"Matchbox" is a song written and recorded by

Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...

and released in 1957. Blind Lemon Jefferson wrote and recorded a song entitled "Match Box Blues" in 1927, which is musically different but which contains some lyric phrases in common. "Matchbox" was recorded as a

rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western musi ...

song by

in December 1956 and by fellow Sun Records performer,

Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis m ...

who played piano on the original trackin 1958. Sam Phillips and

Sun Records Sun Records is an American independent record label founded by producer Sam Phillips in Memphis, Tennessee on February 1, 1952. Sun was the first label to record Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Jo ...

released the Carl Perkins version as the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...

to " Your True Love". Although only the A-side became a record chart hit in 1957, "Matchbox" is one of Perkins' best-known recordings, and various musicians have recorded the tune.

Background

Ma Rainey recorded "Lost Wandering Blues" in Chicago in March 1924.

Paramount Records Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson (guitarist), Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramoun ...

issued it on the standard ten-inch 78 rpm single (no. 12098). Her lyrics include the matchbox as a suitcase reference: Three years later, Blind Lemon Jefferson used it for the title of his recording "Match Box Blues" on March 14, 1927, for

Okeh Records OKeh Records () is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916, which branched out into phonograph records in 1918. The name originally was spelled "OkeH" from the init ...

in Atlanta, Georgia. Blues author

Paul Oliver Paul Hereford Oliver MBE (25 May 1927 – 15 August 2017) was an English architectural historian and writer on the blues and other forms of African-American music. He was equally distinguished in both fields, although it is likely that afici ...

stated that both Rainey and Jefferson "may have absorbed he linefrom traditional usage". Jefferson recorded the song twice more in April 1927 for Paramount Records. Although they contain some differences, they include Subsequently, the song was recorded by several blues and country swing musicians, such as

Lead Belly Huddie William Ledbetter ( ; January 1888 or 1889 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk music, folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, virtuosity on the twelve-string guitar, and the ...

, Big Bill Broonzy, the Shelton Brothers, and Roy Newman and His Boys.

Perkins recording

After recording "Your True Love" at Sun Records studio, Carl Perkins' father, Buck suggested that he write a song based on snatches of lyrics that he remembered. Buck knew only a few lines from the 1927 song from the recordings by Jefferson or the Shelton Brothers. As Perkins sang the few words his father had suggested,

, who was at that time a session piano player at Sun Studios, started a boogie-woogie riff. Perkins began to improvise on his guitar and with lyrics. The Sun recording on December 4, 1956 was produced by Sam Phillips at Sun Studios in Memphis. Perkins maintained that he had never heard Jefferson's song when he recorded "Matchbox". The songs are musically, thematically, and lyrically totally different. Jefferson's song is about a mean-spirited woman; Perkins' is about a lovelorn "poor boy" with limited prospects. The song was published and copyrighted in 1957 in the US with words and music by Carl Lee Perkins by Knox Music/Hill and Range Songs of New York. The "Matchbox" recording session is historically significant as a milestone in rock and roll history because later that day,

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...

, and Lewis were all in the Sun Studio with Sam Phillips with Carl Perkins and his band. The impromptu group formed at this jam session became known as the Million Dollar Quartet. Carl Perkins performed the song on ABC-TV's '' Ozark Jubilee'' on February 2, 1957. Perkins and his band also performed the song on the syndicated TV show ''Ranch Party'' hosted by Tex Ritter in 1957. There was also a promo ad for the release of the Sun single in ''Billboard'' magazine.

The Beatles' rendition

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...

were fans of Perkins and performed "Matchbox" during their shows in 1961 and 1962. The song served as the vocal spot for their drummer, Pete Best, until his sacking in August 1962, at which point

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

took over as lead singer. A live version from December that year was included on the 1977 album '' Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962''. In July 1963, the Beatles performed "Matchbox" with

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...

, Best's replacement, on lead vocals for their

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

radio show ''Pop Go the Beatles''. This version was included on the 1994 compilation '' Live at the BBC''. Starr also sang lead vocals when the band recorded the song for their '' Long Tall Sally'' EP in 1964. Perkins was visiting London and was invited to observe the session on June 1. Starr later recalled feeling "very embarrassed" because he had a bad throat; two days later, he was hospitalized with acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis, resulting in him missing the start of the Beatles' world tour. The band were supplemented on the recording by producer George Martin, who played piano. In his commentary on the track, author Ian MacDonald dismisses the Beatles' performance as "flat-footed", adding that, as a keen student of Perkins' guitar playing, only

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...

demonstrates "any motivation" in his contribution. "Matchbox" was released in the UK on June 19 as the final track on ''Long Tall Sally''. In the US, it instead appeared on the

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...

album '' Something New'' in July, before being issued on a single, backed by " Slow Down", on August 24. "Matchbox" peaked at number 17 on three record charts: in the U.S., on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'', and, in Canada, on the national ''RPM'' Top 40 chart.RPM Top 40 chart, October 5, 1964.
/ref> The song was subsequently included on the Beatles compilation albums '' Rock 'n' Roll Music'', '' Past Masters'' and '' Mono Masters''.

Personnel

drums and lead vocals *

rhythm guitar *

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

bass guitar *

lead guitar Additional musicians * George Martinpiano

References

{{authority control 1957 singles 1964 singles Carl Perkins songs The Beatles songs Music published by MPL Music Publishing Parlophone singles Song recordings produced by George Martin Songs written by Carl Perkins Capitol Records singles Sun Records singles Song recordings produced by Sam Phillips 1957 songs Okeh Records singles