The Carlisles, "Knock, Knock (You Can't Come In)" c/w "Money Tree," Mercury 70887X45 (rel. 6/1956)

 

Bill Carlisle is one of rock 'n' roll's forefathers. From the 1930s, when he first recorded for various US labels, he favored a het-up, high-octane approach to country music. His 1938 Decca record "A Mouse Been Messin' Around" is, for all intents and purposes, rockabilly minus percussion. 
     With his brother Cliff, he purveyed many risque, rough 'n' rowdy hillbilly blues in the vein of Jimmie Rodgers (another elemental block in the wall of rock); their partnership peaked with the soppy 1945 #1 ballad "Rainbow at Midnight," which could not be less representative of their familial vibe.
      In 1951, the brothers teamed up with female vocalist Martha Carson and guitarist Chet Atkins. "Too Old to Cut the Mustard" was the first of many hits for this group and the song became a pop standard. After a few more releases, Cliff Carlisle became fed up with the whole affair and departed; Martha Carson became a solo star and could no longer be with the group. Atkins remained as the anchor; his distinctive, innovative fretwork egged Bill Carlisle on in his manic, zany vocal performances.
      Ira Louvin, songwriter, harmony voice and mandolin player with The Louvin Brothers, penned a sheaf of novelty songs for The Carlisles, including the big hit "Is 'Zat You, Myrtle," which furthered the proto-rockabilly vibe. Bill Carlisle laced his guitar strings with paper to produce a percussive effect that gives the recordings a powerful rhythm that also suggests the effect of the slap-bass style of rockabilly as presented by Bill Black on Elvis Presley's Sun Records releases.
        1956 was the glory year of rockabilly; though the older Carlisle didn't identify as such, his energy and performances were an obvious inspiration for these new performers. His tendency towards humorous novelty material was another influence. Rockabilly is often playful, teasing and loopy--part of its core appeal. By this time, the group consisted of Carlisle, Robert Lunn on bass vocals, Dottie Sills (female vocal, rhythm guitar), an unidentified bassist and Atkins on lead guitar. Their records, like those of many country performers, stuck to a winning formula which held ample room for their hijinks.
        "Knock Knock" is one of scores of songs penned by J. D. Miller, whose influence in Cajun, country and r&b is widespread. An unusual soft-spoken vocal intro leads to the bouncy country bopper narrated by Robert Lunn as the Big Bad Wolf; Bill and Dottie are the taunting pigs whose house of brick can't be blown over. A zesty fiddle duets with Atkins' versatile guitar, while the papered acoustic guitars create the illusion of drums. There's a touch of old-school jazz and vaudeville in the group's performance; Carlisle, a consummate showman, was a fixture on The Grand Ole Opry until his passing in 2003 at 94 years' age. He was the last surviving link to pre-WWII country music. 

In 1956, either side of a new single had hit potential. It must have been fascinating to see which face of a record would click with the public. In this case, "Knock, Knock" won listener favor, though both sides are prime specimens of The Carlisles' sound.

"Money Tree" is by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, whose contributions to the Carlisle canon are small but effective. To an urgent Latin rhythm, Bill Carlisle sounds desperate to lay his paws on the fabled financial flora. "It's gonna take a money tree to bring my baby back to me," he explains. Carlisle's spoken-sung performance is riveting, as is the tropical hoopla going on in the background.
       One of Chet Atkins' more inspired moments as a sideman happens here: blazing passages and virtuoso pickin'. Any rockabilly could have made hay with this song. The more relaxed approach, with acoustic guitar noodling by a second unidentified sideman, works in favor of this witty, white-knuckled song that has a note of gravity beneath its novelty trappings.

The Carlisles' recordings lay dormant until Bear Family Records issued a 16-track LP, Busy Body Boogie, in 1985. They followed up with a same-titled 2005 entry in their "Gonna Shake This Shack Tonight" rockabilly CD series, which contains several Carlisles entries amongst Bill C's solo efforts in a similar vein.
        They never attempted a definitive collection of The Carlisles' sides; other labels have filled in the gap and, with streaming services and YouTube, guarantee the future of this quirky, energetic forebearer of rock 'n' roll.

Tomorrow: Varetta Dillard returns with a killer-diller platter from 1960, produced by Otis Blackwell. Two first-rate r&b movers from the Triumph label.