New single - Jerry Lee Lewis - Mean Old Man

Today saw the release for digital downplay of Mean Old Man, the first single from Jerry Lee’s forthcoming album on Shangri-La Music. The album will be Jerry Lee’s first country release for decades.

As with many a good JLL song, it’s from the pen of Kris Kristofferson. It was originally on KK’s Repossessed album, but I believe it has now found a home. The Killer once said of Me and Bobby McGhee that it had been done by Kris Kristofferson and Janis Joplin and now that he’d done it, he challenged that it was “open to anyone else that wants to try”. Now, you can say that about Mean Old Man as well.

I know there’ll be a-holes who’ll bemoan the fact that it’s modern country, but I love it. The backing is funky with great electric guitar. No one kicked up a fuss about Johnny Cash going 21st Century, so why not embrace JLL doing it? Much like the American stuff by his old pal, the aged vocals give the words a depth and character that a young singer couldn't. After the closing line “If I look like a mean old man that’s what I am” Jerry laughs “that’s what I am” to which KK confirms “that’s what you are” – great stuff. I talked the other day about Jace Everett's steamy country rocker, Bad Thing, that's the type of swampy song Jerry Lee could nail in his sleep. Mean Old Man is along the same lines and I hope the whole album is full of these sort of numbers.

I wasn’t that excited before Last Man Standing came out because you just knew the guests would take up too much time, but after hearing this I’m really excited and can’t wait for the album. Jerry Lee still kicks ass, and hopefully this album is an ass-kicker that might just get him the new crowd that are waiting for someone to fill the Cash void. I can dream can’t I?

I've just spoken to Jerry Lee nut Phil Flippar to see if my enthusiasm was shared and he's a bit more reserved about it at the moment. He can't get over the fact that there's no piano on it. Hey Phil, Jimmy Greaves could have a good game without scoring. Actually that's a bad analogy, Greavsie never played a game without scoring.