Mean Old Man

The never-getting-old pianist and singer Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis is undoubtedly a unique artist. His career can be conventionally divided into two uneven parts – before and after the famous scandal connected with his marrying his thirteen year old cousin once removed which occurred in 1958. Lewis had been a successful rock-n-roll representative before that moment, one of the style’s founders and had stood in one row with Elvis Presley. After the scandal that took place in Great Britain which he visited within the frames of his successful world tour Lewis was staying in the shadows for quite a long time facing refusals to play his songs on the radio and having no viewers at his concerts. The audience recognized Jerry Lee Lewis as one of the best country performers along with Jonny Cash and others only in more than ten years, already in the 1960s. The artist turns 75 at the end of this September, and the never-getting-old pianist and singer is releasing a new duet album Mean Old Man, oriented mainly to the second part of Lewis’ career. His starry friends and he are singing classic country compositions, of course, not without some interesting exceptions.

A real founding Mean Old Man

It has been four years since the release of Jerry Lee Lewis’s last record Last Man Standing on which he also did not perform the songs alone but with the support of famous singers. This time around they all are together again and joined by some others. It goes without saying that the result is a real founding considered from the point of view of the guest list, and it is clear already after listening to the opening title track performed with Ronnie Wood that the content does not disappoint. The songs on Mean Old Man are those written by Lewis himself or those who join him. Thus, the composition Rockin' My Life Away, performed with Kid Rock and the guitarist known as Slash (the former Guns N' Roses lead guitarist). One of the most successful The Rolling Stones’ song is Sweet Virginia featuring Keith Richards on which some words are changed to give the lyrics more gallantness probably more suitable to the musicians’ age. Mick Jagger’s vocals on Dead Flowers serve only to underline Lewis’ still faultless voice whereas the song You Are My Sunshine (with Sheryl Crow and Jon Brion) lets us enjoy the male and female vocals duet with Sheryl singing the second voice part. Jerry has got the longest part on You Can Have Her (with Eric Clapton and James Burton), and the amazing rock-n-roll Roll Over Beethoven is the ground that allows one hear Ringo Starr, John Mayer and Jon Brion all together. On the whole, the collection is entirely Jerry Lee Lewis’ territory, there are even two compositions without collaborations on it – the romantic Sunday Morning Coming Down and the album’s finale Miss The Mississippi & You, the most sincere and personal, on which three are only Jerry and his black and white keys.

A very measured and smooth record

As a person Jerry Lee Lewis can present a huge interest to psychologists and writers because his life has been a sequence of the most extraordinary actions. Of course, the eccentricity present on all Lewis’ early works when he played piano not only with his hands but also with this legs and head is absent on the new album. The record Mean Old Man has resulted to be very measured and smooth for practically all the performers on it are quite old now and have the experience of the wild youth, unrestrained fun and unpredictable tricks behind their backs. Today even their old songs have gained wisdom provided not only with the slight changes in the lyrics but also with the new intonations, accents put in a different way. Thus, Jerry Lee Lewis has gathered together the most varied musicians once again to demonstrate that one and the same song can be performed in at least two utterly different ways. The 18 tracks of Mean Old Man will let you have some rest and get absorbed in the wonderful world of country and rock-n-roll the way they should be.