JERRY LEE LEWIS – Sometimes A Memory Ain’t Enough – (Mercury) – 1973

what Frank is listening to #210 – JERRY LEE LEWIS – Sometimes A Memory Ain't Enough – (Mercury) – 1973

Jerry Lee Lewis,Sometimes A Memory Ain't Enough,USA,Deleted,LP RECORD,305878

The Killer.

I'm not sure where to start with any discussion on Jerry Lee Lewis.

So I'll start where I know I can, and where I'm most predictable.

Like Elvis, Jerry Lee was from the South, recorded at Sun, never wrote any of his own material, and sang like there was no tomorrow.

Unlike Elvis he never had the range or ambition but he certainly did have the charisma and ego and quite rightly has been described as "rock & roll's first great wild man".

Despite the similarities with Elvis a more apt comparison, career wise, would be his occasional verbal sparring partner Little Richard, whose career, choice of musical instrument (piano), narcissism and mind boggling vacillations between rock and religion make him and Jerry Lee look like two peas in a pod.

But, it was largely because of his cultural associations (the South) with Elvis that I had heard of him and so in 1978 at the Mt Gravatt Flea Market (all ugg boots and hot pants …the ones with the split up the side and the shoestring bringing the panels together) I handed over 50c for a old EP of Jerry Lee … it had all his big 50s hits on it and I was hooked. Eventually I got to see him live ….. in the late 80s.

Like Elvis he has suffered as a result of the ridiculous PC rock debate (rock music origins: black or white? or rock music origins: country or R&B?). But, also like Elvis he has transcended the argument (well, transcended it unless you are wholly ignorant). You would be hard pressed to find a original 50s rock act, apart from Johnny Cash, with more obvious and continuous country influences. Carl Perkins, Elvis, rock era Charlie Rich certainly all had obvious country music in their souls but Jerry Lee wore his country music on his sleeve. If there are any ignorant arguments about the origins of rock not being both white and black then a cursory listen to early Jerry Lee should settle the argument.

Likewise if you think country rock started with Gram Parsons, think again …go back to the 50s rockers from the South.

wikipedia: Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935) is an American rock and roll and country music singer and pianist. …Lewis was born to the poor family of Elmo and Mamie Lewis in Ferriday in Concordia Parish in eastern Louisiana, and began playing piano in his youth with two cousins, Mickey Gilley and Jimmy Swaggart. His parents mortgaged their farm to buy him a piano. Influenced by a piano-playing older cousin, Carl McVoy (who later recorded with Bill Black 's Combo), the radio, and the sounds from the black juke joint across the tracks, Haney's Big House, Lewis created his style from black artists who were unable to play to white audiences, mixing rhythm and blues, boogie-woogie, gospel, and country music, as well as ideas from established "country boogie" pianists like recording artists Moon Mullican and Merrill Moore. Soon he was playing professionally.

By way of bio – you google – there is a lot out there on him.

Jerry Lee's place in the rock n roll sun only lasted a few years at Sun, err records (…harrr) before he turned to "straight" country … well as straight as Jerry Lee can be. He swung between rock and country though you wouldn't be able to tell as his rock albums have a fair bit of country in them and vice versa. If he was 20 or 30 something today his music would certainly be called roots rock or country rock.

So, despite the country influences in Jerry Lee's rock 'n' roll he eventually turned to Nashville and straight country though like I have said his country was heavily influenced by honky tonk and country boogie and accordingly laced with rock 'n' roll. That and his personal life put him at odds with conservative Nashville tastemakers but he had great success with country audiences (as did some other ex–rockers from the 50s: the great Charlie Rich, Johnny Cash, Jack Scott, Conway Twitty, Crash Craddock). We, who do not reside and did not grow up in the USA, love Jerry Lee for his rock 'n' roll but there is another entirely different generation and demographic in the US who love him for his country music. From the late 60s through most of the 70s Jerry Lee had many, many country hits.

As it stands his influence on his fans and on fellow musicians is immense, despite the fact there are relatively few covers of his music out there.

wikipedia: Lewis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. In 2008 He was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him number 24 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In 2003, they listed his box set All Killer, No Filler: The Anthology number 242 on their list of "500 greatest albums of all time".

Jerry Lee is a great interpreter of song like Elvis was. They never wrote songs, though they were happy to replace, change or drop words and lines as well as change meanings and tempos sometimes rendering the song altogether different (and often better) to the original. Vandalism of songwriters work perhaps but that is what a great vocalist is – an interpreter of songs. A good vocalist can fake sincerity (and fool listeners) in a song by substituting technique for emotion. But, a great vocalist has the technique and also has the smarts to adapt the song so they can connect emotionally to it. Arguably they already have by choosing the song to cover but to personalise it they need to play around with the words and music normally. If this is "re-writing" a song then so be it. As long as the royalties go to the songwriter everyone is happy.

Vocally, Jerry Lee (and Little Richard is in the same boat) doesn't have the nuances that Elvis does. Elvis, vocally, could make a song sound like a brag, a innuendo, a love poem, a night on the town and many other things. Sure, like Jerry Lee, he had his vocal tricks or trademarks that are "instant Elvis" but as an interpreter he could make his voice sound to whatever the songs meaning was and that included vulnerability and uncertainty. Jerry Lee however only ever sang as if he was threatening you. He was bragging but he was willing to back it up, with violence if need be. Within those limitations (if they are indeed limitations) his voice could be evoke sincerity, reverence and love. He can sing about success and failure with a confidence that does not allow you to deny the truth (if you dare) of the narrator words. Every song he sings he sings as if they were his stories. And they may have been his stories but he certainly didn't write the lyrics. It matters not because they become Jerry Lee's stories and if you need further proof Jerry Lee has always been happy to name check himself in a song.

