Customer Reviews

Jerry Lee Lewis: Greatest Live Performances of the 50s, 60s and 70s

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Great overview of thirty years of Jerry Lee Lewis' career. Of all the ten rock 'n' roll pioneers, only Chuck Berry and Lewis kept the fire going. This DVD is divided into three decades. We get Jerry on the Steve Allen Show tearing up "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," but the follow up of "Great Balls of Fire" on the Steve Allen Show isn't here. The next two cuts, "You Win Again" and "Great Balls of Fire" are not live, but lip-synched on the great Dewey Phillips Pop Show TV Show. Any glimpse of Dewey Phillips is worth the trip. Before Imus, before Wolfman Jack, there was Dewey Phillips playing black artists in the early fifties in the segregated deep south.



The final cut from the 1950's is from Dick Clark's first Saturday night Bandstand Show. Jerry Lee cuts through "Breathless." The teenyboppers in the audience are more focused in trying to clap in time. It's quite a struggle for them, poor dears.



The 1960's segment is live and primitive. Jerry Lee back in England a few years after he was booted out. He is more gutsy and gritty and frenetic on this Granada Concert Special than at any other time in his career. The crowd is really into it, to the point of grabbing Jerry Lee and holding on while Jerry Lee Lewis is wailing and tearing up the piano. Some music critics believe that Jerry Lee Lewis' frantic, inciting performances in England and Germany in the early 1960's were the genesis of Punk Music. Let's face it, no one was performing with equal fervor at the time. Elvis had been neutralized, Chuck Berry was doing time, and Little Richard couldn't decide if he was gay or straight, or whether he should continue the evil path of the Devil's music or become a minister. Eventually, Little Richard became a panelist on Hollywood Squares. So, Jerry Lee Lewis was the only rock 'n'roll pioneer who lived what he believed, and paid the heavy price. In case you've forgotten why preachers preached against his music, why radio stations literally banned his records, and why Dick Clark went into hiding when the road got rough, watch the 1960's segment of this DVD. Clear evidence that Jerry Lee Lewis has the devil in him and he has to come out.



The 1970's finds Jerry Lee more sedate, singing his substantial country hits live on Ralph Emery's Pop Goes The Country. There is even a duet with his double first cousin, Mickey Gilley, who Jerry leaves in the musical dust.



As a bonus, there is a chopped up interview from 1993. Time-Life should have just kept the interview intact. But since it is a "bonus," no points lost, but Colin Escott usually has higher standards.



If Ken Burns ever wakes up and does a series on the History of Rock 'n' Roll, he would have to use much of what is on this DVD. But you don't have to wait for Ken Burns to wake up. You can see it now!

THIS TIME LIFE RELEASE IS GREAT.INCLUDES FULL PERFORMANCES FROM:
THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW 1957
DEWEY PHILLIPS POP SHOW 1957
THE 1964 GRANADA UK SHOW-COMPLETE PERFORMANCE,CHAOTIC,BUT PURE JOY,
POP GOES THE COUNTRY-70'S PERFORMANCES FROM THE RALPH EMERY SHOW,INCLUDING A GREAT SESSION WITH COUSIN MICKEY GILLEY.
BONUS INCLUDES AN INTERVIEW WITH JERRY FROM THE SUN STUDIO IN MEMPHIS,AND THE TRAILER FOR "HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL"
THIS RELEASE IS WHAT FANS HAVE BEEN DREAMING OF,COMPLETE PERFORMANCES,GOOD SOUND.
THE MUSIC ARCHIVES ARE FULL OF GREAT STUFF,THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET IT OUT IS TO SUPPORT RELEASES LIKE THIS---THANK YOU TIME LIFE-MORE PLEASE.

Ok this is a great DVD with some great performances and a interview from Jerry Lee in 1993 at Sun records.Plenty of highlights best for me is Lewis boogie in the section with Jerry Lee's cousin Mickey Gilley who was a country superstar at the time.It is interesting to see the different years including the first Steve Allen performance of Whole lotta shakin'.The quality is as good as you can get from I guess the sources they used with some Jerry Lee fan's on forums saying they could have used the master of the 1964 Granada show.If you want to see a discussion on that there is one on the new Jerry Lee Lewis forum.I can't put a link here but if you go to Wikipedia Jerry Lee Lewis page there is a link there.You can see some screenshots of this DVD taken from my pc on that forum.I would have given this 5 out of 5 but although it is interesting to see the Duey Phillips show it is lip synched (one of the few times JLL has done that) so I would have preferred to see another late sixties performance instead.I would recommend this DVD as it is great to see one of the greatest performers in action especially if you have not been able to see his first performance on tv or just like to see the Killer at work!
IAN

This is the DVD that diehard Jerry Lee Lewis fans have been waiting many years for! Lewis will go down in history as one of the most flamboyant live performers in American music and the classic performances here prove that fact strongly. After all these years there are few Lewis DVD's to choose from and very little live footage available of the Killer in his prime. This DVD solves that problem with three different Television appearances from the 50's, a great 1964 appearance on British television, and two appearances from the 70's during Jerry Lee's period as a country music star.

Jerry Lee's historic television debut on the Steve Allen show in 1957 has to rank among the most wild and crazy performances in American television as he tears into "Whole lotta shakin goin on" like a madman! The Killer storms through the song with manic intensity, kicking back the piano bench and shouting the lyrics into the microphone as he pounds the piano keys with fury. This performance makes other 50's rockers like Elvis and Chuck Berry look tame in comparison. You can only imagine the horrified reaction of parents as they watched this performance in their living rooms in 1957!

