Hello friends and neighbors. Yes... Mr. John Henry Ramistella..aka Mr. Johnny Rivers...is the subject of our Ruminatin' Rod's Record Review.My lovely wife Brenda gave me a turntable for Christmas...that plugs into my computer...where I can play my albums...and not only play them... but turn them into MP3s...put them on my ITUNES...and can either make a CD of them...or load them onto my
IPHONE.
I have been mining my closet of my vinyl...and it has been wonderful.
One of the albums that I recorded was one that I have not heard since 1982 by Johnny Rivers called NOT A THROUGH STREET.
I have been a Johnny Rivers fan for a long time. Back in 1967...I went to a Johnny Rivers concert at MTSU in the old gym...before the massive athletic center was erected. I was 16 years old at the time...and I had a ball. The opening act was THE GRASSROOTS...and they rocked the house.Johnny came out on stage...and it was wonderful. I remember three things from that concert: (1) He had technical difficulties as he tried to play Seventh Son. First he played a rocking opener on his guitar...and when he started to sing the microphone went out. Then he tried again...and when he started to sing...his guitar went out. (2) There were a group of drunk frat boys who heckled Johnny throughout the concert...calling out for Poor Side of Town. At the end of the show...Johnny saluted our fine MTSU frat boys with the bird. (3) I went to the back of the gym...and met Johnny Rivers and got his autograph. He was very nice and gracious.
He was at his prime at that time...Poor Side of Town, Secret Agent Man, Baby I Need Your Loving were all hits. His album Johnny Rivers at the Whiskey A Go Go was rockin'...in 1963...with the Beatles breathing down his neck with the breaching of the British Invasion. This live album...was a party album as Johnny rocked on with Chuck Berry songs (Memphis, Maybelline) and songs like Twist and Shout (Isley Brothers ), Walkin' The Dog, LaBamba with the crowd noise in the background. Sunset Boulevard was a-rockin'.
Multiple albums were recorded... SECRET AGENT MAN...was the theme (originally from Danger Man in England...later Secret Agent Man in America)...Poor Side of Town, Baby I Need Your Lovin', The Tracks Of My Tears, Swaying To The Music, Midnight Special, Rockin' Pneumonia, etc.Johnny got his own label (Soul City Music) and helped organize and served on the board of directors of THE MONTEREY POP FESTIVAL. Pretty good stuff for a boy from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (aka home of James Burton). Meetings with Burton, Ricky Nelson (who recorded Johnny's song I'll Make Believe), and Allen Freed (disk jockey who coined the term rock and roll, and was involved in the payola scandals) all played a part in the rising of the River. Allen Freed suggested the name change for Mr. Ramistella. Johnny chose Rivers...because of the Mississippi River. (Thanx and a Tip O Da Hat to the book THE BILLBOARD BOOK OF NUMBER ONE HITS for historical information)
In 1982...Johnny Rivers released a gospel album called NOT A THROUGH STREET on Priority Records. Great album cover...and great music on the inside. The album had a great group of players including: Jim Keltner, Darrel Cook, Hadley Hockensmith, Larry Knechtel, Jim Horn, The Waters Family, Alex Acuna, Harlan Roger, Ron Tutt, Dean Parks, Jerry Scheff, Bill Maxwell, Jim and Ginger Hendricks, Larry Prentiss...and of course Johnny Rivers on guitar and vocals.On the inner sleeve along with the words on one side...there was drawing by his wife Christi Rivers of a large side view of a Lion...a woman at the well, and lambs with the verse "Behold the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, The root of David, has overcome..." (Revelation 5:5)
The style of music...sonically...is pure Rivers...Motown, funk. As a matter of fact...there are many Motown songs...revamped to be sung to the Lord. If you close your eyes...you can almost here THE FUNK BROTHERS (Motown's house band).
Here is a thumbnail of the songs:
NOWHERE ELSE TO GO: Written by Johnny Rivers...and speaks of the ups and downs and turning to God. "Now my plans and dreams have all faded...everyone I trusted let me down...the one that I loved married my best friend...and they moved to the rich side of town...I feel lost and abused...so confused...and I've never ever ever been so low. Lord I'm coming to You with my heart in my hand...don't turn me away...You gotta hear what I say...Cause, I've got nowhere else to go." This song...sets the tone for the rest of the album.
A CHANGE IS GONNA COME: This is a heart tugging version of the Sam Cook classic. "It has been a long...long time comin'...but I know a change is gonna come...Oh yes it will."
NOTE: Many rock/pop stars...have roots in gospel...but get trapped in fame and the flesh... and fall away...but their cry to the Lord...is still heard.
TURNING POINT: "I've reached the turning point Oh Lord in my life oh yeah...I reached the turning, turning point in my life...Oh yeah." Don't we all have to reach that point?
REACH OUT, I'LL BE THERE: The Holland/Dozier classic...with the subtle change of "Reach out and HE'LL be there with a love that will shelter you...HE'LL be there with a love that'll see you through."
STAND BY ME: Rock and Roll poets...Mike Stoller, Jerry Leiber (wrote a lot of Elvis, Coaster, etc songs)...and Ben E.King wrote this one. Stand By Me..."And Lord, Lord, stand by me, oh stand by me." A perfect song for when the night has come...the sky tumbles...mountains crumble...the cry to Stand By Me...Lord.
BELIEVE IN ME: Speaking of a belief system that will get you through...."That all you got to do is believe in Me...together we'll always be--our love will last eternally...If you just believe in Me. Nothing will ever come between us--with our spirits one...Ummm-Believe in Me.
SHELTER IN TIME OF STORM: "Just like a shelter in the time of Storm...He'll see you through...That's what He'll do." The Rolling Stones were demanding "Gimme Shelter."...and the Lord's name is a strong tower...and the righteous can run into it...and be saved. "He'll see you though your hangs ups...He'll see you through your fears...He'll see you through sad times...Honey He'll dry all your tears...and when the tempest is raging...I want you to know, you got a friend that's true...just like a shelter in the time of storm."
THE UNCLOUDY DAY: This one is a traditional song...arranged by Johnny and has that party feel from the Whiskey A Go Go Days. It speaks of a longing for that Uncloudy Day.
HOW SWEET IT IS (TO BE LOVED BY YOU): Wow...one of my favorites...I use to sing this one to Jesus all the time. "How Sweet It Is To be loved by you...thank ya Jesus" Going through ups and downs...and to be sheltered in His arms....sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!
NEW MEANING: "Jesus You have given me new life...You have changed it all...set my feet on the solid rock...You made right out of all the wrong...put a new meaning to the same old song."
This sounds like II Corinthians 5:17.."Therefore if any man, wo-man, hu-man is in Christ, they are NEW creations...the OLD things passed away...behold new things have come.'
LIVE IT FROM DAY TO DAY: "I just live it from day to day...cause there's no other way to stay close to You...I might slip...but I won't lose my way...IF I stay close...so close to You...close to You." Yes..these are words to live by. The sad thing is...so many fall away...especially those in the limelight...who make genuine turns to the Lord...but then fall again.
GOLDEN SUN, SILVER MOON: A song from Dion (Run Around Sue, Abraham, Martin and John, and many others)...speaking of the wonders of creation...and how many discover these things...but they are not the creators.
Well...there ya go...one of my favorite gospel albums. I wish I could tell you that since 1982... Johnny is still standing strong. I don't know...but I do know...that at that point in time...he sang the truth...and the truth of the songs has not changed...because the Lord changes not... and Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.
I give this album...5 MOOS out of 5.
Love and Rockin' Rivers of Living Waters Kisses
Rodney "MooMan" Boyd
