On the other hand, what Varese's included here is the Real Stuff: pristinely transferred original singles recordings. The 25 tracks include all of Lewis major chart hits (both pop and country) during his six-year tenure at Sun. All of the best-known early titles (and those most overplayed by Oldies radio) are here, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Great Balls of Fire" (which, amazingly, makes an entire band out of only a piano and a guitar), "Breathless," and "High School Confidential." Non-charting B-sides such as his cover of Roy Orbison's "Down the Line," and previously unissued rarities like "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" show that The Killer had more good material than radio and the public were able to soak up at the time. Throughout the recordings, the support from guitarist Roland Janes is stellar, and drummer J.M. Van Eaton mostly keeps pace with Lewis' manic performances.

The wealth and breadth of material that Lewis recorded for Sun couldn't possibly be represented in only 25 tracks, and Varese clearly knows this. They've chosen to focus on Lewis' seminal contributions to the birth of rock 'n' roll, seasoned with a few ballad, pop novelties and country tunes. It's a common musical characterization of Lewis, and though perhaps not fully revealing of his talent, what's here is sure to please most listeners. As a single-disc summary of Lewis' Sun years, this is as good as any and better than many. For the whole story, save your pennies and buy Bear Family's comprehensive 8-disc box set.


The place to start   December 3, 2004
Tony Thomas (SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FL USA)
15 out of 16 found this review helpful

For those of us who cannot afford the Box sets of Jerry Lee Lewis, this is a good place to start. It contains the early hits that JLL made when he burst upon the national scene in the 195os, and by and large it contains most of the Good sides he recorded for Sun Records. Sun records kept Jerry recording tunes throughout the fifties and early 1960s and did not release many of those sides until the 1970s or 1980s. Despite the fact that there were many great tracks there, it is a good thing that almost none of those recordings were released on this Sun Collection.

This is the stuff that broke big. Several of these songs were number one hits on the pop, country, and R&B charts at the time.
You get a lot of the youthful energy with spare production. You get just a lot of JLL here.

Jerry Lee Lewis is a serious artist. He has continued performing until today and like any serious artist he developed over time. I believe in the 1960s he was the best Rock and Roll performer ever, but unfortunately his music wasn't being picked up by many people and, sadly, Rock came to replace rock and role. Likewise, I think some of the sides he released in the 1970s which were more in a Southern groove were great music in and of themselves. Finally, his great country recordings of the late 1970s and early 1980s are among the finest recordings anyone has ever done in Country music. Finally, there are some real gems on some of the albums produced by Jimmy Burton that the Killer has released in the last 20 years.

One needs to have it all, or suffer the fact that our society is so backward as not to supply every citizen with all of the JLL that can be absorbed. However, this collection is a good place to start, a good place if you are interested in the history and development of rock and roll. Maybe you do just have to get it all!


there's a whole lotta shakin' goin' on...look out Killer!   August 9, 2001
J. Lovins (Missouri-USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

I grew up with "Rock N' Roll"...that is to say ~ Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bill Haley & the Comets...and oh yes, Jerry Lee Lewis...when I think of all the 45 records I would cart around to different "Teen Towns"...had the best collection on the South-Side, whenever dance or special party...I was invited, would spin the top hits of the month...those were the days my friend.

There was only one Jerry Lee Lewis, his style and mannerism very unique...never know what he will do next, this was his charm and drawing power...he touched on country, honky tonk, southern rock and good ole rock n' roll...take for instance "WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON", this was an immediate hit, couldn't go anywhere and not hear this played..."GREAT BALLS OF FIRE", followed as another number one hit, the super-star could do no wrong...and this next tune was my all-time favorite by "the Killer" ~ "HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL", co-written by Jerry Lee and Bill Hargrave, the opening lyrics is classic Lewis, he's completely in his element...next, listen to the piano style on "LEWIS BOOGIE", tickling the ivory's...as only Jerry can.

Hats off to ~ Cary E. Mansfield (collection producer), Sun Records and Varese Sarabande Records/Varese Vintage...fantastic sound remastered by Dan Hersch...the energetic performances bring back so many good memories of ~ JERRY LEE LEWIS!

You might try other Varese Vintage releases, all worthy of a good listen ~ "Roy Orbison Complete Sun Sessions" (302-066-233-2)..."The Champs-25 All Time Greatest Recordings" (302-066-113-2)..."The Beach Boys Surfin" (302-066-085-2)..."PHILADELPHIA U.S.A." (302-066-212-2)...please check out my reviews on amazon.com/music.

Total Time: 67:06 on 25 Tracks ~ Varese Sarabande 302-066-129-2 ~ (2000)


Primo from start to end!!!   September 9, 2000
11 out of 12 found this review helpful

Another reviewer gave this CD one star because all of this material has been issued elsewhere. That would be like rating any compilation by the Stones, Beatles, CCR, Chuck Berry, Dylan, etc. as poor merely because you may have all this material on other discs. Well, if you do already have these songs, don't buy the disc. However, if you don't already own these 25 gems, buy the CD, sit back, and git gone with the Killer! The sound is great, and there isn't one second of sonic fat to be trimmed from this collection. This is a truly amazing compilation of rock and roll and country tunes from one of the industry's greatest song stylists.


This could have been better   November 1, 2005
James W. King (Kansas)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Being a Jerry Lee Lewis fan means that I own 99% of everything he recorded. So, I may be a little too close to the subject to be helpful about a Greatest Hits disc.
Any serious listener simply needs, at the least, everything The Hawk recorded for Sun Records. But, back to these 25 choices. Most are wonderful, so, why are "Baby Baby Bye Bye" and "Love on Broadway" here?
I could name hundreds of superior cuts by Mr. Lewis. A few nominations would be; the single version of "It'll Be Me"..."That Lucky Old Sun" (just Jerry and his piano) "Deep Elem Blues" or "I'm On Fire."
Just over a month ago The Ferriday Fireball turned 70. Criminally, this was widely ignored. Do yourself a favor and get some Jery Lee Lewis music in your life.