Customer Reviews

Class of 55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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?

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!

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

I bought this with great anticipation when it was first released back in the mid eighties...at the time...none of these guys were really recording...i don't think that Jerry Lee, Carl or Roy even had recording contracts...and Cash was about to be booted off Columbia for not selling records. Chips moman was brought in to produce this mish mash...a supposed tribute to Elvis and Sun records...to me, the songs are either over produced or under produced... Actually I think Carl Perkins is served best on the two cuts that he wrote and sang...Birth of Rockn Roll and Class of 55, Jerry Lee's two cuts, 16 candles and Keep My Motor Running both seem constrained, with lackluster tempo and mixed down piano and vocals...JLL has played much more ferocious versions of Motor Running...Cash's tunes aren't anything special...Orbison gets to showcase that beautiful voice...and sounds wonderous...maybe that forshadowed his return to the charts with the Travelling Wilburys a year or so later,which was also coupled with the superb Mystery Girl album...sadly, Roy's last. i was extremely disappointed that the 4 big guys didn't actually play together, Jerry didn't backanyone on piano...nor did Carl on guitar,etc...they each sang their respective parts on the duets ,and that was that. i enjoyed the last number on the album...big train from Memphis...with everyone singing alon...the whole album could have been so much...it is decent,anf it was good to have all four of these founders together,but I feel it was a missed opportunity. When this first came out, there was an additional album included in the set...it was a series of interviews with the big four...which did win a grammy for spoken word recordings.This album has been virtually lost in more recent releases.

and to think that all these guys,save the Killer,have gone on to a different sort of a rock n roll reunion...

Seeing this for sale made me EXTREAMLY happy , I must buy is ASAP , It brings me Back WAY back ... well no not so far back as to when this was put out , I'm only 27 , But my Father wanted this very badly when I was quite young , He was a fan on Johnny Cash , Roy Orbison , Carl Perkins and Jerrey Lee Louis , and well as Elvis and other Rock and Rollers of the time ,.. So my mother Travled into her first Music store to find this for him , and got him the tape ,He just about wore that thing out !!! That and a Chuck Berry tape , It remindes me of Rides my Daddy and I usto take in the care , and he would Listen to this , Elvis and Chuck Berry , we had no point to thies rides , sometimes we'd go up to the Airport and get ice cream . It brings thoes memories back , and I rember this Album being very good ( i was about 8) it was rock and roll enough for my mother to ask my father ..."You let my 6 year old little girl lissten to THAT !!??? .." but i cherish that time we spent singing along and my dad playing air guitar ... yes he was playing air guitair , but in the way the Beatals had there guitars up high on there chests almost under there arms ... I Love this Album simply for the memories it brings back , altho my mother always said it sounded like a bunch of drunk old men , but Memories to me are MUCH more important then acctual quailty and production and singing ... it's music in genral that brings the memories to light , isen't ?

THE CLASS OF 55 IS THE BEST TAPE OF ALL TIMES,
NO ONE ALIVE WILL EVERY BEAT IT WELL MAYBE ELVIS?

This is one of those albums that can never be imitated. It has class, it has soul and you can hear the compassion. Listen to over and over... it gets better every time!

Class of 55 is spectacular in the appeal of the guys involved, which includes a rave-up featuring all of them and Rick Nelson and more.... a MUST HAVE for any fan of these singers and this type of music. Timeless classic!

This is a re-edition of the 1986 LP of the same name and reunited 4 of
the biggest Country/Rock & Roll Stars from the 50's and belonging to
the famous SUN label. This 1985 reunion and some of the songs belonging
to this re-edition can also be seen on You tube during the recording
sessions which is an absolute dream come true. Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee,
Roy and Carl Perkins together makin' original hillbilly country pickin'
rock 'n roll music! Only Elvis is missing but he unfortunately died
too early. Nobody could ever predict in 1985 that 33 years later Jerry
Lee Lewis would be the last man standing of all the music legends that
recorded for the Sun label. He's still playing concerts all over the
world. At this reunion he played and sang solos on "16 Candles" made
famous by the Crests and "Keep My Motor Running". Roy's wonderful
voice can be heard on "Coming Home"; one of the genuine hillbilly cats
Carl Perkins on "Class of '55" and Johnny Cash singing "We remember
the King" a tribute to Elvis. The rest of the songs they all sing
together. A wonderful CD that reminds of a unique gathering in Memphis
at the old Sun studio in September of 1985

the whole theme of this album is good,i feel fortunate to have co-written waymores blues with waylon jennings,Curtis Buck