Everybody's Rockin'

Neil Young & The Shocking Pinks: Neil Young (guitar, harmonica, piano); Ben "King" Keith (guitar, alto saxophone); Larry Byrom (piano, background vocals); Tim Drummond (upright bass); Karl Himmel (snare drum); Rick Palombi (background vocals).
Recorded at Modern Recorders, Redwood City, California. Originally released on Geffen (403).
In 1983, Neil Young donned a pompadour, recruited the Shocking Pinks, and cut a rockabilly-inspired collection clocking in at under a half-hour that baffled fans and seemed to be a reaction to the head-shaking electronic mish-mash that was the previous year's TRANS. Despite EVERYBODY'S ROCKIN' being Young's poorest selling record since his 1969 self-titled debut, this mix of covers and originals is an inspired stab at '50s rock & roll that only really suffers from a slightly slick production from Young's long-time right-hand man Elliot Mazer.
Originals such as "Cry, Cry, Cry," "Kinda Fonda Wanda," and the autobiographical "Payola Blues" benefit from a liberal application of Jordanaires-like harmonizing, squawking sax, pounding piano, and Young's hiccupping vocals. Breezy interpretations of Jimmy Reed ("Bright Lights, Big City"), Elvis Presley ("Mystery Train"), Slim Harpo ("Rainin' in My Heart"), and Bobby Freeman ("Betty Lou's Got a New Pair of Shoes") also lend an air of authenticity to the proceedings. Despite its brevity, ROCKIN' is one of Neil Young's '80s projects undeserving of the drubbing it received the first time around.