Search - Carl Perkins :: Classic

Carl Freakin' Perkins!

Apollo C. Vermouth | Paris, France | 07/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What is there to say, really? Either you're hip to Carl or you ain't, and if you ain't, then this AIN'T the collection to start with, what with all of its alternate takes and somewhat lesser material, but if you ARE hip to Carl, then this is IT, children, and make no mistake! There is NO single-disc collection currently available that captures all of the essential Carl tracks. The only way to get them all in one purchase is to shell out for this set. Then you can compile your own single-disc after reviewing the whole shebang. And it IS a sheBANG! Carl Perkins and his extremely able band made by far the best, most versatile, jumpinest, lightest-touch, swinginest, most joyous noise of the rockabilly era. No other white feller (Carl's notorious SUN-label-mates included) captured the pure exuberance and punch, the natural celebration of all the things that make life worth living (booze, chicks, dancing & parties, etc.) as well as Carl. Carl Perkins LOVED his girl bein' "round and fat" and CELEBRATED it; Carl Perkins knew that it was OK to work all day as a soda jerk as long as you could JIVE AFTER FIVE; Carl Perkins knew that as long as you PUT YOUR "CAT CLOTHES" ON and get hip to that BEBOPPIN RHYTHM, you can forget your worries and PICK THE TOENAILS UP TOMORROW, because they'll be on the floor after a session with him!

Carl Perkins was the greatest white artist of the Rockabilly era, bar none, and along with the Everly Brothers, represents the truest, most genuine expression of what happened when country (the only true white blues music) got JUMPED-UP! The Beatles venerated this cat for a reason, and it can be found on all five discs in this collection!



NOTE--Since this is an import, I don't believe that Carl's family gets any moolah from sales...maybe you oughtta condiser donating to the charity Carl started, the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse..."

Definitive Carl Perkins collection...well, almost

The Boogiedude | Tucson, AZ | 04/06/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This a quite exhaustive collection of early Carl Perkins recordings made on Sun, Columbia and Decca during 1954-1964, including numerous alternative versions of well known hits. If you can get excited about hearing three different versions of "Honey, don't" (and it's great to hear how Carl progressed towards the final cut), this is the collection for you.



On the other hand, I personally was disappointed not to find my favorite version of "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby" that I enjoyed listening to long time ago on an ancient bootleg LP. This collection offers three versions of this song: the master off the "Teen Beat" LP, and two alternative cuts, but NOT the one I was looking for: "I ain't good looking, I ain't smart, I guess they're after this poor boy's heart.." - hilarious lyrics, and nearly perfect guitar work. Oh, well, can't have everything, I guess.



Otherwise, nice artwork, great sound and 5 CD's with 20+ tracks of early Carl Perkins!!"