Jerry Lee's performance of "Breathless" on the Dick Clark show is another example of Lewis at his flamboyant best, but I agree the only real disappointment in the DVD is the segment from the Dewey Phillips show where "You win Again" and "Great Balls of Fire" are the original Sun recordings overdubbed and not Jerry Lee singing live.

Next we have a priceless, sensational British television performance from 1964 that is even more outrageous than the TV appearances from the 50's. This is possibly the greatest footage we will ever see of a young Jerry Lee Lewis tearing it up in his absolute prime. The Killer is UNLEASHED in all his wild, flamboyant glory as he rocks his way through a set of six tunes before an audience of fired up British teenagers who are gathered around the piano in a wild frenzy! The final explosive performance of "Whole lotta shakin" has the crowd of teens going crazy with excitement as Jerry Lee stands on top of the piano and tears the place apart!! This footage is a must-see for any lover of classic rock n' roll and is worth the price of the DVD alone. It is a mystery why this great performance was left unissued to the public for over 40 years, but any serious Jerry Lee Lewis fan will treasure it.

At the time this performance was taped in March of 64, Jerry Lee was sadly boycotted from every radio and television station in America as "Beatlemania" was taking over the country. It is fascinating to see Jerry Lee having the exact same effect on a teenaged audience in England that the Beatles were having here in America. Jerry Lee proves without a doubt in this performance that nobody was rocking harder or better in 1964 than the Killer. Beatlemania might have been taking America by storm, but "KILLERMANIA" was definitely alive and well over in England!

The next two television appearances from Ralph Emery's show are much more tame and laid back. Jerry Lee had left the rock n' roll world to become a successful country star in the late 60's and 70's and he performs the great tunes "Who's gonna play this old piano" and Kris Kristofferson's classic song "Me and Bobby McGee". We also get some nice footage of Jerry Lee and his piano playing cousin Mickey Gilley who was also a popular country star at the time. Ralph Emery gives them a brief interview and lets them cut loose on a medley of old tunes including Jerry Lee's great rocker "Lewis Boogie". The Killer's influence on his cousin can be clearly seen here as Gilley sounds a lot like Jerry Lee in both his singing and piano playing.

As a bonus feature we get a rare and excellent interview with Jerry Lee from 1993 where he talks about his early years, moments with Elvis, and more. If you are a long-time Lewis fan or a younger fan like myself who wants to explore the legendary pioneers of rock n' roll, this fine DVD belongs in your collection.

While the performances are few, the 1964 London Granada set captured here are easily worth the price of the DVD. Jerry shows there that he really was at the heart of R&R in a way that Presley never approached.

This is a very young Jerry Lee performing like a "wildman" on the piano.

The 50's:
It begans with his appearance on The Steve Allen Show, July 28, 1957, where he performs "Whole Lot of Shakin Going On". The energy, wildness and emotion he puts into this performance is awesome.

On the Dewey Phillips show 1957 - He performs a Hank Williams classic "You Win Again" (He turned this into a gold record). He also performs "Great Balls of Fire" - again this a very entergetic performance full of emotion.

On the Dick Clark Show, 1958 - He performs "Breathless" - again an outstanding performance.

The 1960"s:
In 1964 on an English Television program (This was after the English sandal about him marring his 13 year old cousin Mira had died down.) he performs:
"Great Balls of Fire"; "You win Again"; "High School Confidential" -(Rocking at the High School Boop); "I'm on Fire"; "Your Cheatin Heart"; and "Whole Lot of Shakin Going On". These performance are entergetic and awesome also. He is surrounded by young people who are going wild.

The 1970"s:
On Pop goes the Country television show:
"Who's Gonna play this Old Piano?"
"Me and Bobby McGee"

A very special performance with his first cousin (his daddy's sister's son) Mickey Gilley: They perform the "Ferriday Medley". They perform side by side both on open-top grand piano's. This medley consists of 5 songs, which end with the "Lewis Boogie". It's great!!!

There is bonus material which includes a trailer of Jerry Lee's movie "High School Confidential" which shows some drag racing and high school boop dancing. Also, Jerry Lee is interviewed in the original Sun Studio in 1993.

Overall, this is a great archival dvd, that is part of Rock and Roll history. If you like rock and roll history or just Jerry Lee, I highly recommend this one, you won't be diappointed.

any chance to see this artist in the first 3 decades of his career is a real treat. The performance on the 60s Granada program from Great Britain reminds me of the Live at The Star Club performance in Germany; it has to be seen to be believed. Would have given this 5 stars but the lip-synching in the 50s segment made that difficult. I agree with the reviewer who ranked Jerry Lee as the premier rocker from the 50s although we shouldnt forget Fats Domino. Dont miss the Live From Austin City dvd by Jerry Lee that was just released.

This is worthwhile for Jerry Lee Lewis fans. But I was surprised that the sound quality of the early songs wasn't electronically enhanced to a higher level. And I didn't see the great theatrics of Jerry Lee playing the piano with his feet, etc. The interviews were interesting and true to form. I am still laughing where he noted that his cousin turned 14 the day after they married but none of the press would report that!

This DVD was very entertaining and informative about the performers life.
I think that this DVD is a must to have in one's library of our Rock n' Roll greats!

Great images from one of the most important man of rock'n roll history.. If you are a fan, you need to have some of those rare images.. The killer forever!!