SMASH - By Request:More of the greatest..SRS/MGS 67086/27086

[Tony Papard]

After 'The Greatest Live Show On Earth' (Birmingham Alabama) this Fort Worth, Texas follow up was a disappointment. We in Europe had also had the fantastic 'Live at the Star-Club Hamburg'. This third 'live' album didn't match up to either of them. However the talking in between numbers was great - 'don't worry about the blond hair, let's hang on to what we got'. 'Hang on to what you got, if you ain't got something, git somethin', OK? Cos after this song right here that I'm gonna do you're gonna need somethin'. And I'm not jokin'. If I tell ya it's gonna rain you better bring you're umbrella!' and the wicked: 'It's gonna git good in a minute!' before the outrageous climax to 'What'd I Say Part II'.

The first show was mutilated, as we discovered when we later heard the full show on CD. Fancy putting the second part of What'd I Say on and omitting the first - absolutely crazy. This was by far the best song on the album, a brilliant piece of audience manipulation, but you need both parts 1 and 2 to get the full effect. The first part is more or less a standard rendition by Jerry, but the second - well I remember my penfriend Screamin' Dee Snoble saying she blushed red with embarrassment when she heard it. Jerry Lee is simulating sexual intercourse 'live' on stage with his music and lyrics - even reaching a fantastic orgasm at the end. This song is absolutely brilliant, one of the most outrageous rock'n'roll performances ever captured live on record, yet they spoilt it by omitting the essential first part.

They also omitted some great songs completely: Blue Suede Shoes, Crazy Arms, Lovin' Up A Storm and Mean Woman Blues. Johnny B. Goode was indeed good with the 'go go go go go go' bit and Jerry telling the listener he was banging his hand on the top of the piano.

The flip side was OK - but spoilt by the rowdy, inattentive audience, as Dee remarked at the time: 'Sounded as if they were all at a cocktail party', chattering all the way thru both sides of the album. She also said quite rightly: 'After 'I'll Sail My Ship Alone' you can actually hear someone boo;, at least you think that could have been edited out.

Overall the album lacked the excitement of the Alabama and Star-Club live albums, but What'd I Say Part II was something else!

[Dave McKee]

By Request: More Of The Greatest Live Show On Earth (1966)

Little Queenie / How´s My Ex Treating You / Johnny B. Goode / Green, Green Grass Of Home / What´d I Say (Part 2) / You Win Again / I´ll Sail My Ship Alone / Cryin´ Time / Money / Roll Over Beethoven

Jerry's third official live album from the '60's & without doubt the weakest. Part of the reason is the relatively poor mix (why on earth couldn't US Smash record & mix as as well as German Philips did with Live At The Star-Club, Hamburg?), & another reason is that Jerry seems a little below form for the period, particularly on side two (compare the Paris 1966 bootleg for example). Having said this there's some very good performances indeed, in particular Little Queenie, How's My Ex Treating You, Green Green Grass Of Home, What'd I Say (Part 2) & I'll Sail My Ship Alone. Others are rather weak, particularly Money (which sounds almost insipid compared to the powerful Star-Club version) & You Win Again. 3 out of 5

Outtakes: Blue Suede Shoes / Crazy Arms / Lovin' Up A Storm / Mean Woman Blues / What'd I Say (Part 1)

A mono acetate of the uncut first show (featuring all songs from the original LP up to & including What'd I Say (Part 2) plus all of the above outtakes) was discovered in the mid 90s & issued by Bear Family. Pretty much all of the outtakes are sensational versions, & if this had been released in 1966 instead then I wouldn't hesitate to give it 5 out of 5!

Note: This is from an excellent blog by Peter Checksfield. See the full blog at http://themargatemusicman.blogspot.com/ ... years.html

[PeterC]

ALBUM COVER RATING: 5/5

I'm going through Jerry's albums on here and giving marks out of five for the album covers (regardless of the actual content)...

Really love this cover (in some ways it's more exciting than the actual contents!). Captured Jerry looking a little different from usual too.