George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Greatest Hits: 30 Years Of Rock

I love good old Rock & Roll Blues. Bands like AC/DC in the Bon Scott years, or early Brian Johnson, ZZ Top, Eric Clapton, or even some real early Aerosmith (if you want to stretch it a little). However, George Thorogood & The Destroyers scratch an itch that I can't describe. Sure it all sounds sort of the same, but that's because George and gang have a certain style. A style that means that you personally only need a greatest hits CD to be happy. Unless you really like simple blues.

While I was out browsing the music department of an electronics store that I don't want to give any free advertising to, I ran across George Thorogood & The Destroyers' Greatest Hits: 30 Years Of Rock for an acceptably cheap price. I've always wanted one of these best of packages from Thorogood, because I would never find the songs I wanted all together any other way. For starters Bad To The Bone, which I know is so cliche these days, but fuck you if you can't admit liking it, and Get A Haircut were released around a decade apart, so this was just what the doctor ordered.

The album opens with Madison Blues, which I had never heard before I picked up this album. I love how they take a dig at women and their shoes, it's great. Although I guess the real credit goes to Elmore James. "You babes talk about your madison shoes / We've got a thing we call the madison blues / We do the Madison blues / We do the Madison blues / We do the Madison blues, baby / Rock away your blues / Now I knew a gal her name is Lindsey-loo / She told me she loved me but I know it aint true / Put on your Madison shoes / Put on your Madison blues shoes / I've got the Madison blues / Now put on your Madison blues shoes". I know it's not lyrically complicated, but when it comes to good Blues the only thing complicated is the intense jams.

From there it's on to One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer, which has become a favourite of mine over the years. This is such a real and true Blues song. It's got a story, the music breathes, and brings a smile to your face, eventhough it is so totally depressing. Sadly this song doesn't get enough radio play due to the 8:26 play time. Which is why I didn't discover it until probably some time in the mid 90's.

Move It On Over and Who Do You Love I remember always being on the radio. I was always indifferent to the first one, but the second was awesome. The first time I heard Who Do You Love I instantly fell in love. The vocals are honestly raw, the music is rough and hard, and the message is clear.

Both songs are also covers. The first is from Hank Williams, the second is from Bo Diddley. I think I may have to make Bo Diddley one of the next CDs I look into. Everyone knows Bad To The Bone, and I've already said what I have to say about it, so I'm going to just move on.

I Drink Alone is another song I instantly fell in love with. I don't know where to even begin with this song. "Every morning just before breakfast / I don't want no coffee or tea / Just me and good buddy Wiser / That's all I ever need / 'Cause I drink alone, yeah / With nobody else / Yeah, you know when I drink alone / I prefer to be by myself / The other night I laid sleeping / And I woke from a terrible dream / So I caught up my pal Jack Daniel's / And his partner Jimmy Beam / And we drank alone, yeah / With nobody else / Yeah, you know when I drink alone / I prefer to be by myself". Between these words, the nasty growl of the sax, and the back alley bruiser swagger of the rhythm section, this song is just bad ass.

At this point the songs I knew before buying this disc start becoming fewer, but a lot of that comes from the fact that many are covers. I never knew how much George Thorogood was a cover artist, but that's actually pretty normal for Blues men. Gear Jammer is new to me. It has a lot of sounds, and musical phrases that remind me of other songs, especially a couple tracks from the original Heavy Metal movie soundtrack, which is odd. It's a bit of a filler, but it should be clearly stated that a filler on this greatest hits package is a hundred times better than filler on an album.

Johnny Otis Show is responsible for the original Willie And The Hand Jive, which was also recorded by Eric Clapton as well. It would seem this was Thorogood's only Hot 100 hit, and I don't understand any of that. The song's good, but not that good. The music industry always puzzles me.

The Sky Is Crying (live) was from the 1986 album Live. It originally appeared on the sophomore album 1978 Move It On Over. This is originally an Elmore James song that is really good, and I really like the version on here, but I find the 8:02 run time a bit much from day to day. As I write this I'm not minding it so much, but when it randomly comes on my 25 disc CD player, I get a bit annoyed at how long and drawn out it seems.

Reelin' & Rockin' (live) is a cover of a Chuck Berry classic. This song was dirty for it's time back in the early 70's, but by todays standards it's just so mild. However, this is a great fun song, which I have come to understand the band liked using as a closer at the end of the night.

I love when musicians take good comedic shots at people. You Talk Too Much fits that bill. "You talk too much, you talk too much / I can't believe the things that you say everyday / If you keep on talking baby / You know you're bound to drive me away / Now you get on the telephone with your girlfriend / Your conversation baby ain't got no end / Yakety-yakety-yakety-yak all the time / You keep on talking baby drive me out of my mind / You talk too much / I can't believe the things that you say everyday / If you keep on talking baby / You know you're bound to drive me away", is the perfect description of so many women in the days before texting. Musically this a is a really sound song, and it's also an original. Which at this point I'm thankful for.

If You Don't Start Drinkin' (I'm Gonna Leave) is the exact same idea, lyrics that make you smile and chuckle mixed with great solid music. "Don't give me no lectures / 'Bout stress and strife / So-ber-i-ety / Just ain't my way of life / You better change / Yes, I'm begging you please / 'cause if you don't start drinkin' / I'm gonna leave / Yeah, Budweiser, Budweiser, Miller Lite / Take a little nip baby it's alright / All a fellow wants is company / Come on baby have some fun with me". Now I know this song sounds like an alcoholic trying to gain some company, but fuck it. Sometimes you just need that uptight bitch to let go a bit. Sorry I know that sounds rude, but many of us guys have been there.

I had no clue until I read the liner notes five minutes ago that Get A Haircut wasn't a Thorogood original. While in Australia it would seem the band stumbled across this one, by complete chance. This is a song that in the liner note George states, "That song gets received as good or better than Bad To The Bone." Which I think is a totally fair assement of the song, because I actually like it better too. Did you know that Jerry Lee Lewis was still releasing music in 1979? Rockin' My Life Away (alternate take)was originally recorded by Jerry that year, and no one except for hardcore fans, like Thorogood, even know it exsists. It's a pretty good song, that I totally identify with.

American Made is a typical Midwest America kind of song. Easily mixable or interchangeable between artist like John Melloncamp, Steve Earle, or Bruce Springsteen. It's good old Americana, that I have no use for.

Who Do You Love? (Rothrock Remix) is a complete "Why the fuck is this even on here?" Just skip it. It's the last song and you don't need to listen.

When everything is said and done it would seem that George Thorogood & The Destroyers are one of the most successful cover bands of all time. Something that I never knew. But since a few of their originals outweigh almost all of the covers, I guess that's acceptable. Also, the fact that this is such a fantastic Blues album also helps.

8/10 - content

7/10 - production

7/10 - personal bias