If ever there were an act that deserved more than it got, it was Johnny Burnette and the Rock 'n' Roll Trio. These three young men -- Johnny and his brother Dorsey and guitarist extraordinaire Paul Burlison -- were the authentic rockabilly article, hailing, like Elvis Presley, from Memphis proper. They were rawer than Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis put together and at their best more exciting to listen to. And while Burnette went on to write hits for Ricky Nelson and score a few of his own, it's the Rock 'n' Roll Trio sides -- none of which ever charted -- for which he is most remembered.
The nine CDs here include the earliest Burnette material issued as the Rhythm Rangers in 1955 on the Von label from Corinth, MS, and sounds like the last gasp of the hillbilly boogie shack shaking music issued throughout the late '40s and early '50s. What happened to transition the Rhythm Rangers to become the Rock 'n' Roll Trio is unknown other than the overnight success of Elvis. The two bands contained exactly the same personnel (although an earlier Rhythm Rangers included Scotty Moore as well, Elvis' famed guitarist). All of the Coral singles as well as outtakes are here, as are their Imperial sides by the Burnette Brothers, those obscure Dorsey solo singles on Cee-Jam and Surf, and Johnny's solo sides on Freedom (such as "Gumbo" and "Me and the Bear"), Liberty, Vee-Jay, Chancellor, Reprise, Capitol, Sahara, and Magic Lamp. All 163 sides are featured here in great remastered sound and painstakingly annotated in the true obsessive Bear Family tradition.
The story and sounds chart the evolution of the rockabilly sound into Johnny's successes as a crooner and pop singer as well as a successful songwriter who was on his way to another breakthrough creatively when he was killed in a boating accident. While many may find the slicker pop material superfluous, it is exceptionally well-crafted and deserves a righteous hearing, not in spite of the rockabilly wildness that the Rock 'n' Roll Trio put down but because of it. This is one of the finest sets the Bear Family label has ever assembled; it is a labor of love to be sure, but it is also a work of art.
CD 1
01. Rock Billy Boogie 2:34
02. Please Don't Leave Me 2:38
03. Rock Therapy 2:16
04. The Johnny Burnette Trio: Lonesome Train (On a Lonesome Track) 2:04
05. Dorsey & Johnny Burnette: Sweet Love on My Mind 2:30
06. Dorsey & Johnny Burnette: My Love, You're a Stranger 2:43
07. Your Baby Blue Eyes 2:12
08. I Love You So (alt.) 2:22
09. The Johnny Burnette Trio: The Train Kept A-Rollin 2:17
10. All by Myself 2:07
11. Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee 2:14
12. Dorsey & Johnny Burnette: Blues Stay Away From Me 2:15
13. The Johnny Burnette Trio: Honey Hush 2:04
14. Lonesome Tears in My Eyes 2:08
15. The Johnny Burnette Trio: I Just Found Out 2:21
16. Chains of Love 2:37
17. Please Don't Leave Me 2:17
18. Lonesome Train (On A Lonesome Track) (alt.) 2:12
19. I Love You So 2:17
20. If You Want It Enough 2:11
21. Butterfingers 2:14
22. Eager Beaver Baby 2:03
23. Touch Me 2:26
24. Tear It Up 1:55
25. The Johnny Burnette Trio: Oh Baby Babe 2:24
26. You're Undecided (2) 2:01
27. Midnight Train 2:19
28. Shattered Dreams 2:31
29. You're Undecided (1) 2:26
30. Go Along Mule 2:08
31. The Burnett Rhythm Rangers: Tear It Up (live) 1:40
32. The Burnett Rhythm Rangers: Oh Baby Babe (live) 2:22
CD 2
01. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Warm Love 1:56
02. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Boppin' Rosalie 2:01
03. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Do Baby Do 1:48
04. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: My Honey 2:00
05. I'm Restless 2:15
06. Kiss Me 2:33
07. Kiss Me (alt.) 2:18
08. Gumbo 2:04
09. Me and the Bear 2:26
10. I'll Never Love Again (1) 2:21
11. I'll Never Love Again (2) 2:26
12. Sweet Baby Doll 2:35
13. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Waitin' at the Station (1) 1:30
14. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Waitin' at the Station (2) 1:08
15. The Texans: Green Green Grass of Texas (instr.) 2:19
16. The Texans: Bloody River (instr.) 1:54
17. The Texans: Ol' Reb (instr.) 2:34
18. The Texans: Rockin' Johnny Home (instr.) 2:18
19. I'll Always Be in Love With You 2:40
20. Settin' the Woods on Fire 2:04
21. Kentucky Waltz 2:12
22. Ballad of the One Eyed Jacks 3:46
23. Your Cheatin' On Me 2:23
24. Blue School Days 2:43
25. Just Keep on Goin' 2:18
26. Just a Memory 2:30
27. It's the After That Hurts You 2:33
28. Patrick Henry 2:05
29. Don't Do It 2:43
30. Cincinatti Fireball 2:45
31. Your Cheatin' on Me (false start) 0:51
32. Your Cheatin' on Me (take 1 with overdub) 2:24
CD 3
01. Dreamin' 2:19
02. I Want to Be With You Always 1:41
03. My Special Angel 3:02
04. Finders Keepers 2:15
05. I Really Don't Want to Know 2:04
06. Lovesick Blues 2:02
07. Please Help Me I'm Falling 2:21
08. Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me 1:51
09. Love Me 2:46
10. Kaw Liga 2:15
11. Love Kept a Rollin' 2:32
12. That's All I Care 2:12
13. Some Enchanted Evening 2:46
14. You're Sixteen 1:58
15. It's My Way 2:21
16. That's The Way I Feel 1:47
17. Little Boy Sad 1:54
18. I Love My Baby 1:40
19. (I Go) Down to the River 2:06
20. Singing the Blues 1:51
21. Let's Think About Living 2:00
22. It's Only Make Believe 2:31
23. Oh Lonesome Me 2:19
24. Dream Lover 2:25
25. You're So Fine 2:06
26. Blue Blue Morning 1:58
27. Pledge of Love 1:55
28. I Beg Your Pardon 2:14
29. Crying in the Chapel 2:06
30. Gimme Gimme Lovin' 1:58
31. You'll Learn to Cry 2:21
CD 4
01. A Lover's Question 2:42
02. Big Big World 2:21
03. Ballad of the One Eyed Jacks 3:15
04. Mona Lisa 1:45
05. I'm Still Dreamin' 2:03
06. In the Chapel of the Moonlight 1:57
07. Red Sails in the Sunset 2:41
08. The Treasure of Love 2:03
09. The Fool 3:09
10. Memories Are Made of This 1:57
11. Girls 2:03
12. Got a Lot of Things to Do 2:05
13. God, Country and My Baby 2:11
14. Honestly I Do 2:26
15. Fools Like Me 2:02
16. Angry at the Big Oak Tree 2:45
17. Clown Shoes 2:26
18. Second Chance 1:57
19. Walk on By 2:19
20. You're the Reason 2:43
21. Just Out of Reach 2:35
22. Girl of My Best Friend 2:23
23. Hello Walls 2:09
24. Moody River 2:32
25. A Little Bitty Tear 2:04
CD 5
01. The Poorest Boy in Town 2:09
02. The Way I Am 1:58
03. The Fool of the Year 1:53
04. Standing on the Outside of the Door 2:15
05. Let Me Be With You 1:51
06. The Shamrocks: Green Hills (instrumental) 2:17
07. The Shamrocks: Lonely Island (instrumental) 2:13
08. The Shamrocks: Island Girl (instrumental) 2:11
09. Damn the Defiant 2:35
10. Lonesome Waters 1:53
11. Choo Choo Train 1:50
12. Roses Are Red 2:23
13. When Today Is a Long Time Ago 2:23
14. The Giant 2:54
15. I Just Called Up to Say Goodbye 2:28
16. I Wanna Thank You Folks 2:22
17. I'll Never Get Over You 1:53
18. I'm Losing My Mind 2:47
19. The Old Man in the Country 2:10
20. Time Is Not Enough 1:59
21. Remember Me (I'm the One Who Loves You) 2:12
22. After the Boy Gets the Girl 2:05
23. Nobody Could 1:50
24. Nobody Could (alt.) 2:07
25. Party Girl 2:37
26. Tag Along 2:23
27. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Hey Sue 2:18
28. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: It Don't Take Much 2:25
29. I'll Give You Three Guesses 1:56
30. (Wish It Were Saturday Night) All Week Long 2:01
31. It Isn't There 2:16
32. Congratulations, You've Hurt Me Again 2:06
CD 6
01. Walkin' Talkin' Doll 2:01
02. You Tought Me the Way to Love 2:36
03. The Opposite 1:53
04. Corner of Heartaches and Despair 2:13
05. Aunt Marie 2:12
06. Two Feet in Front of Me 2:26
07. If I Were an Artist 2:17
08. And Her Name Is Scarlet 2:33
09. I Think She Knows 2:12
10. Sweet Suzie 2:17
11. Skippin' School 2:21
12. It All Depends on Linda 2:25
13. Fountain of Love 1:52
14. What a Summer Day 2:15
15. Bigger Man 2:30
16. Less Than a Heartbeat 2:56
17. Congratulations, You've Hurt Me Again 2:11
18. Keep a Knocking 2:04
19. Bony Moronie 1:53
20. The Travellers: The Big House 2:02
