The Locust Years & Return To The Promised Land [Box set]

Jerry Lee Lewis | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 29, 1994)
• Original Release Date: December 6, 1994
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Bear Family
• ASIN: B000001B2M
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #545,465 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

See all items

Editorial Reviews

(8-CD LP-sized box-set with 40-page book) In 1963 Jerry Lee signed with Smash Records, and battled the British Invasion, radio apathy and general neglect. The result was a lot of good music that fell on deaf ears. Here's everything from five frustrating years, including the complete contents of great Jerry Lee albums like Memphis Beat, Return Of Rock, Country Songs For City Folks, as well as wonderful forgotten singles like I'm On Fire and She Was My Baby, He Was My Friend. The set concludes with the country hits from 1968 and 1969, like Another Place Another Time, What's Made Milwaukee Famous and She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye, when Jerry's career was spectacularly reborn in country music. As a bonus, there's a complete interview with music conducted in 1976. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Forgotten Bluesman, June 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Locust Years & Return To The Promised Land (Audio CD)

The later work of Jerry Lee Lewis is among the the greatest music ever made.His 1963 - 1969 years (which this truly superb box set covers) reveal the only really blues-based white rocker of the '50s revolutionizing the genres that first influenced him. This set starts off with bluesy versions of his old hits ("Great balls of fire",etc.) but then it gets really good: Lewis pours out his soul on such blues as "Mathilda" & "Got you on my mind" and shows he's the only white man of his times to sing black with such songs as "It's a hang-up baby" and "Turn on your lovelight".This is classic R&B & blues at its very best. Like his idols Moon Mullican & Jimmie Rodgers -who are the only artists who could equal him - Lewis is 100% bluesman and this fuels all his other genres.The latter CDs on the box set include Lewis' late '60s country hits (classics like "Another place another time" & "She even woke me up to say goodbye").Lewis' position as a blues and country midas are very under-rated - but this box set is an ideal introduction to the later work of Jerry Lee.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jerry Lee at his very best!, November 20, 2004

By 

Maheen Wickramasinghe "Mississauga" (Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Locust Years & Return To The Promised Land (Audio CD)

This is a box set I will always treasure for the rest of my life. After Jerry Lee left Sun in 1963, he started recording for the Mercury label and I must say that these were his very, very best recordings. Jerry Lee as you all know switched to country music in his later years and this set covers a lot of his country material from that era! I think the remakes of his old Sun hits are a lot better than the originals but the originals will always be the hits! I am 20 years old and have been a Jerry Leee fan ever since I was 11. His version of the country classic Green, Green, Grass Of Home is very moving and a lot different from anything Jerry Lee ever does. Yes friends, he was a wonderful balladeer! His classic I'll Make It All Up To You was a country hit in 1958 but many stations seem to play the 1963 version which is on this set and it is a great version, but the original of this song will always be my favorite. I highly recommend this set to every killer fan but like that other reviewer said, to start off you must get the Classic Sun Recordings box set. If anyone of you would like to Email me regarding Jerry Lee Lewis please do so at [e-mail]
Long live the killer!

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daunting!!, October 18, 2002

By 

Bill Taylor (Romney,WV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Locust Years & Return To The Promised Land (Audio CD)

Soooo....whatever became of the wild eyed "GREAT BALL OF FIRE" who fell from grace in 1958? He kept on rockin! This box is a great slice of AMERICAN MUSIC ,rock 'n roll,soul,r&b,and blues. Jerry was an admirer of Jackie Wilson,so naturally he paid Jackie the ultimate compliment,he cut a "KILLER" version of "Turn On Your Lovelight" to prove just how well he too,could "get down".There are so many outstanding cuts here,I am overwhelmed with them,trust me,these are some of the purist,truest,realist recordings to come out of this particular era,and unfortunately,not hardly any of them ever saw the light of day on the SMASH label,so you are in for a real shock ,as well as a real treat! I'm betting that once heard,the question will be,how could this music have been overlooked?How did this happen? How could this guy go on pouring out a talent the size of Texas and keep dealing with the rejection!? Mythical STUFF,indeed.
This entire body of work oozes a Bluesy,R&B soul. Think Delbert McClinton (except this was before ol'Del). This box should lay to rest any question of the supremacy of "THE KILLER" in the world of rock 'n roll, country,blues,or r&b. As the man himself once said" I never claimed to be the greatest...but I am the best.... this box goes along way in backing up that statement.If you're not in the know,get in the know and get this box!THINK ABOUT IT!