Customer Reviews

I Don't Want to Go Home

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I think only one or two Springsteen albums are better than this album by Jersey Shore rocker Southside Johnny Lyon and his band. The influence of the bande a Springsteen is unmistakeable: in the early and mid-70s, the Jukes and E Streeters shared and almost traded members. Many of the songs on this album were written by Springsteen and Steve Van Zandt, Springsteen's guitar man and occasional producer, produced and co-wrote many tunes here. I think Rolling Stone has called this one of the best albums no one's ever heard. They're right. Southside should have been a huge star, but Columbia never marketed (or tried to) him well. Great album.

Check this disc out & you'll find out why even Bruce Springsteen was blown away upon hearing Southside Johnny. Southside & the Jukes are at their best. Southside's voice & harmonica are right on. The Miami Horns show why they are the premier horn section in rock-n-roll. Guests Lee Dorsey & Ronnie Spector are nice complements to Southside. Jersey shore rock-n-roll at its best.

Southside Johnny had been kicking around Asbury Park for a number of years when he got the chance to record. He got a bunch of really good Springsteen and Little Steven songs and he had great guest artists in Lee Dorsey and especially Ronnie Spector, who is just great on the closer "You Mean So Much to Me". The title track and Springsteen's "The Fever" also very special.

Southside has done some good work since this but he has never concentrated so much good work in one album. It's a very upbeat set of songs and a great debut.

Southside Johnny's debut CD, I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME, is simply great. Combining the influences of the Memphis-Chicago-Muscle Shoals-St. Louis-New Orleans-Detroit-Philadelphia-Kansas City blues/R&B/rock & roll axis, fellow New Jerseyite Bruce Springsteen, doo-wop, and Van Morrison, the CD features a perfect blend of Van Zandt/Springsteen originals and R&B covers, plus such guests as Lee Dorsey and the Five Satins. The next two albums would be even better, but here, Southside is already in the big leagues.

"I Don't Want to Go Home" marked the debut of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and what a debut it is. Released in 1976, this highly listenable album consists of a combination of some Steve Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen penned originals, along with covers of several old R & B tunes, that often give this album a feeling of being both charming and eccentric. The title track, along with "The Fever", is worth the price of admission alone, and these continue to be mainstays of the Jukes live shows 35 years later. The album also features an incredible version of "Broke Down Piece of Man", the old Sam and Dave Song, with Southside Johnny and Steve Van Zandt sharing vocal leads. The Asbury Jukes albums, particularly the early ones, have often been used as an outlet for the creative songwriting talents of Springsteen for songs that he hasn't included on his own albums, which the Jukes then take and make their own. A great example here is "You Mean So Much to Me" with Ronnie Spector as guest vocalist with Southside. Other guest vocalists include Lee Dorsey who has a great vocal exchange with Southside on Van Zandt's "How Come You Treat Me So Bad". A cover of "It Ain't The Meat (It's The Motion)", a 1951 tune by The Swallows, is also a fun listen with Kenny "Mr. Popeye" "Kenny Unpronounceable" Pentifallo on lead vocals. Overall, this is a well-produced album with some great songs, and a real enjoyable listening experience, with no weak tracks. It's a portent of even better things to come. Although not currently in print on its own, this can be bought as a double release in combination with "This Time It's For Real". I Don't Want to Go Home/This Time It's for Real. All the tracks can also be downloaded.

Wonderfully remastered digitally. Brings me back to his concerts from the 70s. Unique vocals, organ, lyrics, tempos. Gotta have it.

If you like The Boss then you will like Southside. He is reallythe sound of south jersey.

SSJ BRILLIANT. HORN SECTION EXCELLENT. MUSIC TO LIVE LIFE WITH. NO MORE TO BE SAID.