Stereo]
Hey Little Lee [19]


"Slim Harpo Knew The Blues"
USA 1970 LP on Excello LPS-8013 [Stereo]
The Music’s Hot [20]

PS: The "Rocks" Series by Bear Family features the following artists:

1. Chuck Berry [see REVIEW}
2. Pat Boone
3. Johnny Burnette [see REVIEW]
4. The Cadillacs
5. Eddie Cochran
6. Bobby Darin
7. Fats Domino
8. Connie Francis
9. Don Gibson
10. Glen Glenn
11. Bill Haley
12. Roy Hall
13. Slim Harpo [see REVIEW]
14. Dale Hawkins
15. Ronnie Hawkins
16. Screamin' Jay Hawkins
17. Wanda Jackson [see REVIEW]
18. Sonny James
19. Buddy Knox & Jimmy Bowen with the Rhythm Orchids
20. Sleepy LaBeef
21. Brenda Lee
22. Jerry Lee Lewis
23. Smiley Lewis [see REVIEW]
24. Little Richard
25. Bob Luman
26. Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers
27. Carl Mann
28. Amos Milburn [see REVIEW]
29. Ella Mae Morse [see REVIEW]
30. Ricky Nelson
31. Carl Perkins
32. Roy Orbison
33. Lloyd Price
34. Piano Red (aka Dr. Feelgood) [see REVIEW]
35. Charlie Rich [see REVIEW]
36. Jack Scott
37. Shirley & Lee
38. The Treniers
39. Big Joe Turner [see REVIEW]
40. Conway Twitty
41. Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
42. Rusty York

The Bear Family "Rockin' Rollin'" Series features:

1. Johnny Horton
2. Marvin Rainwater
3. Marty Robbins Vol.1
4. Marty Robbins Vol.2
5. Marty Robbins Vol.3

“TEENAGE – Teenagers & Youth In Music 1951-1960 (Compiled by JON SAVAGE)” by VARIOUS ARTISTS. A Review Of The Nov 2011 CD Compilation on Bear Family.

"…She's A Boogie Woogie Teenage…Boogie Woogie All Night Long…"

Released November 2011, Bear Family BCD 17242 AH breaks down as follows (I’ve added US 45 release dates and catalogue numbers – except where noted):

1. Too Young - NAT 'KING' COLE (1951, Capitol 1448)
2. Wild, Wild Young Women - RUTH BROWN (1953, Atlantic 993)
3. Seventeen – BOYD BENNETT & HIS ROCKETS (1955, King 1470)
4. A Teenage Prayer – GALE STORM (1955, Dot 15436)
5. Boogie Woogie Teenager – DON JULIAN & THE MEADOWLARKS
(1956, Dootone 405 [B-side of "I'm A Believer"]
6. Teenage Mambo – THE GAYLARKS (1956, Music City 805)
7. Teenage Partner – GENE VINCENT
(1957 USA LP, "Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps" LP on Capitol T 811,
1958 UK LP "A Gene Vincent Record Date" on Capitol T 1059)
8. Teenage Crush – TOMMY SANDS (1957, Capitol 3639)
9. I’m Not A Juvenile Delinquent – FRANKIE LYMON & THE TEENAGERS (1957, Gee 1026)
10. Teenage Party – TOMMY STEELE
(1957 UK 7" on Decca F 10849, B-side of "Knee Deep In The Blues")
11. A Teenager’s Romance – RICKY NELSON (1957, Verve V 10047)
12. Young Blood – THE COASTERS (1957, Atco 6087)
13. The Eighteen Year Old Blues – STEVE CARL with THE JAGS (1958, Meteor 5046)
14. Teen Age Riot – PORTUGUESE JOE with THE TENNESSEE ROCKABILLYS
(1957, Surf SR 5018-45)
15. Sweet Little Sixteen – CHUCK BERRY (1958, Chess 1683)
16. Teenage Cutie – EDDIE COCHRAN
(1972 UK 2LP set "The Legendary Masters Series" on United Artists UAD 60017/18)
17. Ballad Of A Teenage Queen – JOHNNY CASH (1958, Sun 283)
18. School Of Rock 'n' Roll – GENE SUMMERS (1958, Jan 11-100)
19. (Got The) Teen-Age Blues – AL CASEY and THE BATS (1958, Highland 1002)
20. High School Confidential – JERRY LEE LEWIS (1958, Sun 296)
21. A Teenager Sings The Blues – DEAN EDWARDS (1959, Hanover 4501)
22. Teenage Love – THE FIVE CHESTERNUTS (1958 UK 7" on Columbia DB 4165)
23. I Was A Teenage Creature – LORD LUTHER (1958, Frantic F-107)
24. Sixteen Candles – THE CRESTS (1958, Coed 506)
25. A Teenager’s Letter Of Promises –
JUANITA ROGERS & LYN HOLLINGS with MR. V’S FIVE JOYS (1959, Pink Clouds 333)
26. High School U.S.A. – TOMMY FACENDA (1958, Legrand 1001/Atlantic 51-78)
27. A Teenager In Love – DION and THE BELMONTS (1959, Laurie 3027)
28. The Beat Generation – BOB McFADDEN and DOR [DOR is Rod McKuen]
(1959, Brunswick 9-55140)
29. Teen Beat – SANDY NELSON (1959, Original Sound 5)
30. High School Caesar – REGGIE PERKINS (1959, Ray Note S-9)
31. Ballad Of A Juvenile Delinquent – PHIL JOHNS and THE LONELY ONES (1960, River 2012)
32. Because They’re Young – DUANE EDDY and THE REBELS (1960, Jamie 1156)
33. Teen Street – JANIS MARTIN (1961, Palette PZ 5071)
34. Teen Angel – MARK DINNING (1960, MGM K 12845)

