Bear Family Rocks Volume 2 – Various Artists

johnaalex
2 days ago
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Released May 2025 on Bear Family Records - https://www.bear-family.com/various-bear-family-records-rocks-vol.-2-cd.html

While the first of these two CD compilations on Bear Family Records was dedicated to gloriously rocking black R&B and R'n'R (BCD17734), the focus is now on some of the best white rockers ever heard. The list of participants reads like a 'Who's Who' of the genre: the Johnny Burnette Trio, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Feathers, Link Wray, Sonny Burgess, and and and ...

Great recordings, carefully remastered.

The liner notes by Bill Dahl from Chicago tell the story of each artist in the fat illustrated booklet.

Bear Family rocks with might ... and how!

Reviewed May 2025

Review

I don’t suppose there’s a better title to start of this compilation than “Rock, Rock, Rock” which was recorded for the film of the same name in 1956. Sadly, for Jimmy Cavallo this Bill Haley styled rocker didn’t sell that well. The late great, Ritchie Valens, with his classic “Come On Let’s Go” is the second track. Track three is one of several “less than obvious” tracks. Most people would pick either Warren Smith’s or Jerry Lee’s version of “Ubangi Stomp” but here we have the equally good version by Carl Mann. Carl’s stablemate at Sun Records, Sonny Burgess in his own inimitable style does a great cover of the old blues song first recorded by Little Junior’s Blue Flames, “Feelin’ Good”. Track five comes from country/rockabilly legend, Marty Robbins but it’s one of his lesser-known songs. “Respectfully Miss Brooks” is a mid-paced rocker and could be good to stroll to. “Chicken Hearted” by Roy Orbison was issued on the Sun label in 1958 and features some great sax playing. “Rollin' Dynamite” by Scotty McKay at track seven is a frantic rockabilly track from 1959. Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks give us track eight with “Baby Jean” a sold rocker as you would expect from “Rompin’” Ronnie. Glen Glenn became a favourite on the UK rockin’ scene when the UK based Ace label released an album of his songs in the early 1980s. “One Cup Of Coffee And A Cigarette” is a good mid-paced rocker. Wanda Jackson definitely recorded some iconic rock and roll and “Baby Loves Him” from 1957 has her at her raucous best. Another act that needs no introduction to rockabilly fans the world over is Johnny Burnette’s Rock and Roll Trio. Their version of the Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew composition “All By Myself” is simply rockabilly at its purest best.

Track twelve is one of Ricky Nelson’s best rockers “Milk Cow Blues” has some outstanding guitar playing from James Burton. Roy Hall’s “Diggin’ The Boogie” is a big favourite of mine, classic Decca rockabilly with Hank Garland on guitar. On the subject of great rockabilly guitarists there is probably none more influential than Car Perkins who gives us his version of the classic, Caldonia. Link Wrays distinctive guitar playing style is excellently show cased in his instrumental version of “Raw Hide”. Track sixteen is “Hold Me, Hug Me, Rock me” one of the wildest tracks from Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps, a real bopper if you have the stamina! The pace drops a little with Buddy Knox and “My Baby's Gone”. Track eighteen is a bit of a surprise inclusion, Jerry Lee Lewis is in great form with “Birthday Cake (Keep Your Hands Off Of It)”. As is Billy Lee Riley’s “That’s Right” a rocker from his days at Sun although unissued at the time of its recording back in 1957. It’s back to 1956 for track twenty, “Four Letter Word (Rock)” was the first single for Dale Hawkins. It’s a great track but at one minute thirty-five seconds, too short.

“Jungle Fever” is not one of Charlie Feathers most played tracks which I think is a pity as it has great driving beat and great to bop to. Track twenty-two, “Pretty Girl” by Eddie Cochran is good rocker, but, like the song from Dale Hawkins and many others from the fifties, is too short and leaves you wanting more. Rusty York, best known for “Sugaree”, does a good version of “Sweet Love On Mind” under the title “Sweet Love” for track twenty-three (another track that comes in at less than two minutes). “Where'd You Go Last Night” is one of the lesser-known tracks by Bill Haley & His Comets. It was a B side in 1959. A good, medium paced rocker well worthy of its inclusion here. “Wild Eyed Woman” from Bob Luman at track twenty-five is a possible stroller. Narvel Felts recorded lots, but only a small proportion of his work was released at the time so we have to say “thank you Bear Family” for bringing this rocking track with a driving sax, piano and guitar to our ears. Track twenty-seven is Sanford Clark proving he’s no fool with “Usta be My Baby” a rockabilly song with fine guitar playing from Al Casey. The Everly Brothers managed a top 40 hit in the USA with their version of the Ray Charles composition, “This Little Girl Of Mine”. “Ride On Josephine”, track twenty-nine, by Sleepy LaBeff And the Versatiles was clearly influenced by Chuck Berry’s “Maybellene” and the guitar style of Bo Diddley. In my opinion “I Vibrate (From My Head To My Feet)” is one of the best rockers recorded by Conway Twitty. One of the biggest hits, and another surprise inclusion in this set has to be “Sea Of Heartbreak” by Don Gibson which hit number two on the Billboard Hot Country Singles in 1961. Bobby Darin’s “I Want You With Me” has echoes of the Coasters about it. A good stroller with a great sax break. Track thirty-three, “Rollin' An' A' Rockin'” by Frank Virtuoso is another Bill Haley-esque rocker. “Missy Ann” by Mac Curtis is a good up-tempo track from 1958 when it was issued on King as the B side of “Little Miss Llinda”. The last song of the this thirty five track compilation is a classic stroller from the ever-popular Jack Scott. “The Way I Walk” is one of his most liked recordings.

Summary and Recommendation

What a fantastic compilation! Not to mention great value with thirty-five songs on one CD (I knew there was a reason for those short tunes). I like the fact that there a number of lesser-known tracks from well-known artists. Put these things together with the usual quality of Bear Family’s releases; sound quality and sleeve notes and I can’t think of reason not to buy this CD.

Reviewed by Jailhouse John Alexander

Track List

Track, Title, Artist

1, Rock, Rock, Rock, Jimmy Cavallo And His House Rockers 1956

2, Come On, Let's Go, Ritchie Valens

3, Ubangi Stomp, Carl Mann

4, Feelin' Good, Sonny Burgess & The Pacers

5, Respectfully Miss Brooks, Marty Robbins

6, Chicken Hearted, Roy Orbison

7, Rollin' Dynamite, Scotty McKay

8, Baby Jean, Ronnie Hawkins & Hawks

9, One Cup Of Coffee And A Cigarette, Glen Glenn