Chuck Berry on Stage es un álbum de Chuck Berry, publicado en 1963 por Chess. El disco incluye 14 canciones, entre ellas «Introduction», «Go Go Go», «Memphis» y «Maybellene».
Sobre el álbum
La discografía de Chuck Berry presenta con este álbum de 1963 una de las prácticas más curiosas de la industria musical de la época. Pese a su título, Chuck Berry on Stage no es un disco en directo. Se trata de grabaciones de estudio a las que la discográfica, Chess Records, les añadió un sonido de público falso para simular la atmósfera de un concierto. Por lo tanto, el objetivo era capitalizar la reputación de Chuck Berry como un gran artista de directo, especialmente mientras él se encontraba en prisión.
El álbum es una mezcla de éxitos conocidos con algunas pistas instrumentales. La calidad de la música original, por supuesto, es excelente, ya que se trata de grabaciones de su época dorada. El añadido de los gritos y aplausos enlatados le da al disco una sensación extraña y artificial.
Pese a este engaño, el álbum fue un éxito comercial considerable, lo que mantuvo el nombre de Chuck Berry vigente durante su ausencia. Es un documento fascinante de las estrategias de marketing de la industria. Es un disco de estudio disfrazado de directo, una curiosidad que, no obstante, contiene algunas de las mejores canciones de rock and roll jamás grabadas.
Listado de Canciones
- Introduction
- Go Go Go
Letra
Down goes the sun, sitting, ducking on guitar Up comes the moon, twinkle, twinkle little star One and one is two HITCHIN' two, to make it four Johnny get your guitar, let's go, go, go Johnny plays the guitar at the weekly record hop He starts starts to twist and turn and then they wouldnæ?° let him stop Girls so shook up, seein him shakin on the show Everybody starts to holler go, go, go Duckwalkin on his knees, peckin like a hen Lookin like a locomotive, here he comes again Meow said the kitty PUPPY bow-wow-wow Go and pick your guitar, Johnny donæ?° stop now, oh baby Backed up by a jazz band, layin' on the wood, Mixin Ahmad Jamal in my Johnny be Goode. Sneaking Errol Garner in my Sweet Sixteen, Now they tell me Stan Kenton's cutting Maybelline, oh baby Papa said to Mama, this I never understood, How he picks his guitar, make it sound so good. Use to sound goofy, but I guess it's allright, Cause Papa's takin' Mama to the gig tomorrow night, oh baby - Memphis
Letra
Long distance information, give me Memphis Tennessee Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call 'Cause my uncle took the message and he wrote it on the wall Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie She's the only one who'd phone me here from Memphis Tennessee Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge Just a half a mile from the Mississippi Bridge Help me, information, more than that I cannot add Only that I miss her and all the fun we had But we were pulled apart because her mom did not agree And tore apart our happy home in Memphis Tennessee Last time I saw Marie she's waving me good-bye With hurry home drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye Marie is only six years old, information please Try to put me through to her in Memphis Tennessee - Maybellene
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. - Surfing Street
- Rocking on the Railroad
- Brown Eyed Handsome Man
Letra
Arrested on charges of unemployment, He was sitting in the witness stand The judge's wife called up the district attorney Said you free that brown eyed man You want your job you better free that brown eyed man Flying across the desert in a TWA, I saw a woman walking across the sand She been a-walkin' thirty miles en route to Bombay. To get a brown eyed handsome man Her destination was a brown eyed handsome man Way back in history three thousand years Back every since the world began There's been a whole lot of good women shed a tear For a brown eyed handsome man That's what the trouble was brown eyed handsome man Beautiful daughter couldn't make up her mind Between a doctor and a lawyer man Her mother told her daughter go out and find yourself A brown eyed handsome man That's what your daddy is a brown eyed handsome man Milo Venus was a beautiful lass She had the world in the palm of her hand But she lost both her arms in a wrestling match To get brown eyed handsome man She fought and won herself a brown eyed handsome man Two, three count with nobody on He hit a high fly into the stand Rounding third he was headed for home It was a brown eyed handsome man That won the game; it was a brown eyed handsome man - Still Got the Blues
Letra
