Chuck Berry Is on Top es un álbum de Chuck Berry, publicado en 1959. El disco incluye 12 canciones, entre ellas «Almost Grown», «Carol», «Maybellene» y «Sweet Little Rock & Roller».
Sobre el álbum
El álbum Chuck Berry Is on Top, de 1959, es mucho más que un simple disco de estudio; es, sin lugar a dudas, el evangelio fundacional del rock and roll. Aunque se presenta como un álbum convencional funciona como una compilación de los sencillos más trascendentales y revolucionarios que Chuck Berry había grabado hasta la fecha. Su título no es una bravuconada, sino la constatación de una realidad innegable: en ese momento, nadie estaba por encima de él en la creación del lenguaje de la música popular moderna.
Este disco contiene la santísima trinidad de sus composiciones, las canciones que definieron el ADN del rock. Primero, "Johnny B. Goode", la historia arquetípica del guitarrista pobre de campo que sueña con el estrellato. Su riff de guitarra inicial es, posiblemente, el fragmento musical más reconocible e influyente del siglo XX, un llamado a las armas para cada guitarrista que vino después.
Segundo, "Maybellene", su primer éxito, una fusión perfecta del rhythm and blues con el ritmo y la narrativa del country & western. Esta canción, por sí sola, es un documento de la creación de un nuevo género, uniendo dos tradiciones musicales que hasta entonces parecían separadas.
Y tercero, "Roll Over Beethoven", un desafío directo y juguetón a la alta cultura, proclamando la llegada de una nueva forma de arte popular que iba a conquistar el mundo. La energía de la canción y su mensaje de relevo generacional son, simplemente, irresistibles.
De estos pilares, el álbum es un desfile de clásicos inmortales. "Carol", con su ritmo sincopado y su historia de amor en la pista de baile, se convirtió en una de las canciones favoritas de The Rolling Stones. Mientras tanto, "Little Queenie" y "Sweet Little Sixteen" demuestran su increíble genio como poeta de la adolescencia, capturando sus rituales, sus anhelos y su energía con una precisión y un ingenio inigualables.
'Chuck Berry Is on Top' es un disco perfecto, sin una sola nota o palabra de más. Cada canción es un pilar sobre el que se construyeron las carreras de The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan y prácticamente todos los artistas de rock que le sucedieron. No es solo un álbum; es el manual de estilo, la piedra Rosetta del rock and roll.
Listado de Canciones
- Almost Grown2:21
Letra
Yeah 'n' I'm doin' all right in school. They ain't said I broke no rule. I ain't never been in Dutch. I don't browse around too much Don't bother me, leave me alone Anyway I'm almost grown I don't run around with no mob. Got myself a little job I'm gonna buy me a little car, Drive my girl in the park Got my eye on a little girl. Ah, she's really out of this world. When I take her to the dance, She's got to talk about romance. You know I'm still livin' in town. But I done married and settled down. Now I really have a ball So I don't browse around at all - Carol2:21
Letra
Oh Carol, don't let him steal your heart away I'm gonna learn to dance if it takes me all night and day Climb into my machine so we can cruise on out I know a swingin' little joint where we can jump and shout It's not too far back off the highway, not so long a ride You park your car out in the open, you can walk inside A little cutie takes your hat and you can thank her, ma'am Every time you make the scene you find the joint is jammed Oh Carol, don't let him steal your heart away I'm gonna learn to dance if it takes me all night and day And if you want to hear some music like the boys are playin' Hold tight, pat your foot, don't let 'em carry it away Don't let the heat overcome you when they play so loud Oh, don't the music intrigue you when they get a crowd You can't dance, I know you wish you could I got my eyes on you baby, 'cause you dance so good Oh Carol, don't let him steal your heart away I'm gonna learn to dance if it takes me all night and day Don't let him steal your heart away I've got to learn to dance if it takes you all night and day Oh Carol - Maybellene2:27
Letra
