Class of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming

Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 21, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000001FK0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #283,161 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Birth of Rock and Roll

2. Sixteen Candles

3. Class of '55

4. Waymore's Blues

5. We Remember the King

6. Coming Home

7. Rock and Roll (Fais Do Do)

8. Keep My Motor Running

9. I Will Rock and Roll with You

10. Big Train (From Memphis)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Boo bop a lop bam boom, April 9, 2004

By 

Johnny Heering "trivia buff" (Bethel, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Class of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming (Audio CD)

This was conceived as sort of a reunion of the "Million Dollar Quartet", with Roy Orbison taking the place of the late Elvis Presley. The results are decent, but each man has done much better work than what is featured here. Each singer gets two solo songs, with the exception of "The Big O", and there are three songs featuring all four legends taking turns singing lead. Like I said, it is a decent album, but nothing exceptional. Nonetheless, fans of these legends may want to get it. Here is a list of who sings what:

1. Birth of Rock and Roll (Perkins)
2. Sixteen Candles (Lewis)
3. Class of '55 (Perkins)
4. Waymore's Blues (all)
5. We Remember the King (Cash)
6. Coming Home (Orbison)
7. Rock and Roll (all)
8. Keep My Motor Running (Lewis)
9. I Will Rock and Roll With You (Cash)
10. Big Train (all)

One final remark: Who would have guessed that Jerry Lee Lewis would be the last one of these guys alive?

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I know it's "only Rock and Roll," but I LOVE it!, September 12, 2003

By 

Brent (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Class of 55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming (Audio CD)

OK, CERTAINLY it could've been produced better - but, hey, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis all on one CD, commemorating the birth of Rock and Roll? Like Perkins sings in "Birth Of Rock And Roll," "I was here when it all happened - I watched Memphis give birth to rock and roll." And that's the truth, folks. Yes, it is WAY too slickly produced (WHY Chips Moman and NOT Sam Phillips?), but these guys - and, of course, The King, Elvis - INVENTED Rock And Roll. Notice I said "Rock And Roll" there, NOT "rock," there's all the difference in the world. Yeah, these guys were making this kind of music back when it was DANGEROUS. I guess the current generation knows only of Roy Orbison by way of the (one-off) Traveling Wilburys back in (whew..1988), or Johnny Cash by (ugh) "Boy Named Sue," or Jerry Lee by the allegations of his...naughtiness. But if you want to know how rock and roll originally sounded, check out the afore-mentioned Carl Perkins song, or, especially, Jerry Lee's "Keep My Motor Running." (yup, you can just BET "motor" was a metaphor...) The tour-de-force of the CD, though, is John Fogerty's "Big Train From Memphis," which has a veritable who's who of everybody who was THERE when rock and roll got started, including Sam Phillips, Chips Moman, and some PRIMO rockers, Ricky Nelson and John Fogerty. (It even has the-love(s)-of-my-life, Naomi and Wynonna Judd...) OK, quit listening to your "alt-rock" radio station for about half an hour and dig this CD. You'll understand why a lot of people think Rock and Roll died when Elvis did. And, by the way, get "The Best Of Big Daddy" while IT'S still available!

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WoW!!! Best album in my collection!!, July 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Class of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming (Audio CD)

I purchased the record album in 1986 when in first came out under the PolyGram label and emediately fell in love with it. Four of my favorite artists on one album. Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash. WoW!!! This album does not dissapoint!!! Especially if you are a Carl Perkins fan. The opening track of 'Birth Of Rock And Roll' is one of Perkins's best vocal outputs. (My opinion as an owner of several of his albums.) Jerry Lee does a great rendition of his old hit 'Sixteen Candles' with his three buddies in support and his 'Keep My Motor Running' is classic Lewis. Cash's old hit 'I Will Rock And Roll With You' has its best rendition ever on this album thanks to the other three singing support. Orbison's voice can be heard in a major supporting role on all the tracks. I own several albums from each of the artists, but this is the one I keep coming back to. D.W.Sullivan, Elbridge, NY