Published on Jan 21, 1998
It was a sad feeling this January 19th day, when veteran Rock
‘N’ Roll Hall of Famer Carl Perkins passed away. His presence in
rock ‘n roll was inspired by many. This compilation features the
ORIGINALS of tunes that were remade and famous for other rock
acts.
First of all, “Blue Suede Shoes” may have been one of the many
songs that made Elvis Presley famous, but Perkins’ original version
is way better, and is considered one of the greatest songs ever
recorded in the early days of rock.
The Beatles performed “Honey Don’t” and “Everybody’s Tryin’ To
Be My Baby” on the
Beatles’ 65 LP, and they also did Perkins’ version of
“Matchbox” on
Something New. These three original tunes are here in the
Sun compilation, and, like “Blue Suede Shoes”, I’d have to say
Perkins had Elvis and The Beatles beat in which versions were
better.
The remaining 13 tunes are exceptionaly great. It brings out the
rockabilly cat in all of us who enjoy the early years of rock, when
rock was rebellious. These songs have the great rockabilly/boogie
woogie sound, and some have the “pumpin'” boogie sound that Jerry
Lee Lewis featured in many of his early hits. Also, two songs can
be compared to Hank Williams Sr. and The Everly Brothers.
One thing also to consider, is that the Sun Record label became
a huge history maker in the area of music. Oh yeah, you’re saying
that’s where Elvis got his start. True, but other future Rock ‘n’
Roll Hall Famers came out of that same Memphis Recording studio:
Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. These
five talents started the great sounds we call rock ‘n’ roll and
country & western. Elvis was the one that put Sun on the map,
as we discovered afterward the other talents to come out of the Sun
studios.
Hey, let’s face it, this is true rockabilly, hillbilly, and
country & western. Today’s country has lost this kind of sound
that Perkins and many others produced. Probably the only group that
came close to this sound and stuck to it, was The Stray Cats in the
Eighties.
Throughout his entire life, Carl Perkins was always performing.
He performed with Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison, played guitar on
Paul McCartney’s
Tug Of War album, cowrote and played guitar on The Judds’
“Let Me Tell You About Love.” He was inducted in the Rock &
Roll Hall Of Fame in 1987.
Thanks, Mr. Perkins, for your music. As he sings in “All Mama’s
Children”: “All your children wanna rock, mama, all your children
wanna roll.” Yep, Carl Perkins DID rock, and yep, Carl Perkins DID
roll. Raise a glass to the best damn “cat” who ever lived. We’ll
miss you, your music will live on forever.