Maybellene
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Maybellene" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by Chuck Berry | ||
| Released | July, 1955 | |
| Format | 7" 45rpm, 10" 78rpm | |
| Recorded | May 21, 1955 at Chess Records, Chicago |
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| Genre | Rock and Roll | |
| Length | 2 min 22 s | |
| Label | Chess 1604 (US) |
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| Producer(s) | Leonard Chess | |
| Chart positions | ||
| Chuck Berry singles chronology | ||
| "Maybellene" (1955) |
"Thirty Days" (1955) |
|
"Maybellene", which tells the story of a hot rod race and a broken romance, is a Chuck Berry song first released in July of 1955 as a single on Chess Records of Chicago, Illinois. It was Berry's first single release, and his first hit, and is considered one of the pioneering rock and roll singles. The record is certainly an early instance of the complete rock and roll package: youthful subject matter, small guitar-driven combo, clear diction, and an atmosphere of unrelenting excitement.
It is often reported that the song was originally recorded by Bob Wills in 1938 under the title "Ida Red" and was written by Russ Frato. However, "Ida Red" was actually a traditional American fiddle tune dating back to the 19th century, and was recorded numerous times (and in numerous arrangements) from as early as 1924. Berry rewrote the traditional bluegrass staple at the suggestion of Leonard Chess and disk jockey Alan Freed was given co-writer credit as a reward for his work in promoting it. The credit was later withdrawn.
The song peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard rock charts, and was a #1 R&B hit.
It is often misspelled as Maybelline, even on some of Berry's compilation CDs. That spelling is used by a popular cosmetics line. Berry worked as a hairdresser before achieving stardom.
