''The Chess Box'' is a

compact disc The compact disc (CD) is a Digital media, digital optical disc data storage format co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. It employs the Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA) standard and was capable of hol ...

box set compilation by

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist and songwriter who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and de ...

. It is one in a series of box sets issued by MCA/

Chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...

in the late 1980s (the other sets were by

Bo Diddley Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist and singer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy ...

Howlin' Wolf Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910January 10, 1976), better known by his stage name Howlin' Wolf, was an American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player. He was at the forefront of transforming acoustic Delta blues into electric Chica ...

, Muddy Waters,

Willie Dixon William James Dixon (July 1, 1915January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was proficient in playing both the upright bass and the guitar, and sang with a distinctive voice, but he ...

, and

Etta James Jamesetta Hawkins (January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012), known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer and songwriter. Starting her career in 1954, James frequently performed in Nashville's R&B clubs, collectively known as the Ch ...

). The Chuck Berry set is the most prominent of these, having won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...

for Best Historical Album in 1989. Berry's ''Chess Box'' was reissued on

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...

in 1990. This collection was also issued on audio cassette.

Songs

The songs "I'm Just a Lucky So and So" and "Time Was" were previously unreleased. "Cryin' Steel" was first released as "Surfin' Steel" on '' Chuck Berry on Stage''. "Ramona Say Yes" did not have saxophones. Another song of interest is "Chuck's Beat", from the album '' Two Great Guitars'', by Berry and

Track listing

All songs written by Chuck Berry except as noted

Disc 1

# " Maybellene" (2:18) # " Wee Wee Hours" (2:02) # "Thirty Days" (2:21) # "You Can't Catch Me" (2:42) # " No Money Down" (2:56) # " Downbound Train" (2:49) # " Brown Eyed Handsome Man" (2:15) # "Drifting Heart" (2:47) # "

Roll Over Beethoven "Roll Over Beethoven" is a 1956 song written by Chuck Berry, originally released on Chess Records, with "Drifting Heart" as the A-side and B-side, B-side. The lyrics of the song mention rock and roll and the desire for rhythm and blues to be a ...

" (2:22) # " Too Much Monkey Business" (2:53) # "Havana Moon" (3:06) # " School Days" (2:40) # " Rock and Roll Music" (2:30) # "Oh Baby Doll" (2:36) # "I've Changed" (3:04) # " Reelin' and Rockin'" (3:15) # "Rockin' at the Philharmonic" (3:21) # " Sweet Little Sixteen" (3:10) # "

Johnny B. Goode "Johnny B. Goode" is a song by American musician Chuck Berry, written and sung by Berry in 1958. Released as a Single (music), single in 1958, it peaked at number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot R&B Sides chart and number eight on its pre ...

" (2:37) # "Time Was" (Gabriel Luna, Miguel Prado, Bob Russell) (1:56) # " Around and Around" (2:38) # "Beautiful Delilah" (2:13) # "House of Blue Lights" ( Don Raye, Freddie Slack) (2:24) # " Carol" (2:46)

Disc 2

# "

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

" (2:10) # "Anthony Boy" (1:52) # "Jo Jo Gunne" (2:45) # "Sweet Little Rock N' Roller" (2:20) # " Merry Christmas Baby" (Lou Baxter, Johnny Moore) (3:11) # " Run Rudolph Run" (Marvin Brodie, Johnny Marks) (2:43) # " Little Queenie" (2:40) # " Almost Grown" (2:18) # " Back in the U.S.A." (2:27) # "Betty Jean" (2:29) # "Childhood Sweetheart" (2:42) # " Let It Rock" (1:45) # "Too Pooped to Pop" (Billie Davis) (2:33) # "Bye Bye Johnny" (2:03) # "Jaguar and Thunderbird" (1:50) # " Down the Road a Piece" (Raye) (2:13) # "Confessin' the Blues" ( Walter Brown, Jay McShann) (2:07) # "Thirteen Question Method" (2:12) # "Crying Steel" (2:32) # " I'm Just a Lucky So-and-So" (

Mack David Mack David (July 5, 1912 – December 30, 1993) was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning the period between the early 1940s and the early 1970s. David was credited with writing ...

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...

) (2:50) # "I'm Talking About You" (1:48) # " Come On" (1:48) # " Nadine (Is It You?)" (Berry,

Alan Freed Albert James "Alan" Freed (December 15, 1921 – January 20, 1965) was an American disc jockey. He also produced and promoted large traveling concerts with various acts, helping to spread the importance of rock and roll music throughout Nor ...

) (2:35) # " Crazy Arms" ( Ralph Mooney, Chuck Seals) (2:12) # " You Never Can Tell" (2:40) # "The Things I Used To Do" ( Guitar Slim) (2:40) # "

Promised Land In the Abrahamic religions, the "Promised Land" ( ) refers to a swath of territory in the Levant that was bestowed upon Abraham and his descendants by God in Abrahamic religions, God. In the context of the Bible, these descendants are originally ...

" (2:20)

Disc 3

# " No Particular Place to Go" (2:41) # "Liverpool Drive" (2:53) # "You Two" (2:08) # "Chuck's Beat" (Berry,

) (10:35) # "Little Marie" (2:34) # "Dear Dad" (1:48) # "Sad Day Long Night" (2:42) # "It's My Own Business" (2:10) # "It Wasn't Me" (2:32) # "Ramona Say Yes" (2:40) # "Viva Viva Rock N' Roll" (2:00) # "Tulane" (2:36) # "Have Mercy Judge" (2:38) # "My Dream" (5:56) # "Reelin' and Rockin'", live recording (7:02) # " My Ding-a-Ling", live single-edit (4:16) # "Johnny B. Goode", live recording (3:13) # "A Deuce" (2:32) # "Woodpecker" (3:33) # "Bio" (4:22)

Personnel

Performers * Chuck Berry – lead vocals, guitar, piano * Owen McIntyre – guitar * Matt "Guitar" Murphy – guitar * Billy Peek – guitar * Jimmy Rogers – guitar *

– guitar * Stan Bronstein – saxophone * L.C. Davis –

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (whi ...

* Adam Ippolito – piano * Johnnie Johnson – piano * Dave Kafinetti – piano * Lafayette Leake – piano * Otis Spann – piano * Paul Williams – piano * Jerome Green – maracas * Chuck Bernard – bass guitar *

– bass * Jack "Zocko" Groendal – bass guitar * Nic Potter – bass guitar * George "Harmonica" Smith – bass * Gary VanScyoc – bass guitar * Fred Below – drums * Rick Frank – drums * Eddie Hardy – drums * Robbie McIntosh – drums * Bill Metros – drums * Odie Payne – drums * Jasper Thomas – drums * Martha Berry – backing vocals Production * Leonard Chess – producer * Phil Chess – producer *

– producer * Esmond Edwards – producer * Billy Altman –

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or cassette j-cards. Origin Liner notes are descended from the prog ...

* Andy McKaie – reissue production, compilation production * Greg Fulginiti – mastering * Doug Schwartz – digital transfer

Charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chess Box Chuck Berry compilation albums 1988 compilation albums Albums produced by Leonard Chess Albums produced by Phil Chess Albums produced by Esmond Edwards Chess Records compilation albums Grammy Award for Best Historical Album