Confessions of a Fanboy

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of- Sorry about that! Mere moments after complaining of writers’ block I stumbled on to something that has made my spirits rise and set my ass ablaze with excitement. Bless you, Hip-O-Select. May your first child be a masculine one. May your rod and staff be comforted! Hallelujah!

Hip-O-Select is releasing a limited edition Chuck Berry Box Set called Johnny B. Goode His Complete ’50s Chess Recordings. 4 CDs. 103 songs. A decade of Chuck Berry at his brilliant, pre-prison best. Oh, I’ve got to have me one of these. I will have one of these! How can I let one more day of my life pass without this treasure of American music in my possession?

There are some great cuts from the Library of Chuck that won’t be on this exhaustive box set and not every one of these rarities will be a winner, but there can be no doubt of the necessity of a set like this.

Kids, if you want to be in a rock and roll band this is where your education starts! The language, structure, and style of rock and roll was invented and/or perfected by “Dr.” Chuck Berry. Commit yourselves to learning these lessons and you are well on your way.

Even if you’re like me and have not the desire (or discernible talent) to start a band, there is something here for you. The price is steep, but ever so worth it. This is how the music of the titans like Sir Chuck should be presented: chronological and complete. I’m having one of these!

Disc 1
1. Maybellene
2. Wee Wee Hours
3. Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)
4. Together (We Will Always Be)
5. You Can’t Catch Me
6. Rolli Polli (instrumental)
7. Down Bound Train
8. Berry Pickin’ (instrumental)
9. No Money Down
10. I’ve Changed
11. Drifting Heart
12. Brown Eyed Handsome Man
13. Roll Over Beethoven
14. Too Much Monkey Business
15. Maybellene (live)
16. Roll Over Beethoven (live)
17. Havana Moon
18. Rock And Roll Music (demo)
19. Untitled Instrumental
20. Deep Feeling (instrumental)
21. School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes The Bell)
22. Low Feeling (instrumental)
23. La Jaunda (Espanol)
24. Blue Feeling (instrumental)
25. How You’ve Changed
26. Oh Baby Doll

Disc 2
1. Rock And Roll Music (alternate)
2. Rock And Roll Music
3. 13 Question Method (early version)
4. How High The Moon (instrumental)
5. Sweet Little Sixteen (demo)
6. Sweet Little Sixteen (take 3)
7. Sweet Little Sixteen (take 11)
8. Sweet Little Sixteen (original master)
9. Sweet Little Sixteen (sped up originally released version)
10. Rock At The Philharmonic (instrumental)
11. Guitar Boogie (instrumental)
12. Night Beat (take 3) (instrumental)
13. Night Beat (instrumental)
14. Time Was (slow version, take 4)
15. Time Was (slow version)
16. Reelin’ And Rockin’ (take 1)
17. Reelin’ And Rockin’ (takes 7/8)
18. Reelin’ And Rockin’
19. Chuckwalk (instrumental)
20. Johnny B. Goode (alt. take 2/3)
21. Johnny B. Goode
22. Around And Around (overdub take 2)
23. Around And Around (overdub take 3)
24. Around And Around
25. Ingo (overdub take 3) (instrumental)
26. Ingo (instrumental)

Disc 3
1. It Don’t Take But A Few Minutes
2. Blues For Hawaiians (instrumental)
3. Beautiful Delilah (alternate takes 15/16)
4. Beautiful Delilah (take 6)
5. 21 Blues
6. 21
7. 21 (take 14)
8. Vacation Time
9. Oh Yeah
10. Hey Pedro
11. Time Was (fast version)
12. House Of Blue Lights
13. Carol
14. Jo Jo Gunne
15. Memphis Tennessee
16. Anthony Boy
17. Sweet Little Rock ‘n’ Roller (alternate take 5)
18. Sweet Little Rock ‘n’ Roller (take 11A)
19. Long Fast Jam (instrumental)
20. Long Slow Jam (instrumental)
21. Merry Christmas Baby
22. Merry Christmas Baby (alternate)
23. Run Rudolph Run

Disc 4
1. Little Queenie (take #8)
2. Little Queenie
3. That’s My Desire
4. Do You Love Me (alternate)
5. Do You Love Me
6. Almost Grown (take 14)
7. Almost Grown (take 28)
8. Almost Grown
9. Back In The U.S.A.
10. Blue On Blue (alternate a/k/a Upchuck) (instrumental)
11. Blue On Blue (instrumental)
12. Betty Jean (alternate take 14)
13. Betty Jean (alternate take 17)
14. Betty Jean
15. County Line
16. Childhood Sweetheart (alternate)
17. Childhood Sweetheart
18. One O’Clock Jump (instrumental)
19. I Just Want To Make Love To You (take 3)
20. I Just Want To Make Love To You
21. Broken Arrow (take 21)
22. Broken Arrow
23. Let It Rock (alternate mix)
24. Let It Rock
25. Too Pooped To Pop (take 4A)
26. Too Pooped To Pop
27. Ecuadors - Say You’ll Be Mine
28. Ecuadors - Let Me Sleep Woman

Filed under: Musical Musings and Random Ramblings