Reviews (page 4 of 10)
Firstly, you can choose to separate the art from the artist or you can choose not to. That’s your choice. I’ll review the album. Not the person. Once you get past the ‘legendary’ name, the music can stand alone and, on its rockabilly roots and caustic attack, it is very strong. The problem with the album is its lack of continuity and Lewis’ stylistic inflexibility when the material requires it. He performs full of energy and passion, which comes out as an explosion, not with control or in measured doses. This is what makes him so great at ehat he does. But it is all that he does. His style is rightfully fierce and historic on “Great Balls of Fire” and “Good Golly, Miss Mollly”. But on a track like, “Your Cheating Heart”, the delivery is terribly misfit to the sentiment of the lyrics and Lewis’ poor attempt at a honeyed tone is abandoned before long. His vocal style is not a good fit for any sort of reflective material or anything approaching a ballad. I mean, why take the sports car to the supermarket? Finally, as an album, this doesn’t work. You feel “in the room” but this is just a guy playing his (and others) hits well, but without any sense of cohesion or reason that these songs should be together. To say this is one of the 1000 best albums is to bow to tradition without really hearing it for what it is. One Line Twitter Review: Your least favorite power punk bands’ favorite rapper.
Kept waiting for the Fonz to make a cameo. Fun nostalgic listen.
He can piano. That is all.
He 'marries' a 13 year old, then on his redemption tour his backing band is the Nashville TEENS? Can't make that up.
He’s a sex pest
While he was a despicable human being on many levels, he could sure as hell perform.
6/10 This is album is significantly greater than the sum of its parts. Jerry Lee Lewis is not as good a singer as he thinks he is, and certainly not as good as some of the singers who recorded more famous versions of many of these songs. It’s also essentially a covers album, with Jerry only having a hand in writing two of the songs on the album. That’s not exactly uncommon for this type of music at the time, but still worthy of note when comparing this to other ‘essential’ albums. The band are, in the most part, excellent. There are great performances all round for a lot of the album, although they do have a tendency to try and attack songs with just a touch too much pace here and there, which leads them to struggle to hold things together. When Jerry lets things flow, his piano work is also excellent, but it’s clear that he can also get quite carried away with trying to show off and throws to many glissandos and trills all over the place and has a tendency to overplay when he gets a bit too worked up. But despite all that, the energy and feel of this recording just elevates things above the level that they would otherwise be. The delivery is often electric, and it’s hard to avoid tapping along as they blast through song after song. The attitude and ferocity of the fun they’re obviously having on stage really comes through and spin a real thread of gold through the performance. It’s not necessarily a collection of great songs, but more a record of an invigorating performance. Mean Woman Blues - This has way more pace than I was expecting. It’s a great rock ’n roll song, but it definitely feels like he’s aping Elvis, who had recorded this 7 years previously, in his delivery in a couple of places. When he forgets that it’s better. It’s brash, fast paced and has bags of attitude. High School Confidential - Another good, pacy number, but it feels like he’s trying too hard to give it everything and his timing goes a bit all over the place later on. Money (That’s What I Want) - I’m not that keen on his vocal delivery in places here, it’s a bit hit and miss. Again, it’s a very competently delivered rock ’n roll performance of a well written song. Sounds like they’re having a lot of fun. Matchbox - A bluesy number. He certainly likes sticking his own name into songs, doesn’t he? There’s a great little swing to this. Again, a solid performance. What’d I Say, Part 1 - The pace goes back up again. Apparently, this Ray Charles composition is the first ever soul song. Jerry Lee certainly didn’t get the memo with his straight rock ’n roll cover of it. It again feels in places like they’re just trying to play things as fast as they possibly can, which compromises things a bit for me. What’d I Say, Part 2 - For the second half of this song, they control things a bit better, and it works better. He can generate some fantastic grit on his voice. Great Balls of Fire - It’s obviously a classic. But I don’t actually like the incredibly affected delivery of the lyrics, particularly the ‘goodness gracious, great balls of fire’ lyric. Great performances all round apart from that though. Good Golly, Miss Molly - So much energy and drive and great performances. His vocal just isn’t as good as Little Richard’s though, is it? He definitely believes his own hype and can’t rein it in, even when the other musicians are having their moment in the spotlight he can’t help but throw glissandos all over the place. It’s quite funny really. Lewis Boogie - Only the second song on the album that he wrote and he had to put his name in the title. It’s actually one of the weaker songs on the here. It’s decent, but it’s just a fairly one-note standard blues progression with some nonsense lyrics. The guitarist has a great little solo. Your Cheatin’ Heart - A bit of variety, but his crooning isn’t actually great. When playing more up-tempo stuff, the delivery works, but it’s just over the top for this type of song. His piano playing is ace though. Hound Dog - A classic song. The band, as they are most of the time, are smashing it, but again, he just can’t provide the nuance in his vocal delivery to give it the feel that better vocalists would get out of this song. Give me this instrumental with a more controlled singer and we’d be on to a winner. Long Tall Sally - More Little Richard. Another great song where the vocal just isn’t as good as the original. And again, the band are smashing it, although they are on the edge of trying to attack this with too much pace, but you can’t deny the energy. Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On - There’s a load more groove to this because they’ve slowed things down and allowed room for it to vibe, but things get too cluttered when they start going for it. The band are on decent form, but actually, a bit of the magic is kind of lost when they lose the ferocity.
Lots of fun
Favorite Track: Great Balls Of Fire
Listened Before? N Really intense and powerful rock n roll performance record here... but this dude was such a piece of crap that I can't rate it highly. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Money
Swinging peckers
I don't remember, think I probably liked it
I read piano rock and was expecting something like Elton John, got something more like a blue-eyed Little Richard. If you don't know who Jerry Lee was (like me) expect the gentrification of blues in its early transitions to rock. Most of what we're gonna hear is african-american compositions sung by a very talented piano player who has enough originality to add his name into a lot of the songs. The order of the tracklist is misleading. He did not start off with a bang, but the record does. It seems to have been a pretty amazing live event, but it's been reconditioned so I'm not entirely sure I feel like I've missed out. Lots of talent, not enough originality. 3.1/5
was waiting to see if his music was good enough to overlook his racism, pedophilia and incestuous behaviors it's not also this culture vulture is NOT the inventor of rock and roll. sure, i can recognize this guy's talent, but the black artists that created the blueprint for what we know now as rock n roll ran fuckin circles around this creep's music. i'll spare him a 1-star rating just because Great Balls of Fire lowkey slaps
<sarcasm> Hoorah, just what I wanted, another live album </sarcasm> Not really a fan of Jerry Lee Lewis as it is, "Great Balls of Fire" drives me insane, it's such a cheesy, overplayed, song. The part in Top Gun with the song is cringey. I can't deny he had some revolutionary tracks, even definitive perhaps, but I don't want to hear any of them live. He has some real energy, but as always the sound quality is lacking. 3 because I'm being kind.
This racist creep really hammered the shit out of that piano. But...racist creep. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): N/A ⭐: Hated it.
