Carl Perkins: The Sun Era Outtakes
Carl Perkins
The Sun Era Outtakes
(Bear Records)
In the late 50′s, Sun Records sported the first roster of rock nâ roll superstars â Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and good ole boy guitar god Carl Perkins, âThe King of Rockabilly.â
Carlâs legacy was guaranteed when Elvis covered his best-known song and the Beatles recorded not one, but three of his tunes. But Carl was a powerhouse performer in his own right. He battled the bottle in the 60′s, redeeming himself as a spiritual songsmith (âDaddy Sang Bassâ) and as a prolific picker in Cashâs band and on his hit TV show.
Recognizing Carlâs importance as one of rockabillyâs founding fathers, Bear Records has released the Sun Era Outtakes. The 5-disc package contains over 360 minutes of embryonic bits, works-in-progress and nearly-there versions of Carlâs hillbilly hits, including the knee-slapping hilarity of âBoppinâ the Blues,â âAll Mamaâs Children,â âHoney Donâtâ and, of course, âBlue Suede Shoes.â The only drawback may be the excessive amount of similar sounding takes. (Do we really need 18 versions of âPut Your Cat Clothes on?â)
The fifth disc is a treasure trove of rarities that includes the unexpected instrumentals âThat Old Spinning Wheel,â âThe Poor People of Paris,â âSilver Bellâ and âListen to the Mockingbirdâ (the Three Stoogesâ theme!) with Carl picking away solo or with just a stand-up bass for sparse accompaniment. The homemade recordings are so raw and unprocessed you can hear an oblivious child babbling blissfully in the background. The highlight is the 4:22 workout, âSomebody Tell Me,â with Carlâs caustic commentary: âThe preacher asked me, âCarl you want her for your wife?â/Well, I didnât know that joker meant the rest of my life!â
Carl may have sported the ugliest, most obvious toupee in the history of hair, but as the Sun Era Outtakes proves, man that cat could play.