Maybellene Maybellene, why can't you be true? Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true? You've started back doing the things you used to do. As I was motivatin' over the hill I saw Maybellene in a coup de ville. A Cadillac a-rollin' on the open road, Nothin' will outrun my V8 Ford. The Cadillac doin' 'bout ninety-five, She's bumper to bumper rollin' side by side. Maybellene, why can't you be true? Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true? You've started back doing the things you used to do. Pink in the mirror on top of the hill, It's just like swallowin' up a medicine pill. First thing I saw that Cadillac grille Doin' a hundred and ten gallopin' over that hill. Offhill curve, a downhill stretch, Me and that Cadillac neck by neck. Maybellene, why can't you be true? Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true? You've started back doing the things you used to do. The Cadillac pulled up ahead of the Ford, The Ford got hot and wouldn't do no more. It then got clody and it started to rain, I tooted my horn for a passin' lead The rain water blowin' all under my hood, I knew that was doin' my motor good. Maybellene, why can't you be true? Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true? You've started back doing the things you used to do. The motor cooled down, the heat went down And that's when I heard that highway sound. The Cadillac a-sittin' like a ton of lead A hundred and ten a half a mile ahead. The Cadillac lookin' like it's sittin' still And I caught Maybellene at the top of the hill. Maybellene, why can't you be true? Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true? You've started back doing the things you used to do. - Sweet Little Rock & Roller2:39
- Anthony Boy2:26
Letra
Eight oæ??lock in the morning And Iæ?¦ movin?on out to school; With an open book and a sleepy look, The teacher canæ?° be fooled. I take a pass in an early class, The teacher will never know, That I postponed my work at home Watching the evening show. Hey, there! Anthony boy, why æ???you in such a rush? The girl she wanna talk to you, Look at him heæ?¯-a blush. Three oæ??lock in the afternoon Completes a day of school; Before the thing can cease the ring, Heæ?¯ in the vestibule. Betty and Barbara and Jeanie and Jane Are yackity-yackin?with Joan, About some things that Anthony told Her over the telephone. Hey, there! Anthony boy, why æ???you in such a rush? The girl she wanna talk to you, Look at him heæ?¯-a blush. Hey, there! Anthony boy, why æ???you in such a rush? The girl she wanna talk to you, Look at him heæ?¯-a blush. Betty told me the secret That I had told her not to tell; Now that she knows I know You know that all is well. Come come Tony, me boy, Donæ?° let æ?¹m get in your hair, With a good education you may Become a multi-millionaire. Hey, there! Anthony boy, why æ???you in such a rush? The girl she wanna talk to you, Look at him heæ?¯-a blush. - Johnny B. Goode2:30
Letra
Deep down Louisiana close to New Orleans Way back up in the woods among the evergreens There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode Who never ever learned to read or write so well But he could play the guitar just like a ringing a bell Go go Go Johnny go Go Go Johnny go Go Go Johnny go Go Go Johnny go Go Johnny B. Goode He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track Oh, the engineers would see him sitting in the shade Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made People passing by they would stop and say Oh my that little country boy could play Go go Go Johnny go Go Go Johnny go Go Go Johnny go Go Go Johnny go Go Johnny B. Goode His mother told him "Someday you will be a man, And you will be the leader of a big old band. Many people coming from miles around To hear you play your music when the sun go down Maybe someday your name will be in lights Saying Johnny B. Goode tonight." Go go Go Johnny go Go go go Johnny go Go go go Johnny go Go go go Johnny go Go Johnny B. Goode - Little Queenie2:36
Letra
I got lumps in my throat When I saw her comin' down the aisle I got the wiggles in my knees When she looked at me and sweetly smiled Well there she is again Standin' over by the record machine Well she looks like a model On the cover of a magazine But she's too cute To be a minute over seventeen Meanwhile I was thinkin' Well if she's in the mood No need to break it I got the chance and I oughta take it If she can dance we can make it C'mon queenie let's shake it I said go, go, go, little queenie I said go, go, go, little queenie I said go, go, go, little queenie Won't someone tell me Who's the queen standin over by the record machine Well she looks like a model On the cover of a magazine But she's too cute To be a minute over seventeen I said go, go, go, little queenie I said go, go, go, little queenie I said go, go, go, little queenie Meanwhile, I was still thinkin', hmmmm, Well if it's a slow one We'll omit it If it's a rocker, then we'll get it If it's a good one, she'll admit it C'mon queenie, let's get with it I said go, go, go, little queenie I said go, go, go, little queenie I said go, go, go, little queenie I said go, go, go, little queenie I said go, go, go, little queenie I said go, go, go, little queenie - Jo Jo Gunne2:49