It’s difficult rating an album that is essentially a greatest hits album. Putting that aside and basing my opinion solely on the live aspect of things, it’s good. I could use more interaction with the crowd and using The Door live at the Hollywood bowl as the gold standard for live albums, this doesn’t make that upper echelon . It’s error free and filler free. One uppity song after another. It’s not disappointing
Really good album. Even for a live album. The man sure could play the piano. He must have been quite the showman. So despite his personal life, I am going to give him 7/10 rounded up.
This was a fun listen, whole lot of energy here. Nice and quick too so I'll probably listen again.
3/5
Wow nonstop bops and no filler. Love the energy and the surprise hits.
it's mostly quite good
its like they heard me. hahah another live album and i like JLL. many years after his heyday, but still good. i will say he is one of those guys where today you go, which of these did YOU actually write? but it speaks more to the live scene back in the day. 3/5 and it could be higher if more songs were his.
Wonder if the piano or Jerry are the mains stars of the show lol. Great every of music though
Great album! Loved his energy, performance and songs, would love to see something like this live
One of the only albums so far short enough for me to be able to finish before getting to work. That said if I went to a gig and they finished after 20 mins I would want money back.
Fantastic. Real old school rock and roll
Kind of bog standard live 60s rock. It's fine but there's better examples of the genre than this I think.
Another blue eyed soul album lol. This does not deserve to be in the white canon cosplay like Elvis, Stones, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc.
Is Jerry Lee Lewis just a giant rip off of Little Richard? The songs all sound the same but it's missing pretty much all of the charm. I guess also he's a huge piece of shit. At least it was short.
This racist, murdering, piece-of-shit cousin-fucker could sure play
Registro ao vivo bem cru e energético. QoA Adonis New.
Sounds like it would have been a great show to see in person.
An incredible document of what an incredibly flawed human was once capable of.
Birth of rock, but can’t get past the personal stuff…
So much energy pouring out of one man. It's thrilling, it's everything a live album needs to be. Makes you wish you were there to feel it for yourself. Rock 'n Roll at its core. Gave me great balls of fire.
Classic!
Lively!
It's a lot of sound - sonically Jerry Lee Lewis had a lot going on, add crowd noise, it's loud. But for a live album originally recorded in the 1960s, it was pretty good.
I've never heard someone use their own name in so many songs
Today, for avoidance of doubt, I would not attend a 22min concert of cover versions by an alleged murdering, racist, hebephiliac. That aside, 5 starts.
Fundamentally I don’t believe a compilation album (which includes a live album) should be a list such as this. Especially when it’s 22 minutes and mostly covers of other artists. And especially when the artist doin the covers is also a pedophile. She was 13. And you abused her.
I know but damn if this isn’t a hell of a performance.
That was fun!
Good fun :-))).
This one was not an easy find but I was able to locate it on old vinyl stored in an attic and mercifully it was not warped and played very well. Made me very nostalgic for the early 60, and the chance to have seen Jerry Lee live at the height of his prowess. Amazing and gifted original rock and roller who deserves all the accolades he receives.
I love to see a 22 minute album. Very fun, this type of music would sound amazing live, still fun to listen to though.
55/100. Not a fan of the music or the man himself, but as a live album it’s a decent performance.
Not anything special
crazy how listening to this while making icons really soothed my soul... i always have mixed opinions about live albums but i really liked this one! it was fun!
So this guy sucks. The album however, is pretty good. It's no where close to Sam Cooke Live At Harlem Square Club but serviceable nonetheless. His vocals were pretty nice but I won't be listening to this one again.
I liked how close/loud the instruments seemed to be to the mics. Don’t have much to say about him that hasn’t already been said
22 mins is not an album. If you like 12 bar blues and rock and roll this will be enjoyable but all the tracks are very similar. Some well-known songs in there
Complicated to rate this one because I generally dislike live albums and Jerry Lee is a piece of shit. However, his influence is undeniable IMO. My favorite live band is Low Cut Connie and Adam's performance style is directly influenced by JLL. Adam wrote a reflection about JLL when he died, published by Spin. (https://www.spin.com/2022/11/jerry-lee-lewis-tribute/)
musica que tocaria vitruvius en el lejano oeste, va duro , es un tiny desk d la epoca
This album was recorded in 1964, Jerry Lee Lewis had to be well into his downswing by then. Jerry Lee Lewis vs. Elvis, The Stones Vs. The Beatles, Jodeci vs. Boyz II Men...always have there been musical rivals and ever will there be. This is a good live album, he's like the white Little Richard, and not only because he covers Good Golly, Miss Molly. There's nothing but hits on this album, Jerry Lee knew what the people wanted. It helps that covers were so widespread back then. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On is his best song, no matter what Top Gun tries to push. That's maybe the shortest album on the list, all hits, no filler. I wonder if his actual show went longer and it just didn't make the album.
A very short live album. I really enjoyed it. amazing vocal performance. Falsetto, grits, belting, all very good. It was recorded in 1964? So I assumed no editing? Which was very impressive. I liked your cheating heart. The other songs do sound the same, but at least they are all short, so was not bored. It’s like an old photo, it ages well and it captures the moment very.
i get that JLL has his place in rock and roll history, but i feel like this specific album doesn't really capture all that he had to offer. i enjoyed this album, i did, but its only about 20 minutes. I have to imagine the man played a longer show than that, and so im curious why this snapshot of a performance is lauded as one of the greatest of all time. a bit odd in that respect. again, i liked it, but its just not enough of an ode to really pay tribute to the man. also, take this all with a grain of salt. dude married his 13 year old cousin so... thats gross
Thought this was a super cool live album to do and to actually hear how Jerry Lee played live but by the end it all kinda ran together. I was hoping for at least changing It up on some of the songs but it all sounded like great balls of fire.
I just want to watch the first Top Gun now. RIP Goose. There’s definitely a couple great tracks on this album, and I’m sure seeing him live and rocking the stage must have been incredible, but the biggest drawback of this album is how similar each song sounds to each other. I feel like this was something I noticed with Little Richard as well and I’m sure is more just an early rock and roll issue, but that doesn’t make it more enjoyable seventy years later. Also I’d be kind of pissed if I only saw a thirty-minute set at a concert.
This album is fun and full of energy. It all sounds a bit the same but it sure is a blast.
There will never be another Jerry Lee
Absolute classic and so important to rock ‘n’ roll. It is hard to separate the man from the music and from pedophile to the stories of abuse left a trail of ex-wives dead and alive.
Love live energetic music.
Nice little live album. Goodness gracious
No clue what this guy did, but damn this music is right up my alley. Each song is jam packed with grooves, i can only imagine the energy in this club during the live recording. It had me dancing along doing my laundry and cleaning the kitchen - really good stuff.
She was 13 Jerry!
guys a creep and just didn't enjoy the live recording of this for some reason. Im a hater sue me!
Foot tapping and high energy rock & roll. It must have been a real experience to be a young kid at one of his concerts. Though perhaps not a young girl. I had no idea he tried to kill Elvis!? So he wasn't all bad then. 3½
Some vanilla ass rock
solidan rokenrol. ništa posebno, ništa loše
Prometheus of modern Rock and Roll album from a piano perspective. Mostly 50's covers but considered one of the best live albums of all time. You can hear all of the ingredients that influenced the sound and the sounds that influenced later generations. Also a great reminder that your grandparents still got down in their time. "How'd you meet grandma, grandpa?" "At a Jerry Lee Lewis concert, I saw her from across the dance floor. She had a dynamite smile and an ass that wouldn't quit." Fun listen.