"Teenage…" is housed in Bear's now standard packaging – a 3-way foldout card digipak with an attached booklet. In this case we get 66 stunning pages worth of liner notes by compiler and music-lover JON SAVAGE. I've reviewed a compilation he did a few years back called "Meridian 1970" which was brilliant too. Like Bill Dahl, his paragraphs on each song are full of facts, wit and personal opinions. There’s a warmth and affection here that's just so enjoyable. The booklet is a joy - peppered with colour photos of US Teen magazines like "Dig", "Teen" and "Records Magazine", full-page colour covers of lurid paperbacks like "The Young Punks", "Savage Streets" and "Teenage Gangs" which we're reliably told are full of 'shocking stories' and 'frightening portraits' - yum yum! In fact as you sit there and ogle the superbly evocative presentation and listen to track-after-track of how 'teenagers' eventually took over the world – you’re struck by the deliciousness of it all – the possibility and the hope. The music sounds 'boss' too…

Mastered by JURGEN CRASSER, I’ve raved about his great transfers before – the 16 "Blowing The Fuse" CDs from 1945 to 1960 and the 10 "Sweet Soul Music" compilations from 1961 to 1970 (see reviews for nearly all of them). Given the hugely differing sources, the sound quality is uniformly SUPERB – and in some cases I'd swear it's better than what went before.

It opens badly. Whether it was Number 1 or not in 1951, few will say that the soothing vocals of Nat 'King' Cole had anything to do with teenagers and rebellion. But it improves immeasurably with the irrepressible "Wild, Wild Young Men" by Ruth Brown - you can literally 'feel' the sex and danger emanating from her every saucy line.

Genius comes in the shape of "Boogie Woogie Teenage" by Don Julian and The Meadowlarks – a sensational dancing rocker relegated to a 1956 B-side on Dootone (lyrics above) and the stark exciting rockabilly vibe of "Teenage Cutie" by Eddie Cochran – an outtake that finally saw the light of day on the 1972 2LP retrospective set "The Legendary Masters Series" – absolute winners both of them and very clever choices. Speaking of the wonderful Eddie – "(Got The) The Teen-Age Blues" by Al Casey & The Bats could easily be a re-run of "Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie" by Cochran and the "…don’t know what to do with my future…" misery of "The Eighteen Year Old Blues" by Steve Carl vocalized the thoughts of so many. The utterly bizarre comes in the shape of the 'werewolf' lyrics of "I Was A Teenage Creature" and the spookily spoken "A Teenager's Letter Of Promises" sounding not unlike Screaming Jay Hawkins meets Bobby 'Boris' Pickett & The Crypt Kickers (it sounds a little rough, but has been included for rarity value).

Then there are the 'themes' - the classroom in "High School Confidential" by Jerry Lee Lewis and the superb "School Of Rock 'n' Roll" by Gene Summers (both imbibed with genuine wildness and parent-filling fear) - "Teenage Crush" by Tommy Sands and "High School Caesar" by Reggie Perkins cover TV and films - while bullish behaviour and its consequences is everywhere in the constant pairing of the words 'teenagers' and 'delinquents'. Longing, necking and romance is handled by Gael Storm in "A Teenage Prayer", "A Teenager Sings The Blues" by Dean Edwards and Ricky Nelson's sappy "A Teenage Romance". Much more fun though is the naughty cockiness of "Young Blood" by The Coasters and the pre-surf instrumentals of Sandy Nelson's wonderful "Teen Beat" and Duane Eddy’s biggest hit "Because You're Young". There’s drive-in doo-wop and melodrama - George Lucas featured the extraordinarily evocative "Sixteen Candles" by The Crests in his 1973 masterpiece "American Graffiti" while the morbid "Teen Angel" by Mark Dinning hit the collective nerve and went to No. 1. Young lust and angst are covered by Boyd Bennett and his "Seventeen" with happier thoughts in "Teenage Party" by Tommy Steele. Perhaps conspicuous by his absence - is the biggest corrupter of them all and surely a close relative of Beelzebub – Elvis Presley. I bet he’s giggling at this compilation right now…and admiring his female counterpart – Janis Martin as she rock’n’roll’s "Teen Street".

Niggles - while Savage’s brief is to chronicle the youth phenomenon that swept the USA and then the world in the mid to late Fifties - long-time Collectors will probably sigh at the overly familiar here – Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Dion & The Belmonts and Frankie Lymon – tracks they probably have two or three times over. But looking deeper into the generous 34 tracks (and its huge playing time of 83:04 minutes), there are rarities and first-time-on-CD gems here well worth the purchase. "Ballad Of A Juvenile Delinquent" by Phil Johns is a musical find with lyrics that go from the Malls to the Jailhouse in 2 minutes 50. Tommy Facenda's "High School U.S.A." is said to have had 28 versions recorded by Atlantic – each name-checking specific high-schools in different States - a trick that worked because it garnished a No. 28 placing on the National charts in 1959.

This CD is fun and beautifully presented. And best of all it captures what it was like to be young in the Fifties and poppin' coins into a jukebox to hear the soundtrack to your life…

Great stuff.