Go Cat Go!

Track list

Disc 1

1. All Mama's Children

   2:15 • Studio version

2. One More Shot

   2:49 • Studio version

3. Rockabilly Music

   3:21 • Studio version

4. Distance Makes No Difference with Love

   4:12 • Studio version

5. Give Me Back My Job

   4:04 • Studio version

6. Blue Suede Shoes

   4:03 • Studio version

7. Quarter Horse

   2:24 • Studio version

8. Don't Stop the Music

   3:13 • Studio version

9. Matchbox

   2:19 • Studio version

10. Go Cat Go

    3:00 • Studio version

11. Two Old Army Pals

    2:50 • Studio version

12. Honey Don't

    2:43 • Studio version

13. Wild Texas Wind

    4:16 • Studio version

14. Restless

    4:25 • Studio version

15. A Mile out of Memphis

    3:05 • Studio version

16. My Old Friend

    Written by Carl Perkins

    3:21 • Studio version • A

    Paul McCartney : Bass, Drums, Guitar, Piano, Producer, Vocals Carl Perkins : Guitar, Vocals George Martin : Producer, Strings arrangement Geoff Emerick : Mixing engineer, Recording engineer Eddie Klein : Mixing engineer Keith Smith : Mixing engineer Jon Kelly : String recording engineer Mike Stavrou : Recording engineer

    Session Recording: Feb 25, 1981 • Studio AIR Studios, Montserrat

    Session Overdubs: Mid-April 1996 • Studio Hog Hill Studio, Rye, UK

17. Blue Suede Shoes

    2:24 • Studio version

From Dinosaur Entertainment Press Release, 1996:

To honor the fortieth anniversary of “Blue Suede Shoes“, Dinosaur Entertainment has just released a tribute album, Go Cat Go!, featuring some of the greatest names in music. Guest artists performing duets with Carl Perkins include: Bono, Johnny Cash, John Fogerty, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Paul Simon, and Ringo Starr. In addition, the album features Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon preforming “Blue Suede Shoes”. Go Cat Go! is destined to become a Rock ‘N’ Roll classic. Some of the other musicians appearing on this record are: Eric Clapton, Clarence Clemons, Charlie Daniels, Rick Danko, Sheila E., Dr. John, Jesse Johnson, Jim Keitner, Billy Preston, Klaus Vorman, and Joe Walsh.

From Club Sandwich N°81, Spring 1997:

[…] Third, but by no means least, is a fabulous new album from our old friend Carl Perkins, a true rock and roll legend if ever there was one. Away back in 1981, as many of you will know, Paul invited Carl to the island of Montserrat, where he was recording the album Tug Of War. The duet ‘Get It’ was the immediate fruit of their collaboration, but not the only one. Club Sandwich 33 revealed the existence of a further track like this: “The night before he was due to leave, Carl decided to set down his feelings of appreciation in a little song. The result was ‘My Old Friend’, meant as a simple statement of thanks from him to Paul, which he sang to Paul the following morning. Paul really liked it and got Carl to play it again for Linda and George Martin. Although Carl felt it was just a statement, Paul persuaded him to go into the studio there and then to put it down. Carl sang and played two guitar parts, Paul played organ, rhythm guitar, drums and bass, whilst adding “backing vocals. It was cut within the hour. Paul’s interest in the song was so strong that he asked Carl if he could take it back to England to work on an arrangement. Carl feels that Paul’s treatment is a masterpiece, which heightens the feelings expressed in the song. He says that ‘My Old Friend’ means more to him than any song he’s ever written, including ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, as it’s both his personal feeling for Paul whilst managing to hit a universal note with which many people can associate.”

Well, it certainly took a while, but ‘My Old Friend’ is finally available, issued on Carl’s new album Go Cat Go! in which the Tennesseean troubadour is joined by a veritable galaxy of superstars, not only Paul but also Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Paul Simon, John Fogerty, Tom Petty, Bono, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, with posthumous contributions from John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix. Released in the USA shortly before Christmas by BMG Records, Go Cat Go! is a very special album that merits the glowing reviews it has already received. And yes, ‘My Old Friend’ really is every bit as beautiful as Paul, Linda and George Martin said it was when they first heard it on Montserrat. For sure, 16 years is a long time, but it sounds no less fine for the wait.

Going further

• http://theband.hiof.no/albums/go_cat_go.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Cat_Go!