Czuć w tych piosenkach ducha rock and rolla. Czuć ze grał i śpiewał całym sobą. Można sie przenieść w czasie do lat 50, jednak to nie są moje klimaty muzyczne.
Yes, as a man, he was a POS. But man could he rock. I am not judging the man here. This about the music and the show he put on...and just WOW! Jerry Lewis and the Nashville Teens? Humor or horror. This is f'ing rock and roll....
Not my favorite kind of music, but I must admit it’s a fantastic live performance with an insanely festive vibe. The energy is through the roof, and I totally get why rock’n’roll was such a musical revolution back then. Most of the songs are covers, credited or uncredited, so no point for creativity here – but Jerry Lee Lewis revisits them with a very personal touch.
His Wikipedia page is something else. Just gonna ignore that, the live performance was good, music was good enough but kinda samey by the end Will I listen to again: 14%
Highlight Song/s Matchbox, Lewis Boogie and Long Tall Sally Straight rocker, this one is! I love the stage banter, as any other good live album would have. You can hear all the cheers that infest the album by the rebellious people who are fans of loud music; alongside them chanting his name as if he was some divine being, maybe he isn't one but I'm sure the audience felt like he was one for the duration of the concert. A quirk about the album I find strange (which was probably standard for the time,) was he used the words Nineteen-Hundred and Fifty-Two to say the year '1952', where nowadays people would (hopefully!) raise their eyebrows at you if you said that instead of Nineteen-Fifty-Two. I'm glad this one had some swing to it as that's what I was expecting when I heard 'This Is Fats Domino!,' no disrespect to him I felt like I was kind of falling asleep with all the ballad songs, nonetheless this album is just a lot better. It was cool to see two Little Richard songs on here, I hope his album is good when I eventually get it.
great balls of fire
Ok live album. The mix doesn’t highlight Jerry’s piano and vocals. But the energy is clearly there.
Short and sweet. Jerry Lee brings the heat! But he was a kind of a POS in life. 4/5 #139
Yet another short, fun live album. (Again, live albums shouldn’t be here because they’re like greatest hits albums but I yield). I don’t know if I ever heard a full album from the taciturn, young cousin-loving, driving impaired Jerry Lee Lewis. This album had a lot of energy and fun. Top tracks: “High School Confidential”—is this meant to be ironic?, “Money”
--High School Confidential...fun! --Money...I think this is the first version of this song I've liked. Dude can play --Great Balls of Fire...I've heard better versions from him but it still rips --Good Golly Miss Molly...keeps the party going --Lewis' Boogie...not enough piano. More piano! --Your Cheating Heart...we slow the tempo down. It's almost like Jerry's hand can't handle slowing it down so he plays at double (triple?) speed to fit the new tempo --Long, Tall Sally...another toe tapping classic --Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On...things are starting to meld together but we're almost done. Short, sweet, and fun
I wish I had anywhere near this much energy!
One of those people I know the name of but wouldn't be able to tell you one song by them. Genuinely knew nothing about the guy so I looked at the reviews and his Wikipedia page and hoo boy did I learn a lot. Well he seems to be shitty at music too because he managed to make every single song sound exactly the same: boring 1/5
As a teen I watched the biopic with Denis Quaid and my brother would play Great Balls of Fire on the piano, so it was nice to hear. I also appreciate the improvised recording set up which makes it a great documentary. Difficult to judge out of context 60 years later. Well stiilvery nice to listent to.
What a rocky jazzy bluesy album !!
The energy feels unreal for that time.
What a great album! I would’ve loved to have been at that concert!
Rating: 2.8 I’m not easily swayed by the energy of live performance. The music was very enjoyable and the (surprisingly mush-mouthed) Jerry Lee Lewis had the crowd in the palm of his hands.
Catchy as hell, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what a horrible person he was.
Bare god musik. En anelse kontroversiel fyr dog hahah
Sounds like a great gig, uncomplicated and raw. Fantastic live recording. I suspect this one is in the list because JLL was such an influential figure in popular music - though enjoyed his peak before the concept of the album enjoyed its own. So as a record capturing an important musician, it's a good listen, as an important album, maybe less so.
403/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Hadn’t heard this. Solid throughout!
It’s not really my kind of thing, but it’s fast, fun, and relentlessly energetic. I also appreciate the tight runtime.
“we hope you’ll enjoy this little diddy”
A recording of a live concert at the Star Club. It must have been great if you were there. When you listen to it, you can feel the bubbling and steaming atmosphere, you can almost smell it. However, I don't find it so exciting as a recorded version. I won't be listening to it again any time soon. 3/5
There’s no denying this album is a powerhouse of energy, an explosion of raw rock ‘n’ roll that tears through everything in its path. Jerry Lee Lewis delivers an insanely intense performance, and it’s easy to see why it’s considered one of the wildest live albums ever recorded. But the style just doesn’t resonate with me. It feels too chaotic and dated for my taste, and while the energy is infectious, I’m glad rock music has evolved in other directions since then. 3/5
2.5/5 Just not my jam
fuck this guy yo
Sweet Rock and Roll.