How many times have you heard this song If I had what he has, my blues would be gone But, Iæ?³e got the blues, nothing but the blues, for you I could have been happy with fortune in vain I have everything that a poor man could name But, I still have the blues, nothing but the blues for you Sergents all over think that Iæ?³e found Someone whoæ?? even give me piece of mine Talkin?the unknown, out of my head I just canæ?° remember I think that Iæ?³e said Give me chance and take me back Youæ?£l see a change in the way I act Æ??ause I got the blues, nothing but the blues for you Sergents all over think that Iæ?³e found Someone whoæ?? even give me piece of mine Talkin?the unknown, out of my head I just canæ?° remember I think that Iæ?³e said Give me chance and take me back Youæ?£l see a change in the way I act I wonæ?° have the blues, no, no blues for you - Sweet Little Sixteen
Letra
They're really rockin' Boston In Pittsburgh, P. A. Deep in the heart of Texas And 'round the Frisco Bay All over St. Louis And down in New Orleans All the cats want to dance with Sweet little sixteen Sweet little sixteen She's just got to have About half a million Framed autographs Her wallet filled with pictures She gets 'em one by one Become so excited Watch her, look at her run Oh mommy mommy Please may I go It's such a sight to see Somebody steal the show Oh daddy daddy I beg of you Whisper to mommy It's all right with you 'Cause they'll be rockin' on Bandstand In Philadelphia P.A. Deep in the heart of Texas And 'round the Frisco Bay All over St. Louis Way down in New Orleans All the cats want to dance with Sweet little sixteen 'Cause they'll be rockin' on Bandstand Philadelphia P.A. Deep in the heart of Texas And 'round the Frisco Bay All over St. Louis Way down in New Orleans All the cats want to dance with Sweet little sixteen Sweet little sixteen She's got the grown up blues Tight dresses and lipstick She's sportin' high heel shoes Oh, but tomorrow morning She'll have to change her trend And be sweet sixteen And back in class again Well they'll be rockin' Boston Pittsburgh, P. A. Deep in the heart of Texas And 'round the Frisco Bay Way out in St. Louis Way down to New Orleans All the cats want to dance with Sweet little sixteen - Jaguar and Thunderbird
Letra
Chorus: Slow down, little Jaguar Keep cool, little Thunderbird Ford Ten miles stretch on an Indiana road T'was a sky blue Jaguar and a Thunderbird Ford Jaguar setting on ninety nine Tryin' to beat the Bird to the county line Just a half-a-mile from Newtonville There had a speed sign sitting at the top of the hill It said : "35 miles, and stay in line" But the Jaguar and Thunderbird never read the sign Chorus Ludenville was a real small town Had a hundred and two And nine acres of ground Some stool pigeon put the sheriff wise Told him "Park down in Newtonville And catch 'em guys" Sheriff laid down, half hid in the weeds Parked for eight days, didn't nobody speed All of a sudden, dust rose on the road Said "Here come the Jaguar and Thunderbird Ford" Chorus Sheriff doubled clutched second, put it in third Took right after the Jaguar and Thunderbird He knew he'd get a bonus and a big fat fine If he caught 'em 'fore they crossed that county line Sheriff never drove his car a hundred and flat But if he aimed to get 'em He'd have to do more than that Crest of the hill, he's about a mile behind There wasn't but two mor miles to the county line Chorus Old Sheiff was countin' on the downward grade With the tall wind pushin', he had it made Thunderbird saw the Jaguar gainin' speed And waved "Goodbye, Jaguar" and pulled in the lead Jaguar said "You ain't won the race yet" And pulled back around the Bird like a sabre jet Sheriff's front bumper was a yard behind When the T-Bird, Jaguar crossed the line Slow down little Jaguar, Keep cool little Thunderbird Ford (repeat and fade) - I Just Want to Make Love to You
- All Aboard
- Trick or Treat
Letra
Trick or treat Trick or treat, baby, on a night like this, Trick or treat, wo, wo, an d that means a kiss. Trick or treat, baby, and don't let me miss A sweet kiss from you on a night like this. Trick or treat, baby, by the light of the moon, Trick or treat, wo, wo, don't leave me so soon. Trick or treat, baby, I go in a swoon From the sweet way you kiss me by the light of the moon. Trick or treat, baby, oh, what a night, Trick or treat, wo, wo, what a sweet delight. Trick or treat, baby, and hold me tight, And keep kissin' me sweetly, oh, what a night. Trick or treat, baby, in your own sweet way, Trick or treat, wo, wo, anything you say. Trick or treat, wo, wo, wo, wo, I just love for you to kiss me in your own sweet way. - The Man and the Donkey
Letra
The man and the donkey Down the road came a tired little donkey, Much he was loaded till his head hung down. Upon this back so heavy set a big man, Singin' such a sad song As he rode into town. And the man, the man sing to the donkey, But he sing such a sad song, and the guitar he broke. The donkey stop, the man he reach to get a big jug, Him and the donkey take a sip o' the drink. Down the road, oh the dancing donkey, Head swingin' so high, all the pain now gone. The man he sing, some song was a gay song, And the little donkey kept a-dancin' on. Down the road was the man and the donkey, So good feel the donkey, so gay was the man. How plain when the wind blow was the sound of the gay song, When the man and the donkey kept a-movin' on down the road.