I Remember Elvis
The photos, reminiscences, even the song selection onI Remember Elvis--building to "I Wore Elvis's Ring" and climaxing with "Love Me Tender"--do more than hint that the Queen of Rockabilly and the King of Rock & Roll were more than just good friends. Whatever the personal relationship, Presley's influence on Jackson ran deep (as it did on most of the other early rockers), and here she repays the debt with a tribute that recaptures all the musical vitality of the mid-1950s. Rather than passing as a female Elvis impersonator, she turns some of Presley's seminal hits (as well as worthy favorites such as "Trying to Remember to Forget" and "Ain't That Loving You Baby") into Wanda Jackson songs. Providing the big beat behind her is drummer Clem Burke (the powerhouse percussionist for Blondie) while producer Danny B. Harvey supplies the requisite rockabilly guitar licks. Whether storming through "Good Rockin' Tonight" or torching the smoldering sensuality of "Baby, Let's Play House," Jackson combines the reckless spirit of the moment (the sessions sound live without overdubs) with the legacy of a half-century. Another Elvis--Costello--provides the love-letter liner notes.--Don McLeese