## Live at the Star Club, Hamburg: The Incandescent Heart of Rock 'n' Roll - An In-Depth Review Jerry Lee Lewis's **"Live at the Star Club, Hamburg"** (recorded April 5, 1964, released summer 1964) isn’t merely an album; it’s a volcanic eruption captured on tape. Often hailed as the **greatest live rock 'n' roll album ever made**, it documents The Killer at his most ferociously transcendent, backed by the shellshocked Nashville Teens. Here’s a breakdown of its anatomy, impact, and legacy: ### 1. Lyrics: Vehicles for Pure Catharsis Lewis largely leans on **covers and past hits** ("Great Balls of Fire," "Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On," "Good Golly Miss Molly," "Hound Dog," Hank Williams’ "Your Cheatin’ Heart"). Their brilliance lies *not* in poetic innovation but in: - **Ritualistic Reinvention**: Familiar lyrics become incantations for chaos. "Mean Woman Blues" opens the set at breakneck speed, its jealousy transformed into a violent declaration . - **Emotional Raw Material**: Simple phrases ("You shake my nerves!," "Shake, baby, shake!") are delivery devices for Lewis’s barely contained rage, lust, and defiance. In "Your Cheatin’ Heart," he dissects heartbreak with a guttural snarl, warping country melancholy into rock fury . - **Audience Communion**: Chants, whoops, and Lewis’s self-mythologizing interjections ("Play it right, boy!") blur the line between song and primal spectacle . ### 2. Music: The Sound of Possession This is where the album achieves mythic status: - **Piano as Weapon**: Lewis attacks the keys with "a tack hammer" , generating percussive, almost distorted tones. His playing is **technically dazzling yet violently physical** – boogie-woogie meets demolition derby . - **Relentless Tempo & Energy**: Songs start fast and accelerate. The Nashville Teens scramble to keep up, creating a thrilling, chaotic tension. Compared to this, "thrash metal sounds tame, the Stooges sound constrained... the Sex Pistols sound like wimps" . - **Vocal Fury**: Lewis’s voice is a hoarse, gospel-drenched roar – equal parts preacher, bluesman, and madman. It’s ravaged yet utterly commanding, cutting through the din . - **Band Dynamics**: The Nashville Teens provide a sturdy, driving foundation, but this is Lewis’s show. Their struggle to match his manic pace adds to the album’s combustible energy . ### 3. Production: Capturing Lightning in a Bottle Producer Siggi Loch used a minimalist setup: - **Strengths**: Close-miked instruments + a single stereo audience mic create startling immediacy and raw power. The piano dominates the mix, rightly placing Lewis’s performance center-stage. The crowd noise is palpable, placing you *in* the sweaty, raucous Star-Club . - **Weaknesses**: Fidelity is **lo-fi and unbalanced** by modern standards. Bass and guitar can be buried under the piano onslaught, and sonic imperfections exist (e.g., the original omission of "Down the Line" due to a glitch) . However, these flaws often *enhance* the album’s gritty, dangerous authenticity – "it’s a crime scene," not a polished exhibit . ### 4. Themes: Fury, Redemption, and the Essence of Rock - **Personal Catharsis**: Recorded during Lewis’s "wilderness years" (post-scandal over marrying his 13-year-old cousin, career collapse, alcoholism), the performance channels his rage, desperation, and defiance into pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll. It’s an act of artistic survival . - **Defiance Against Obsolescence**: With the British Invasion (Beatles, Stones) dominating, Lewis uses the Beatles’ old Hamburg stomping ground to deliver a scorching rebuke: "THIS is rock ‘n’ roll" . - **The Primal Spirit of Rock**: The album embodies rock’s core elements – **untamed energy, sexual charge, rebellion, and visceral connection** – stripped of all pretense or commercial calculation . ### 5. Influence: The Unmatched Benchmark - **Genre-Defining**: It set the **template for live rock energy**. Critics unanimously hail it as the purest, hardest rock record ever made . - **Artist Inspiration**: Cited as a primal influence by punk, hard rock, and garage rock artists. Its ferocity shames later generations (Iggy Pop, The Stooges, The Sex Pistols are frequent comparatives found lacking) . - **Critical Acclaim**: Routinely tops "Greatest Live Album" lists (Rolling Stone, NME, The Telegraph, Mojo) . ### Pros vs. Cons: The Essential Balance | **Aspect** | **Pros** | **Cons** | |-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Performance** | Unmatched energy, intensity & raw skill; Lewis at his most demonically possessed; Band's frantic struggle adds tension; Captures rock's primal essence perfectly. | Nashville Teens occasionally sound overwhelmed; Relentless pace offers little dynamic respite. | | **Sound & Production** | Raw, immediate sound places listener in the room; Perfectly captures chaotic atmosphere; Piano's dominant mix highlights the core instrument. | Lo-fi fidelity; Uneven mix (bass/guitar often buried); Sonic imperfections/distortion; Original album missing songs later restored. | | **Historical Impact** | Definitive document of live rock energy; Immense influence across genres; Cultural artifact capturing Lewis' defiance & rock's spirit. | Long unavailable in the US, limiting initial impact; Tied to Lewis' deeply problematic personal history. | | **Themes & Lyrics** | Lyrics transformed into vehicles for cathartic emotion; Pure, unmediated rebellion & energy; Transcends its era. | Reliance on covers; Lyrical depth secondary to delivery; Ethical quandary of separating art from artist (Lewis' scandal). | ### Conclusion: The Unvarnished Truth **"Live at the Star Club, Hamburg"** is not a comfortable listen. It’s raw, chaotic, technically imperfect, and inextricably linked to Jerry Lee Lewis’s deeply flawed humanity. Yet, it remains **the most electrifying, essential document of live rock 'n' roll ever committed to tape**. It achieves something almost alchemical: transforming personal turmoil, technical limitations, and primal musicality into an **unassailable monument of pure energy**. Its influence is immeasurable, its power undimmed. Forget "great balls of fire" – this is the sound of a supernova. > **Verdict**: The greatest live rock album ever made. Not an argument – a fact. Turn it up loud and feel your nerves shaken.
I hate this guys schtick
😃😄
Decent, slightly 50s vibe to this. Makes your head want to bop. (Accidentally bloomin rated the wrong album, why is there no edit/undo buttonnnnnnnn?? Koffi Olomide does not have a 50s vibe!)
Great album
Jerry was a beast
8 songs, 22 minutes. Sign me up all day long. It captures the energy really well. Piano playing is top notch. Yeah, from what I've gathered, he's a POS (but, spoiler, a ton of artists on this list are). I hope everyone that somehow thinks giving this a 1 shows their moral superiority does it for every artist and consistently ranks them.
Holy shit this is incredible! How have I never heard of this before?!? I thought I knew something but I guess I don't and it's delightful to be proven wrong.
I know very little about Jerry Lee Lewis, aside from that he's *not* the same person as Jerry Lewis (thankfully), and he had something bad associated with him with underage girls. (I didn't realize until I read the Wikipedia entry that the scandal was that he married his 13-year-old cousin (first cousin once removed, so definitely *not* kissing cousins) about 6 years before this was recorded, so I guess she was finally older than 18 when this came out, but still a first cousin....) Backstory aside, this seems like it was a fun performance, and even though nearly all the songs are covers, he definitely infuses his own style and swagger. I've never been a big rock-n-roll fan, so there aren't any tracks that really stood out for me, although the opening track "Mean woman blues" is particularly intense-sounding. And the recording seems well-done for a live album in that era, although I really can't get behind Stephen Erlewine's (Allmusic) rant that "compared to this, thrash metal sounds tame, the Stooges sound constrained, hardcore punk seems neutered, and the Sex Pistols sound like wimps." But hey, he's a famous critic, and I'm not.
Fun with some fierce intensity--you feel as if Lewis earned his "Killer" nickname honestly. What a great show that must have been. I created an Amazon playlist of all the songs in the order played in case that's of interest (I saw that the Amazon version of the album was missing a few songs so went down a rabbit hole to get them all). Here's the playlist: https://music.amazon.com/user-playlists/48a70b6c1a2c4595b603bb91140bf8cfsune?ref=dm_sh_5950-9e7c-52a8-2071-e663f
Okay!
Would definitely be an amazing gig to go to
Classic tunes done in a classic style. Makes me feel both old and young.
I assumed I was going to hate this. Old timey music is bad enough, but live old timey music? Even worse. But actually, this album slaps. It's so fucking good. The energy is huge. Why did rock and roll ever go out of fashion? It's so damn energetic and danceable. Shame this guy seems to be about as bad a human being as his music is good.
Nice
Nope, not giving a pedo anymore than one star. I couldn’t give two tosses how good they are.
I’m fundamentally uninterested in this kind of early rock. And very little personal warmth or charm comes across in this live recording. There’s definitely energy, though. This is probably in the neighborhood of 2.5 stars for me.
