Rockin' & Rollin'

AMG Review of Rockin' & Rollin'

Cub Koda
All Music Guide

Two of the greatest ock & roll records ever have to be "Down on the Farm" and "Georgia Slop" by Big Al Downing. For ice-pick-in-the-ear ockabilly lead guitar, you have to go some distance to burn "Down on the Farm," and "Georgia Slop" is one of those absolutely perfect, not-a-wasted-note-on-it-anywhere records that comes along once in a very blue moon. To have both discs on this collection is the main incentive for purchasing it. This 18-tracker collects up just about everything you'll ever need on this underrated performer. Downing was versatile; he could do voices from Fats Domino to Little Richard and pound one very cool piano in the bargain. All the essentials are here plus some very hip bonuses, including his midsong Little Richard entrance with a chorus of "Good Golly Miss Molly" on Bobby Poe's white white white refrigerator-white "Rock & Roll Record Girl."