“Chuck Berry is on Top” – Chuck Berry
This series is about the best rock albums in history, in my humble opinion. Enjoy! And I could not leave out an iconic album of the Father of Rock and Roll!
Chuck Berry Is on Top is the third studio album by rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry, released in July 1959 on Chess Records, catalogue LP 1435. With the exception of one track, "Blues for Hawaiians," all selections had been previously released on 45 rpm singles, several of which were double-sided and charted twice. In his review of the album for AllMusic, Cub Koda described it as "almost a mini-greatest-hits package in and of itself" and the most perfectly realized collection of Berry's career. In 2008, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab reissued the album with St. Louis to Liverpool on an Ultradisc II Gold compact disc. In 2012, Hoodoo reissued the album with One Dozen Berrys on the same CD.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Chuck Berry.
Side A
No. Title
1. "Almost Grown"
2. "Carol"
3. "Maybellene"
4. "Sweet Little Rock & Roller"
5. "Anthony Boy"
6. "Johnny B. Goode"
Side B
No. Title
1. "Little Queenie"
2. "Jo Jo Gunne"
3. "Roll Over Beethoven"
4. "Around and Around"
5. "Hey Pedro"
6. "Blues for Hawaiians"
"Maybellene" is a rock and roll song. It was written and recorded in 1955 by Chuck Berry, adapted in part from the Western swing fiddle tune "Ida Red". Berry's song told the story of a hot rod race and a broken romance, the lyrics describing a man driving a V8 Ford and chasing his unfaithful girlfriend in her Cadillac Coupe DeVille. It was released in July 1955 as a single by Chess Records, of Chicago, Illinois. Berry's first single and his first hit, "Maybellene" is considered a pioneering rock and roll song. Rolling Stone magazine wrote of it, "Rock & roll guitar starts here." The record was an early instance of the complete rock and roll package: youthful subject matter; a small, guitar-driven combo; clear diction; and an atmosphere of unrelenting excitement.
The song was a major hit with both black and white audiences. It has received numerous honors and awards. Soon after its initial release, cover versions were recorded by several other artists. The title is misspelled "Maybelline" on several releases.
Source: Wikipedia