It's fun, I knew most of the songs. But, would I seek it out? Would I intentionally play it? Probably not. 3
Solid listen. A bit short and dated, but still fun!
Dope
I think I’m good on Jerry. Not my mind if style.
Some songs sounded familiar, but overall an okay album. Maybe it’s not just to my taste.
For a live rock and roll album, it's pretty feeble.
Good ole time rock n roll. Was a good listen
I listened to this album three times in a row. My feet never stopped tapping.
Takes kissing cousins to a new level
i like jerry lee lewis because he married his 13 year old cousin, thats really based. upvoted!
very shittily recorded but very fire
Jao daj rock'n'rolla 🔥 divnoća, da mi je biti u tom vremenu i strollati 🫶🏻 sviđa mi se ta sirovost ovog albuma kvalitetom zvuka, baš vrh. 4/5, 8/10
What can I say? Other than I enjoyed that a lot.
A white nonce playing a bunch of deranged covers of songs by black artists. It's well recorded, and the playing is fine, but not sure you need to listen to this. 2 stars.
3.5/5 fun listen and great energy
Cool live album
This is an incredible performance and recording, but honestly it's more of a greatest hits than an actual album.
Great live album!
This album was a total joy for me to listen to. It is too bad that I am reading that the man was such a POS, but could he ever perform. A lot of these songs do sound very similar. But still, rating the album and ignoring the character of the performer, I give it 5 stars.
Rockin'
Felt too dirty listening to it
Album's pretty good, ignoring Lewis' insane proclivities.
That man was born to entertain. His style is definitely a little one note by the end but overall a fun listen.
Super fun and energetic, will definitely have to check more out from Jerry Lee Lewis.
Fantastic.
C’est du rock n roll… Pas trop mon son mais ça donne la pêche
Pretty good
Reading these reviews talking all about how he’s a bad guy but if it weren’t for him we wouldn’t have that iconic Top Gun scene so gotta slide this a 3
Probably would have been unforgettable if I was there live dancing with my 60’s sweetheart. On Spotify and 60 years later, more forgettable.
로큰롤에 대한 이해.. 컨트리 이후 락과 그 사이 쯤. 비틀즈에 영향을 주다니?
Var säkert nyskapande på sin tid men tycker inte det finns nåt alls i detta.
Underbart att höra Jerry Lee Lweiss Live!!!
Lyssnade inte så noga men funkade bra som bakgrundsmusik!
Det var här det började. Håller fortfarande iaf som livemusik. Vilken rytmsektion! Fyra
great energy. will definitely revisit. almost a 4
Best thing about this album was it was short. Crappy covers mixed with a few mediocre hits performed live just ain’t doing it for me.
It was fine
This was fine but it was 22 minutes so not sure what’s going on spotify. Great energy but just gonna go 2 stars since it could’ve been much better.
Energetic!
2,5
7/10. Cool live performance, uncool live performer.
bla bla nem dá para gastar palavras com a música, o cantor e todas as coisas que ele fez. O álbum é ruim também, ele não se esforça nem para cantar. E ainda se acha. Enfim, blabla.
That guy married a little girl. Too weird.
Jerry Lee Lewis might’ve been a deeply polarising figure with questionable character, morals and behaviour, but this is still an incredible live performance full of fire, rage and energy. It’s balls to the wall rock’n’roll that hits hard all the way and leaves you breathless.
Impressive vocals and great performances from the band. This record is packed with upbeat tracks, with only a single song being a lower tempo. I feel like most of the tracks sounded too similar, with the only difference being the vocals at times. Favourite Track(s): Your Cheating Heart, Great Balls Of Fire Least Favourite Track(s): Long, Tall Sally
From a historical perspective, it's cool that there's a live recording. However, I still can't separate the person from the music. Ick.
Gotta seperate the art from the artist. This is a great live album from a sicko.
po perai o cara casou com a prima de 13 anos? puta merda
é rock né mto bem capturado esse ao vivo bem caótico e nítido! audio bacana demais! no mais, o cara é um bosta quem diria
Do you ever just listen to the voice of an early rock and roll star and just know in your heart that they had a deeply problematic relationship with one or more teenage girls?
Fun
9/10
8/10
It’s not bad. Kind of frantic, but it’s very short. Some well known songs on here. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again
It was a real treat listening to this album. I have heard a few songs from Jerry Lee Lewis but I've never heard him live before. Not my favorite music genre but the energy I got from this feels great!
5 stars
Can see why this is important but wow it was not for me
Okay. I see the influence for sure, but 22 minutes of the exact same sounding and it’s so 40s lol so my music taste is definitely younger than that.
The Pete Rose of rock music. I didn't want to like or appreciate this but for 22 minutes I kinda did (and especially for 1964 the sound is great), then I felt lousy about it. 7/10 4 stars goddammit.
It’s good ‘ol time boogie-woogie rock’n’roll for sure especially since it is sort of the same song played eight different ways!
hrátt, hratt og gróft. mjög hrifinn.
I married my underage cousin. I really related to this music.
Classic after classic with multiple piano solos that are just the same chord played over and over followed by a key swipe. Oh to be in Hamburg in 1964 to see this live.
Solid and full of energy. Lots of hits. A good album, albeit short.
All sounds the same
I am really liking these older live albums. It's fun to her them in this setting and to hear how they sounded live. A lot of times it's a lot heavier and a lot cooler than on the recordings of this period.
Crikey, well these tunes set the template for so much that followed of course, but these live versions astonish in their delivery and intensity from the off. Jaw-dropping from start to finish. Old or young I defy anyone not to love it. What a gig this must have been!
Rockin’!
Musically sure OK rock n roll is cool but "1" is reserved for "should not be on this list" and after googling this dude I am happy to report I am awarding him a grand total of 1. And he didn't even write most of these!
Dad- 8 Mom- 8 Mike- 6 Lori- 4.5 Michael- 5 Miles- 4 Cole- 4 Avg- 5.64
Cousin fucker extraodinaire, fires out a high energy live set at the (in)famous Star Club. Energetice, sleazy and sounds like great fun. Best Tracks: Great Balls of Fire; Good Golly Miss Molly; Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Great live album. Early rock and roll at its finest. Too bad Jerry Lee was a bit of a creep. This was recorded before he married his barely teenaged cousin, so I can separate the art from the artist just enough to give him credit for being an amazing performer at the time.
Surprisingly listenable for a live album--this recording captured JLL's frantic energy in a way that was fun and engaging. I enjoyed listening to this way more than I expected to, even if I'd probably never seek it out again. Standout track: Money
This was fun, I was just getting in to it and then the album was over! So I listened to it straight through again. Lots of recognizable hits, many of which are covers I think? I find it strange to add live albums to this list, but I guess they’re important? *Edit: apparently Spotify doesn’t have the full album, so that’s why it was short. I’ll find the full length and give that a listen eventually. Probably won’t change my rating.
While listening to this I thought „no wonder people where goings nuts during the concerts!“ pure energy and power.
Meh, his past still gets me. Pass.