21. The Travellers: Goin' Home 2:11
22. Dorsey Burnette: Bertha Lou 2:31
23. The Ring-a-Dings: Snacky Poo 2:33
24. Interview with Jonah Ruddy 9:05
25. Interview with Jack Brown for 'Rocketing Rhythms' 12:12
26. Christmas message 1 1:32
27. Christmas message 2 0:17
28. New Year message 0:17
CD 7
01. Come on Baby 1:30
02. Dorsey Burnette: Believe What You Say 1:51
03. Rockin' the Town 2:05
04. My Little Baby Come Rockin' 1:59
05. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Lights Out 2:17
06. Dorsey Burnette: Boom Boom Boom Yippy Yi Ya 1:46
07. Lizzy Dee 2:00
08. Rock Away Baby 1:19
09. Like the Mountain and the Sea 2:18
10. Daydreaming in School 1:43
11. Dorsey Burnette: Yes I Do 1:53
12. If You Love Me Strong Enough 1:25
13. Look What You've Missed 3:22
14. Rhythm in My Bones 1:57
15. Dorsey Burnette: Be Mine 1:47
16. It'll Be All Right 1:49
17. Dorsey Burnette: Tell Me 2:04
18. Just Gotta Be My Baby 1:55
19. Dorsey Burnette: Daddy-O 1:36
20. Keep in My Mind 1:33
21. You Gotta Walk and Talk Your Fellow 1:23
22. Magic Island 1:51
23. Endless Love 2:06
24. One Soda Two Straws (1) 1:51
25. Dorsey Burnette: Water Boy 1:55
26. Dorsey Burnette: Jeannie 2:59
27. Just Keep on Going 2:15
28. Baby Doll Blue Eyes 2:06
29. Hey Stranger 2:13
30. Lovesick Blues 2:02
31. Finders Keepers 1:32
32. Cincinatti Fireball 2:47
33. One Sided Love Affair 2:11
34. Address Unknown 2:17
35. I Wanna Love My Baby 1:48
36. Dorsey Burnette: You're Sixteen 1:53
37. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: I'm Happy 2:27
38. That's the Way I Feel 1:55
CD 8
01. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Boppin' Rosalie 1:54
02. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Do Baby Do 1:39
03. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Warm Love 2:05
04. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: My Honey 1:29
05. Boppin' Rock 1:46
06. Dorsey Burnette: Honey Honey 2:32
07. We're Gonna Rock It 2:05
08. Dorsey Burnette: Circle Rock 2:03
09. Come on and Rock 1:45
10. Whatcha Gonna Do 1:44
11. Crazy Date 2:09
12. Lucky Boy 2:06
13. Honey Baby 2:06
14. Mule Boy 2:09
15. Gypsy Magic 1:51
16. Tell Me Baby 2:07
17. My Pretty Little Blue Eyes 1:41
18. Oh What I'd Give 2:22
19. Just for You 2:53
20. With All Your Heart 2:04
21. I'll Never Forget 1:36
22. Dorsey Burnette: Wanting You, Needing You 3:09
23. You Gotta Have a Friend 1:59
24. Dorsey Burnette: Way in the Middle of the Night 1:30
25. I Would Do Anything 2:32
26. Wampus Cat 1:55
27. One Soda Two Straws (2) 1:57
28. Good Good Feelin' 2:38
29. Dorsey Burnette: Wait for Me 2:40
30. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: We're Gonna Rock Tonight 2:10
31. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Be My Love Tonight 1:57
32. Johnny & Dorsey Burnette: Oh Vera Mae 2:31
33. Little Girl (aka 'Kiss Me Sweet') 1:54
34. Dorsey Burnette: Baby Mine 2:14
35. Night Walker (instr.) 2:25
CD 9
01. Crazy Legs 1:42
02. No Foolin' Around (Your Love My Love) 1:18
03. Whisper Tenderly 2:03
04. Candle of Love 1:51
05. Blues Gonna Get You 2:21
06. Honey Tree 1:57
07. Speak No Evil 2:06
08. My Destiny 2:27
09. We're Having a Party 1:34
10. Dorsey Burnette: It's Late 1:57
11. Dorsey Burnette: Believe What You Say 2:08
12. Dorsey Burnette: School's Out 2:56
13. You Gotta Get Ready 2:02
14. Dorsey Burnette: House With a Tin Rooftop 1:30
15. Dorsey Burnette: How Do You Rock 1:55
16. Fantabulous 1:55
17. Just One More Time 1:56
18. Makin' Love 1:43
19. Dorsey Burnette: Teenage Dream 2:15
20. Dorsey Burnette: It's for Me 1:49
21. You Pass Me By 2:47
22. Dorsey Burnette: There's Gonna Be Lovin' 1:25
23. Operator 1:35
24. Dorsey Burnette: Baby Doll 2:04
25. Dorsey Burnette: Treat Me 1:40
26. Charleston Rock 'n' Roll 1:46
27. I Feel So Welcome 1:32
28. Mean It 1:58
29. Like a Fool 2:36
30. Too Much Alike 2:14
31. Sugarfoot Sally 2:12
32. Hey Little Freshman 1:41
33. Dorsey Burnette: Water Boy 1:35
34. Dorsey Burnette: Magic Night of Love 2:18
35. Date Me 1:42
36. Dorsey Burnette: Hey Gang 1:43
