By 1989,
Jerry Williams
was running short on record companies willing to release one
Swamp Dogg
album before dropping him (which had happened seven times by that point), so he took the logical step of starting his own label, which he kicked off with the memorably titled (even by his standards)
I Called for a Rope and They Threw Me a Rock
. Clearly working with a lower budget,
I Called for A Rope
is dominated by wheezing synthesizers and clanky drum machines that lack the soulful force of
's best studio work, but as a songwriter and singer the man is in fine form on this set.
"I'd Lie to You for Your Love"
is a hilarious litany of tall tales (and what woman could resist the man who invented gravy?),
"Kiss Me, Hit Me, Touch Me"
shows he had an impressive understanding of
rap
for a guy pushing forty,
"Come to L.A."
beats
Randy Newman
at his own game of bashing the West Coast, and
"Let the Good Times Roll"
rocks out with a steady roll.
"We Need a Revolution"
is a commendable bit of political ranting from a guy who had made it a major career sideline, and
"1958"
is that rare example of romantic nostalgia without false illusions. The low-budget production on
I Called for a Rope
often makes it sound more like a set of demos than a proper album, but they're demos for a damn good record, and fans of
's brilliant if addled world view will want to check it out. ~ Mark Deming