Classic
I'll overlook that he was a right back n front and that half of these are covers. This is top class
Jerry Lee Lewis is a figure surrounded by controversy, known for his racist views and inappropriate pseudo-pedo marriage to his 13-year-old first cousin (and alleged murder of one of his other wives). Generally speaking, he is/was a terrible human being. "Live At The Star Club, Hamburg" features a blend of original songs and covers, opening with "High School Confidential," which seems creepy in hindsight. The recording quality is somewhat rough sounding, which might be expected for a live performance from 1964. Despite the album's energetic vibe and Lewis' bravado and showmanship, I still felt a sense of revulsion towards this man while listening. Thankfully, the entire album is a brief 22 minutes. As a personal preference, I would choose Little Richard, a more accomplished and influential artist, over Lewis.
What an absolute barnstormer of an album. Imagine being at this gig! The band sounds so punk and you can hear the sweat dripping off everyone. I love this one and will definitely be giving it plenty of listens in future.
I am a sucker for Great Balls Of Fire. Just a fun, catchy jam. Sounded like a wild live performance overall and I hope those people got their money's worth for just 22 minutes of music! Feels like I can't go with anything else but a 3 here though.
There are a surprisingly large number of live albums on this list. Money is a standalone jam. And Great Balls of Fire is a classic that I was first introduced to through Top Gun. This was fine enough, but not really something I go in for. Some barroom plonking R&R from a time gone by. For me this is in high 2 to low 3 territory. Going the former because i can't rightfully see myself coming back.
Good energy. Nice and short. Pretty homogenous.
Just sounded like a good time boogie in Hamburg Germany
Jerry Lee Lewis is a piece of shit weirdo! Had to listen to this one on Youtube also as the one on AM was only 22 min. That being said the man seems like a genuine showman. Money is a great song. I know it's been covered a ton of times by different artists including Lewis himself. Solid but nothing crazy. I'm sure it was something back in 64 though.
Way overrated
Fun, but not something i'm going to remember much about.
In an industry full of pieces of shit it really takes effort to stand out as an exceptional piece of shit, and Jerry Lee does it many times over. But oh man, there is something about a guy who is like “I am evil, the devil speaks through me,” and then you listen to his live recordings and they make you think “This guy is evil. The devil is speaking through him!” Real dark energy here, kind of hard to look away. I liked it, I didn’t like that I liked it.
My favorite Willie album.
It sounds like it would have been a great show to see live. Lots of energy and fun but listening to is just wasn't that same. I'm also bias where I am not a huge fan of listening to live sets
Surprisingly pretty good and very upbeat and full of energy but i will give it a 3 because i read his wikipedia page
Fun
Can't knock the energy, he's slapping the shit out of that pianer like (redacted) but on almost every song I thought, "Man, I wish I was listening to Little Richard right now" I'm not taking points off for being a piece of shit, even though he was an exceptionally shitty one, music history is basically a wall smeared with shit tbh.
I don't know anything about this guy, but this album was energetic af. At this point I don't know which are covers and which are originals, but all were a fun romp.
Great Album, not great human
Piano heavy jam of mostly covers. Idk, not really my thing.
Ок
As per usual, judging only the music, this is top level
The songs have great energy and showmanship but nothing I can imagine listening to again. Minus 1 star for the artist being a terrible terrible person.
Energetic rock n roll. Fun
Meh
One of sun records finest, imagine being around at the time and seeing this live. Mid 5.
I’m not comfortable calling Jerry Lee a pioneer in the field since there were so many better Black blues rock pianists in that time who did not get their due. I’m also a little uncomfortable with his penchant for marrying underage girls.
I would be upset if I only got 22 minutes out of a concert ticket, but as an album it allows for “all killer and no filler.” Easy then to listen over and over without complaint. Top notch boogie woogie, reminding me how much fun piano jazz can be.
Fun. 3.5*, rounding up.
Man, rockabilly gets old, fast; I couldn't listen to more than 2 songs before it all started sounding exactly the same. That German audience sure ate it up though!
3/5 Rehellistä vanhan liiton rock'n rollia. Ehkä jopa kolmen puolen tähden arvoinen lyhyt taltiointi.
Ah this racist pedophile pops up on my 1001 albums challenge. This entire album just shows how much this douchebag stole from Little Richard and did it so much worse. Thank goodness it only wasted 22 minutes of my time, because I was ready to hit stop by that point.
Hyvää vanhaa pianorokkia! Anna palaa! 4/5
Pianovetoisen rock'n'rollin ehdoton helmi, ja tässä harvinaisessa tapauksessa liveveto tuo levylle lisäarvoa! Toimistollakin tutisee puntti niin, että laitos järkkyy. Sen verran lajinsa huippua, että annetaan femma.
I guess everybody know Jerry Lee Lewis. And some of his songs are so well known that it's probably not wrong to argue that all grown-ups know them. That does not necessarily mean that you like the songs, and, well, the album is nice to listen to but I wouldn't put it on again.
Very fun. Enjoyed the energy and frantic-ness of the vocals. “Whole Lot of Shaking Going On” is the highlight. Strong piano throughout.
I don’t much care for pedos.
Sounds like it was recorded through a tin can – and live albums? Not my thing. But hey, Jerry Lee's energy is hard to ignore.
pedo
OVERALL: One of the first things I saw when I looked up Jerry Lee Lewis was that he married his 13 year old cousin. Unfortunately, this is really good, especially for a pedophile. Most of these are covers, if I did my research correctly, 10/13 aren't original, so he performed only 23% of his own songs and did 87% remixes. These all sound really good, which is super unfortunate. I guess these could be considered boring, but these sound great as an energetic performance and I bet that his performance was really good. Sometimes I find his voice and the repetition of piano chords to be pretty bad, but that doesn't really take away much. It's not supposed to be lyrically impressive, so I won't take away points for that. I will lower this from an 8.5/10 to a 7.25/10 for being a pedophile and unoriginal. SONG AVG: 8.327/10 PERSONAL RATING: 7.25/10 Mean Woman Shoes: Found out that this guy married his 13 year old cousin, so I'm pretty ashamed to say that I like this I think. Very nice piano, and it sounds pretty good. His laugh at around 2:30 is pretty bad though, and I don't like some of his weird sound effects. I guess the audience noises aren't that good, but that's to be expected. Very energetic. Also it's a cover, so I guess it loses points. 8.5/10 High School Confidential: Is he mumbling the lyrics? I like the instrumental a lot, but the long strings of piano chords aren't really that good. Gets pretty repetitive. I think I would like it more if it were just instrumental. When he says "Boppin' at the high school hop", I hear "hoh i ah oo ah ah ahh". Instrumental carries very hard. 7.25/10 Money (That's What I Want): A cover. He says diddy in the intro. Anyways, I cannot understand what the lyrics are saying. The high pitched piano combined with the really bad microphone creates a really bad experience for that one part. Other than that, it's pretty good. Lots of energy. 8/10 Matchbox: Okay, I feel like there are going to be a lot of covers here. I guess I like his voice and the instrumental break, but it's pretty boring. Still has energy, but it feels much less interesting. I guess it sounds good. 6.75/10 What'd I Say, Part 1: Another cover, but it's a really good song so I'm not really complaining. Great production and pretty good vocals, really strong overall. 9.25/10 What'd I Say, Part 2: What is he doing at 1:02. Other than that it's good, but the instrumental is a bit weaker than part 1. I like how it gets more intense and energetic as the song goes on. 8.75/10 Great Balls of Fire: Actually original I think. Anyways, first time hearing this. I don't like his singing at some parts, but it's usually fine. Lyrically, it's nothing impressive at all. Sonically, it's really good (except for when his singing is dogshit). 9/10 Good Golly, Miss Molly: Another cover. Really good, the instrumental is basically perfect and the vocals are pretty good. I don't really wanna dissect the lyrics at all. The outro sucks though. 9.5/10 Lewis Boogie: Original. Okay, I feel like I'm being very lenient with the song ratings, but I like how it sounds so I don't really care. It sounds like everything else, not very special but it's good outside of the context of this album. 7/10 Your Cheating Heart: Another cover. Sounds really good, combines Lewis' energy with a more somber, calmer song really well. Just really good. 9.75/10 Hound Dog: Okay, obviously everybody has heard this song before, but not this version. I like the piano, and Lewis' voice is pretty good. Less points for being a cover and also because I've heard it too much. 9/10 Long Tall Sally: Another cover, 9th cover so far if I'm right. What was the last line he sang. Pretty good I guess. Yeah, that's it. I don't really know what to say at this point. 8/10 Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On: 10th cover. Pretty good, but really messy at times. I don't really like it when the instrumental dies and it's just Lewis telling me to shake it or something. Also, I swear I heard him offer chicken to try and convince a girl to come over. It's fine outside of that. 7.5/10
Wouw..what a blast from the past! Love it
Vaya mierda de concierto si duró 22 minutos. Está bien y tal, pero no me parece nada especial que no haya visto ya 10000 veces. Entiendo la importancia cultural, de todas formas.