Ultimately, if you aren't convinced by Jerry Lee I suspect he would knock your block off or give you a giant "fuck you".

This album comes from Jerry Lee's country period and has all the traits I have referred to above. It also has some underwhelming cover art … a wistful Jerry Lee and a tree.

It is one of the only Jerry Lee albums I don't have so I'm quietly excited …"quietly" because I know how patchy his 70s output can be.

Tracks (best in italics)

Sometimes a Memory Ain't Enough – Kesler – a country weepie with some typically fine piano playing from Jerry Lee …. I feel like I'm drinking a whisky in a smoky bar (albeit one with sawdust on the floor).

            I have your pictures to look at and a memory that helps me when I'm blue
            I play those old records that we used to dance to
            But these things can't take the place of you
            I need me two arms to hold me warm and tender lips that I can touch (yes I do)
            Yes I play my game but it's not the same sometimes a mem'ry just ain't enough

Ride Me Down Easy – Shaver – a gentle rollicking song by outlaw country legend Billy Joe Shaver. Great lyrics. Deceptively simple, lyrical and quite visual. What is it with country imagery? This song has been done by everyone: Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare etc.

            The highway she's hotter than nine kinds of hell
            The rides,they as scarce as the rain
            When you're down to your last shove with nothin' to sell
            And too far away from the train
            Been a good month of Sundays and a guitar ago
            Had a tall drink of yesterday's wine
            Left a long string of friends,some sheets in the wind
            And some satisfied women behind
            Hey ride me down easy Lord,ride me on down
            Leave word in the dust where I lay
            Say "I'm easy come,easy go and easy to love when I stay"
            Left snow on the mountain,raised hell on the hill
            Locked horns with the devil himself
            Been a rodeo bum,a son-of-a-gun
            And a hobo with stars in my crown
            Hey ride me down easy Lord,ride me on down
            Leave word in the dust where I lay
            Say "I'm easy come,easy go and easy to love when I stay"

Mama's Hands – Dycus, Kingston – a familiar country weeper …much like Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried" in sentiment but with a positive outcome. Sticky sweet but sincere. George Jones did a well known version of the song. Someone has changed some of the words of the original here ….

            My daddy's hands held Three's and Two's while mom's were holding me
            And daddy's hands lost everything to a hand of Kings and Three's
            And daddy's hands they shook so bad that he turned to wine
            But mama's hands were strong and calm as they held on to mine

            Yes mama's hands held on to mine to guide me day and night
            And it took the sting of mama's hands to teach Jerry Lee wrong from right
            When times were bad and money's slim she'd fold her hands in fray
            Ands somehow neighbours would always make the beans hold out another day

            Now mama's hands they tremble when she prays
            But her voice is strong as she thanks God for the bygone days
            She looks at me and then she smiles she knows I understand
            That everything I am today I owe to mama's hands
            Everything Jerry Lee is today I owe to mama's hands

What My Woman Can't Do – Jones, Montgomery, Sherrill – another country weepie and another song George Jones has done.
My Cricket and Me – Russell – yet another country weepie – this one by the great Leon Russell.
I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone – Kesler, Taylor – a cover of an old Elvis song from his Sun record days. I don't know for sure but Jerry Lee probably would have tried to record this before – he did a lot of other peoples Sun stuff. Not as good as Elvis but still a very credible version.
Honky Tonk Wine – Vickery – just what the title says – also done by Mickey Gilley. A magnificent, laid back honky tonk that is country rock. Jerry Lee is on fire here, even banging the lid of his piano to the rhythm ( an old live trick of his)… the writer of this song probably played harmonica somewhere here as he did on a lot of Jerry Lee Mercury records recordings ..he also wrote Lewis immortal "Meat Man".
Falling to the Bottom – Holland, Leonard – another country weepie, well done but not particularly memorable.
Think I Need to Pray – Harrelson, Taylor – some reading from the Good Book will save this country hell raiser and sinner. It's sincere but it didn't stop Jerry Lee from re-offending.
Mornin' After Baby Let Me Down – Griff – by Canadian country singer Ray Griff …. a country song title if there ever was one.
Keep Me from Blowing Away – Craft – also done by Linda Ronstadt (later) and others. A prayer for redemption … country style.

            Well I spent my whole lifetime
            In a world where the sunshine
            Finds excuses for not hangin' 'round
            I squandered emotions
            On the slightest of notions
            And the first easy loving I found
            But soon all the good times
            The gay times and play times
            Like colors run together and fade
            Oh Lord if you hear me
            Touch me and hold me
            And keep me from blowing away
            There's times when I trembled

And…

It's Jerry Lee …. I'm keeping it. I'd be scared not to. Lawrence Tierney from Seinfeld comes to mind.

Chart Action

US
Singles
1973 Sometimes a Memory Ain't Enough #6 Country Singles
1974 I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone #21 Country Singles
Album
1974 #6 Country Charts

England
Singles
Album

you're kidding aren't you

Sounds

Sometimes a Memory Ain't Enough

attached

Ride Me Down Easy

original by Shaver

done recently

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgtlrFHIbJ4

Mama's Hands

George Jones version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6gk-hk4UvA