Search - Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup :: Arthur Crudup: The Essential

Pillar of the Blues

Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 06/29/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know if the songs on this CD really represent the "essential" Arthur Crudup because I haven't heard all of his recordings. But at least they are a useful overview of his career.
Most people my age, even if they are not blues fans, have heard at least some rendition of a Crudup song. He has been covered by artists as diverse as Elvis Presley, Marty Robbins, and Eric Clapton. Among songs most familiar to my generation are Mean Old Frisco Blues, That's All Right, and My Mama Don't Allow Me.
There is a lot of rock and roll in a Crudup blues song and that's probably one reason his music has been accessible to successive generations of rockers. I like the whole album, it has a raw feeling that takes the listener way back to the bare roots of rock and roll. Crudup has a powerful voice and an engaging style of play.
My sole criticism of this compilation is that a few of the songs included sound like another (Crudup) song with only the lyrics changed. For example, compare and contrast I Want My Lovin', That's All Right, and I Don't Know It. You'll hear that the only substantial differences among the three are the lyrics. He has done so much that the label compiling this disc could have left in That's All Right and canned the other two in favor of a couple of other important tunes.
With 36 songs, the CD is a real value. Included are liner notes featuring a short but interesting story of Crudup's life. His story will surprise many who have a stereotyped view of the life of a bluesman. Arthur Crudup was not only a pillar of the blues, but can be considered one of the founding fathers of rock and roll. For those who seek the roots of the genre, this CD is a worthwhile buy."