This didn’t do anything for me. The songs are familiar but this performance is not anything I’d listen to again.
Großartig!
The energy is electric on this one. Its a succinct 22 minutes that had me locked in from front to back. On the other hand, this dude is an ALL TIME fuckbag. Pedo, racist, you name it. So... The 22 minutes I just engaged with the music were good though, so I'll give the scumbag that.
22 minuter som troligen låter mycket bättre på vinyl
Love this one. Pure Rock and Roll the way it is meant to be. The live energy made this one come alive.
A landmark, of course, but one's never liked these songs. The high energy grates after a while – the hootin' leads to little more than hollerin' and then devolves into basic screaming and banging which only goes so far. The novelty has long since worn off, but once a killer, always a killler, one supposes.
This one would have hit better had I not gotten it after getting a Little Richard album. Wish.com version of Little Richard's songs really.
Definitely has its place in history, but his stuff has always felt a bit lightweight to me. Also, you know, the whole "marrying his teenaged cousin" thing kind of casts everything in a dark light.
Aikansa tuote. Ensimmäisen raidan jälkeen kaikki seuraavat olivat hyvin samanlaisia. Toistoa, toistoa...
Kuin juna tämä levy puksuttaa eteenpäin! Juuri sopivan pitkä. Livealbumina toimii aivan erinomaisesti, ja tunnelma on räikeä! Rock-klassikko, piano on kovilla.
Ymmärrän hyvin miksi olennaista. Toisaalta samaa biisiähän tuossa veivattiin levyn verran ja aika nopeesti tulee kyllästymispiste eteen
Jerry on kova, jerryllä on vauhtia. Kunnon rokettirollia. 👍🏻
Rehellistä, menevää ja yksinkertaista rokettirollia! Kiva levy mutta yllättävän nopeasti blueskaava alkaa toistamaan itseään.
Electric
My streaming service has two versions of this album. A short (22 minutes) 8 track version and the proper (according to Wikipedia) 13 track, 37 minutes recording. Curiously one is titled in English and the other French. Regional licensing agreements, perhaps? Anyway... the longer version is more coherent. The recording isn't great from a technical sense, of its time perhaps. It is entertaining. More entertaining than I expected. Not really my thing, but I will give it 3/5.
his long tall sally is miserable
Just fantastic rock n roll energy
Gwn niet boeiend
Wel leuk, maar veel te kort en niet zo spannend.
Non-stop, balls to the wall, piano destroying energy. Minus points for an over-reliance on other musicians' material. Thrrrrrree rrrrrroling arrrrrrrs out of five.
Short and sweet. Fun to hear a 1960s audience lose their minds. Not sure if I’d listen to this live album rather than the studio recordings, though. 3/5
Gut performter Rock'n'Roll, man bekam richtig die Live-Energie mit.
I don’t like Jerry Lee Lewis or live albums but this was pretty great. I don’t care if it was basically just a Little Richard tribute act, that was live rock & roll at its best.
A live album is certainly a choice. Not a good one, mind you. But a choice for sure. I'm not against live albums in general. There are some great ones (looking at you Stop Making Sense) but I'd never put that over a full Talking Heads album. And this isn't even a good live album. It is short though.
A lot of people are rating this lower on account of how shitty JLL was as a person. The crazy thing is, this music sucks great balls of fire on it's own. The person singing and performing this music could be a saint and I still would think this blows. Vapid and without soul. Just how I like my blues inspired rock and roll.
Great @ cheerful rock n roll !
If you like the 12 bar blues you will love this. For me is just him slamming on a piano too much. Live albums also just don't do it... want to hear the original music but worse with people screaming every so often..... No. Also I never realized he was such a creep, marrying his 13yr old cousin and having a baby with her at 15.... bleh.
Great balls of fire.
# Album Name: Live at the Star Club (Hamburg) # Artist: Jerry Lee Lewis # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Plenty of people on here rating the spotify album version with 8 songs. The original has 13-14 depending on the version. Ah Jerry Lee, isnt he that famous karaoke singer? Forgetting the man for a second, theres some great piano and rock n roll on this album. I can imagine it would be great to see live. Theres some real bangers. You can feel the quality of this live show. Musically though, he is just playing covers most of the time. So for me, it does not reach that 5 rating. Music and energy yes, no doubt. I love it. But its not his material. Yeah the man himself was a pos. Absolute scum of the earth it seems. No thanks. # Top Tunes: Plent # Would I listen to it again? Yes
While I'm sure groundbreaking in its time, this album didn't really do it for me. :)
I think i get why this was important and it sounds great for a live album, however most of these songs are not his. This is not an original album, it's a collection of covers.
'If you don't like peaches, please don't shake my tree!' Jerry Lee Lewis heeft maar één knop: aan/uit. Zet je hem aan, dan gaat hij meteen op vol vermogen moddervette rock & roll maken. Oooooooooh yeah! Als je daar niet blij van wordt, lig je vermoedelijk al in je kist.
Opgevoerde Rock & Roll. Het is even zoeken. Spotify laat de helft weg (internet leert dat er nogal wat rechten problemen waren/zijn). De U-buis geeft een (nog) sneller afgespeelde versie en vervolgens een album met een andere volgorde (zoals uitgevoerd in Hamburg). Maar ik denk uiteindelijk de juiste versie gevonden te hebben. Het album zit al snel op een makkelijke 4 sterren. Dan volgen wat bekende nummers, die in Hamburg zo uitgevoerd lijken zoals ze bedoeld zijn. Great Balls of Fire en Hound Dog zijn niet voor niets opgepakt door anderen. De teller voor deze jaren '50 nummers komt op 4,5 ster. Wel jammer dat de statistieken die meetellen voor de jaren '60.
