Jerry Lee Lewis "All Killer, No Filler" - The Anthology 1980

The Sun material stops 12 songs into Rhino's double-disc, 42-track collection, All Killer, No Filler: The Jerry Lee Lewis Anthology…...Since Jerry Lee's legacy is built on his scintillating sides for Sun -- they're among the fiercest rock & roll ever recorded -- that could seem to be a problem, but the Killer didn't stop making great music when he left the label. He continued to cut classics for Smash and Mercury well into the '70s, after he toned down the rock & roll and turned up the country. Prior to All Killer, No Filler, no other collection attempted to tell this story, but this set does, taking it all the way into the early '80s, when Lewis wrapped up his career as an active recording artist. The scope of this alone is to be admired, particularly because most listeners tend to concentrate on "Crazy Arms," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On," "Great Balls of Fire," "Down the Line," "Breathless," and "High School Confidential," overlooking everything else he did, even his string of number one country singles in the late '60s and early '70s. Those singles are justly celebrated, but this proves that his sides for Smash and Mercury are equally stellar -- maybe not as visceral or potent, but surely as musically satisfying. They also offer a clear argument for Jerry Lee's versatility and strength as a stylist, how he can make any song sound as if it were written especially for him. All Killer, No Filler accomplishes this by not providing a laundry list of hits -- although all the key ones are here -- but by wisely choosing among his vast catalog of album tracks, forgotten singles, and even live cuts. Apart from arguably "In the Mood," which demonstrates his instrumental prowess but slows the flow, there's not a wrong move here, and it would be hard to better this as either a concise career summary or introduction. Neophytes who just want a heavy dose of Sun should stick with 18 Original Sun Greatest Hits, but anybody who truly wants to appreciate the richness of Jerry Lee Lewis' music should start here. - AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

trax disc 1:
01 Crazy Arms 02 End Of The Road 03 It`ll Be Me 04 All Night Long 05 Whole Lotta Shakin` Going On 06 You Win Again 07 Great Balls Of Fire 08 Down The Line 09 Breathless 10 High School Confidential 11 Break-Up 12 In The Mood (The Hawk) 13 I`m On Fire 14 Money (That`s What I Want) 15 Another Place Another Time 16 What`s Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made A Loser Out Of Me) 17 She Still Comes Around (To Love What's Left Of Me) 18 To Make Love Sweeter For You 19 Don`t Let Me Cross Over (With Linda Gail Lewis) 20 One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart) 21 Invitation To Your Party
trax disc 2:
01 She Even Woke Me Up To Say Go 02 One Minute Past Eternity 03 I Can`t Seem To Say Goodbye 04 Once More With Feeling 05 There Must Be More To Love Than This 06 Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone 07 Touching Home 08 Would You Take Another Chance 09 Chantilly Lace 10 No Headstone On My Grave 11 Drinking Wine Spo-Dee O`Dee 12 Sometimes A Memory Ain't Enough 13 Meat Man 14 He Can`t Fill My Shoes 15 Let`s Put It Back Together Again 16 Middle Age Crazy 17 Come On In 18 I`ll Find It Where I Can 19 Over The Rainbow 20 Thirty Nine And Holding 21 Rockin` My Life Away