Letra
It was in ancient history, four thousand B.C. Back up in the jungle in a coconut tree Hanging on a branch up under the sun Was a meddlesome monkey named Jo Jo Gunne Old Leo the lion came down from the mountain To get a drink of water from the jungle fountain Jo Jo the monkey started tellin' him jive About the elephant who was gonna skin him alive Leo tried to reach and grab Jo Jo's tail Got mad and went roarin' through the jungle trail He ran upon an elephant beneath a tree And said, put up your dukes you gotta tussle with me An ol' eagle from Asia made a non stop flight Tryin' to make it in time, just to see them fight A crocodile phoned and reversed the charge Coming all the way from India on a local barge Ol' gorilla heard 'em talking in the lion's den But Jo Jo bet him three bucks the elephant wins Jo Jo yelled at Leo, Go on, knock him down He don't outweigh you but a thousand pounds Leo left wailin' with a left upper cut The elephant took his snoot and grabbed a coconut Leo fired a beautiful short back cross That's when the coconut landed up against his jaw Leo grew tired, but he wouldn't give in The elephant all loose, beat his jawbone in The buzzard said, they fought furious all day He couldn't understand how Leo got away Jo Jo runnin' everywhere, spreadin' the news To the zebras and the leopards and the kangaroos A hoot owl reported everything he saw Had his eyes wide open, they called it a draw Leo limping back with his jawbone bruised Jo Jo in the trees started singin' the blues Laughin', meddling, jumpin' up and down Till his foot missed a limb and he fell to the ground Just like a bolt of thunder and a streak of heat Leo covered Jo Jo with all four feet Jo Jo was screamin' with tears in his eyes Said, please mister Leo, I apologize Said, if you let my feet upon solid ground I'll fight you close range, fifteen rounds Leo got back to the square of the fight Jo Jo took a leap and jumped... out of sight - Roll over Beethoven2:30
Letra
I'm gonna write a little letter, Gonna mail it to my local DJ It's a rockin' rhythm record I want my jockey to play Roll Over Beethoven, I gotta hear it again today You know, my temperature's risin' And the jukebox blows a fuse My heart's beatin' rhythm And my soul keeps on singin' the blues Roll Over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news I got the rockin' pneumonia, I need a shot of rhythm and blues I think I'm rollin' arthritis Sittin' down by the rhythm review Roll Over Beethoven rockin' in two by two Well, if you feel you like it Go get your lover, then reel and rock it Roll it over and move on up just A trifle further and reel and rock it, Roll it over, Roll Over Beethoven rockin' in two by two Well, early in the mornin' I'm a-givin' you a warnin' Don't you step on my blue suede shoes Hey diddle diddle, I am playin' my fiddle, Ain't got nothin' to lose Roll Over Beethoven and tell Tschaikowsky the news You know she wiggles like a glow worm, Dance like a spinnin' top She got a crazy partner, Oughta see 'em reel and rock Long as she got a dime the music will never stop Roll Over Beethoven, Roll Over Beethoven, Roll Over Beethoven, Roll Over Beethoven, Roll Over Beethoven and dig these rhythm and blues - Around and Around2:20
Letra
They say the joint was rockin' A goin' 'round and round Yeah reelin' and a rockin' what a crazy sound Well they never stopped rockin' till the moon went down Oh it sounds so sweet I gotta take me a chance Rose out of my seat just had to dance Started movin' my feet well a clappin' my hands Well the joint started Rockin' going 'round and around Yeah reelin' and a rockin' what a crazy sound A well they never stopped rockin' till the moon went down Twelve o'clock Well the place as packed Front doors was locked Well the place was packed When the police knocked Both doors flew back But they kept on a Oh they kept on a Rockin' going 'round and around Yeah reelin' and a rockin' what a crazy sound A well they never stopped rockin' till the moon went down - Hey Pedro2:18
- Blues for Hawaiians2:25