Onvervalst potje rock n roll, lekker energiek. Dat is natuurlijk ook het voordeel van een live-album, dan komt dat energieke wat beter over. Niks mis mee. Ik heb verder weinig te melden over de muziek. Gewoon dikke prima. Gelukkig is daar nog de wiki, om wat extra uit te kunnen wijden over Jerry Lee Lewis. Zo te zien was hij in 1958 een van de eerste artiesten die ooit gecanceld is, toen dat nog niet populair was. Een absolute trendsetter dus en dat meer dan 65 jaar geleden! Nu is trouwen met je nichtje in NL ook vrij normaal in sommige muzikale dorpen, maar ik betwijfel of ze dat ook normaal vinden als ze 13 blijkt te zijn. Anyway, we beoordelen mans daden achter de piano, we cancelen hier niet. Want dan hadden Michael Jackson en Kanye West om verschillende redenen ook niet meer in onze lijst gestaan. En met de muziek van Jerry Lee Lewis is helemaal niks mis. Ik ben ergens wel blij als het album af is gelopen, want het gaat in een razend tempo. Na 40 minuten moet je even bijkomen. Het zit voor mij ergens tussen een 3 en een 4 in. Ik ga het wsch nooit meer opzetten en het heeft niet de eeuwigheidswaarde van Elvis, dus ik hou het op een 3
Personal digressions aside, this dude was a rocker and groundbreaking for the time. Would have been an interesting act to experience live, being so against the grain for the times. 3.5/5
With only 8 of the 13 songs available to listen to (I’m assuming due to licensing or contractual reasons), it’s hard to give a full review. That being said, for 22 minutes I was reminded just how bombastic and rock n roll this guy was, only to be reminded how creepy he was by marrying his 13 year old cousin. This is still a good listen and the primitive recording methods of the time really do present a rough raw in-your-face experience.
Enjoyable, but if you like stuff like this it’s way too easy to point to people that did it better (Little Richard…). Doesn’t really belong in the upper ranks to me
Quite the cocaine fueled performance! He’s like “alright boys, we’re gonna do this one double time!” You can understand why this is only 22 minutes. I struggle with live albums, especially if they become greatest hits. But it’s a solid performance and fun listen.
This dude prob should have named the song Middle School Confidential. Yuk. This is prob the best way to experience Jerry Lee. You really get a sense for his chaotic energy. That said, I’m having a hard time going up to 4*. It’s 22 minutes and the songs start to sound the same. Good. Not great. 3.5/5
Brilliant stuff, but its JLL.
Track listing for this on Spotify and YouTube music is weird - only eight tracks of the 13 and in a different order. But it is available as the first 13 tracks on this album: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m9BT71MRj_rhoIBDCTV5NRovhrq-pJD-w Wanted to give this a low score because, you know, JLL being such an asshole. But this was an exuberant lively performance that was hard to dislike.
Well I would have enjoyed this a lot more if the pedophile's first song wasn't about a high school dance.
Oh boy, I can only imagine what the reviews are going to be about…Yup, the 7th most mentioned word in the reviews is "cousin." Anyway, despite the obvious grossness of marrying a 13 year old relative, I liked this. I love these old rock and roll standards. I don't really care for Jerry Lee Lewis' vocals and considering his past, I don't typically listen to him. But I can't deny that I love this genre of music.
1.5/5
I found it to be low energy for a live show. I was expecting more and was disappointed in what I thought was going to be a raucous recording.
Good. Dude sucks though
this is a banger. he's a rapist pedophile. both things can be true, but one trumps the other. more like jerry lee SPEW-is
i'll admit, i'm biased. i went into this thinking "oh boy, another live album from the 60s" and expected to give it three stars and move on, but boy was i wrong. jerry fuckin ROCKS these eight tracks and just absolutely gives it his all. though they're all more or less the same 12-bar blues song, he really cranks up the tempo, resulting in an album that's beautifully and mercifully short, barely scraping 22 minutes total. no one correct me but i assume he just showed up on stage in hamburg, played for half an hour, and told the crowd "welp that's it for me, it's past my bedtime. deuces!" *mic drop* and the hamburgers went fuckin nuts. that's tight. i respect that. favorites: high school confidential, money, great balls of fire, good golly miss molly, whole lotta shakin goin on
Ikke rigtig mig, men åbenbart kendt for at være en af de mest energiske koncerter nogensinde
Apple album had 8 songs but Wikipedia shows 13.
Albumi #145, 12.02.2025 Villiä menoa hurjalla energialla Länsi-Saksassa. Varsin mainio livepläjäys.
Correcto
Pretty good live album.
It's fun to hear a guy be that excited with the piano, even though I feel there's only so many similar takes on the standard three chord blues I can take.
Jerry Lee Lewis being the epitome of a human garbage bag aside, judging this album on its own merits, I found it surprisingly boring. Because it goes full on bombast-mode from the start and never lets up it makes for a very dull and repetitive album with versions of songs I’ve heard better elsewhere. Jerry Lee Lewis’ showmanship can’t be denied, and this is a surprisingly great sounding album for its time, but this isn’t for me.
Better than the Beatles.
Great rock and roll album, just too short!
Niesamowita energia. To nie jest długie nagranie, ale utrzymać takie tempo i zaangażowanie nawet przez pół godziny to niesamowity wyczyn. Wyobrażam sobie tego młodego Jankesa w niemieckim klubie w czasach, kiedy ludzie jeszcze pewnie nie znali jeszcze tak dobrze angielskiego, a wszyscy szaleli. Szkoda, że nie ma (tak zakładam przynajmniej) nagrania wideo, bo musiało się dziać na tej scenie. Tak jak nie przepadam za albumami live, tak ten jest petarda. 4,5/5.
The energy of this guy is INSANE. I wish I were there and take as much cocaine as Mr Jerry to keep THAT MUSIC GOING. What a fucking legend.
classic rock n roll
Short, sweet. Ignoring his personal history, a little slice of rock and roll.
I like a bit of Jerry Lee, but this suffers from the indulgent live album bit.
The more I read about Jerry Lee Lewis, the more of a piece of shit I find it he was - what a knob! This gets an extra star for being a classic and influential and that, even though the majority of the songs were taken from black artists (I assume with little to no credit)
y'know, i was really promised that he was wild. insane. a madman who set fire to his piano. and for the time, i'm sure he was, but it just isn't... CRAZY enough for me. the sound is cool, yeah, but i was sold on this being a crime scene of a record. i wanted something like Love Me / Whisper Your Love, and i was naive enough to expect something like that. instead i got... rock standards played kinda loud to a bunch of horny Germans. i'm glad they're having fun. not to beat a dead horse, but you know that video Pad Chennington did of the "MOST BRUTAL ALBUM OF ALL TIME" and the thumbnail was WLFGRL? if YouTube was around in the 60's, the thumbnail to that video would include this album instead.