"It Came From Memphis" 2005

Memphis music is so much more than Elvis, who nevertheless is its prime and most successful example.I have always thought that Memphis is the secret music capital of the U.S.A.. In comparasion with the products of Nashville, there has always been in Memphis music a certain "hairy vitality", as the late Jean Shepherd would say. I would say that Memphis music is more inclusive than Nashville music. Memphis music is the blending or collision of different elements, much like American society itself. Memphis music is so much more than Elvis, who nevertheless is its prime and most successful example.

This is the third complilation that Robert Gordon has produced with the title It Came From Memphis. What he lacks in imagination in titling is more than made up by the breath and depth of its contents. The major labels of Memphis musical history (Sun, Stax & Hi) are well represented here. Many of its leading lights are also represented. For example, Jim Dickinson appears on three songs, as part of Mud Boy & the Neutrons covering the "5" Royales "Slummer D Slum" (very good, but not as great as the original), as a solo doing "Down in Mississippi and finally as lead singer of the Jesters' "Cadillac Man", the last great Sun record, a '66 record with the spirit of '56. Although Otis isn't around for this particular date (& neither is Rufus Thomas), the Stax contingent is well represented with Booker T. & the M.G.'s, The Mar-Keys, Eddie Floyd, William Bell's "You Don't Miss Your Water" and Issac Hayes' epic version of "By The Time I Get to Phoenix". Hi Records is present & accounted for with songs from Ann Peebles, Syl Johnson and Al Green with one of my favorite songs of his, "Simply Beautiful". Alex "LX" Chilton pops up here with Big Star's "September Gurls" and solo with "Hook or Crook" (I would have added the Box Tops' "Soul Deep" to complete that particular trifecta). There's Sun rockabilly madness with Billy Riley, Sonny Burgess, Jerry Lee Lewis & even Elvis as part of the Million Dollar Quartet and blues in the personages of Howlin' Wolf, Bobby Rush and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

In the midst of all these riches, there are three tracks that really struck me. The first one was "Spanish Delight" by The Bo-Keys, made up of Memphis musical vets, which sounded like vintage Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Another song was "Whitewash Station Blues" by the Memphis Jug Band, which made me realize where the Lovin' Spoonful got most of their style from (& john Sebastian his voice). Finally, the Reigning Sound's "If You Can't Give Me Everything" sounds and feels like Blond on Blond Dylan.

To finally finish up, this is a great compilation that is well worth picking up. This is a fine representation of the music of the Secret Music Capital of the U.S.A.. - By diskojoe (Salem, MA USA)

trax disc 1:

1. Same Thing On My Mind - Mose Vinson 2. T Model Boogie - Rosco Gordon 3. Red Hot - Billy Riley & The Little Green Men 4. Last Night - The Mar-Keys 5. Hook Or Crook - Alex Chilton 6. Chicken Dog - The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion 7. Poor Boy, Long Ways From Home - Gus Cannon (Banjo Joe) 8. Snake Drive - North Mississippi Allstars 9. Slummer D Slum - Mud Boy And The Neutrons 10. Rock 'n' Roll Sermon Part 1 - Elder Charles Beck 11. Rock 'n' Roll Sermon Part 2 - Elder Charles Beck 12. Cadillac Man - The Jesters 13. I Shall Not Be Moved - The Million Dollar Quartet 14. Go Back To Your Used To Be - Jessie Mae Hemphill 15. Things Get Better - Eddie Floyd 16. Anyway The Wind Blows - Syl Johnson 17. (I Feel Like) Breaking Up Somebody's Home - Ann Peebles 18. Tina, The Go-Go Queen - Tav Falco's Panther Burns 19. The Outlaw - Sid Selvidge 20. By The Time I Get To Phoenix - Isaac Hayes

trax disc 2:

1. My Sweet Potato - Booker T. & The MG's 2. Down In Mississippi - Jim Dickinson 3. Jes' Like A Monkey - Johnny Woods 4. Spanish Delight - The Bo-Keys 5. Howlin' Wolf Boogie - Howlin' Wolf 6. Hand Me Down My Walking Cane - Jerry Lee Lewis 7. The Image Of Me - The Country Rockers 8. Please, Please Little Girl - The Merits 9. September Gurls - Big Star 10. Whitewash Station - BluesMemphis Jug Band 11. Scratchy - Travis Wammack 12. Red Headed Woman - Sonny Burgess 13. White Lie, Black Eye - The Tearjerkers 14. If You Can't Give Me Everything - Reigning Sound 15. You Don't Miss Your Water - William Bell 16. Breakfast In Bed - Donnie Fritts With Lucinda Williams 17. I'm Only Human - The Country Soul Review, Feat. George Soule 18. Simply Beautiful - Al Green 19. Sue - Bobby Rush