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"Maybellene" is a song recorded by Chuck Berry, adapted from the traditional fiddle tune "Ida Red", that tells the story of a hot rod race and a broken romance. It was released in July 1955 as a single on Chess Records of Chicago, Illinois.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=A Collector's Guide to the Music of Chuck Berry: "The Chess Era" (1955-1966) )〕 It was Berry's first single release and his first hit. "Maybellene" is considered one of the pioneering rock and roll singles: ''Rolling Stone'' magazine wrote, "Rock & roll guitar starts here."〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Maybellene )〕 The record is an early instance of the complete rock and roll package: youthful subject matter, small guitar-driven combo, clear diction, and an atmosphere of unrelenting excitement. The lyrics describe a man driving a V8 Ford chasing his unfaithful girlfriend in her Cadillac Coupe DeVille. It was a major hit among both black and white audiences, and has received numerous honors and awards throughout the years. It was quickly covered by several other artists after its initial release. The title is misspelled "Maybelline" on several releases. ==Origins and writing of the song== "Maybellene" has been described as an adaptation of the country song "Ida Red", as recorded by Bob WIlls and His Texas Playboys in 1938.〔(NPR. 'Maybellene' by Jesse Wegman, July 2, 2000. )〕〔Guralnick, Peter, ''Feel Like Going Home'', 1978, London, p.234〕 According to Berry, Wills' version, an uptempo dance number, was his favorite song to sing at integrated clubs (“salt and pepper clubs”, as he called them). Encouraged by Muddy Waters, Berry in 1955 brought to Chess Records a recording of his version of Willis's tune which he had renamed "Ida May" and a blues song he wrote “Wee Wee Hours”, which he stated was inspired by Joe Turner’s “Wee Baby Blue”.〔 To Berry’s surprise, Leonard Chess showed little interest in the blues material but was enthusiastic about the commercial possibilities in a “hillbilly song sung by a black man”.〔 Chess wanted a bigger beat for the song and added a bass and maracas player to the trio at the recording session. He also felt the titles “Ida Red” and “Ida May” were “too rural”.〔 Spotting a mascara box on the floor of the studio, according to Berry’s partner Johnnie Johnson, Chess said, “Well, hell, let’s name the damn thing Maybellene” altering the spelling to avoid a suit by the cosmetic company. The lyrics were rewritten at the direction of Chess as well. “The kids wanted the big beat, cars and young love,” Chess recalled. “It was the trend and we jumped on it.”〔All Shook Up, How Rock n Roll Changed America, Glenn C. Altschuler〕 It has been claimed that taking old recordings and modifying them, by changing the instrumentals and the lyrics was a common practice in the 1950s. With these changes the original songs were often not detectable particularly if the melody was slightly modified. This practice took place because copyright laws on older recordings were rarely enforced. As Chess had predicted, the lyrics struck a chord with teenagers fascinated by cars, speed and sexuality. "Maybellene” became one of the first records to score big on rhythm and blues, country and western, and pop charts. Featuring some inimitable Chuck Berry riffs, some blues-style picking on a country guitar and Johnson’s piano, which added a hummable rhythm to the steady backbeat, "Maybellene" was a pivotal song in the emergence of rock 'n' roll. This exciting fusion of a rhythm and blues beat with a rural country style was the catalyst for the type of rock 'n' roll that emerged in the mid-1950s.〔American Historical Review, defining the fusion of genres in the mid-1950s as a new American music〕 " 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Maybellene」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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