CBID - Corrections, Additions, New Covers

CBID is never complete as new records and CDs appear and some old rarities are discovered. This section presents interesting additions and corrections to CBID.

Today: This time we have a couple of small corrections, an addition, and of course several new cover versions.

“It Wasn’t Me” (recorded by Chuck September 1965) was featured in an Amazon Prime commercial (July 2021): Ripe Tomatoes – Prime 2 hour grocery delivery
This is an edited and remixed version – 30 seconds.
The version used is the stripped down one, released in 1986 on “Rock’n’Roll Rarities” Chess CH6-80001, without the harmonica of Paul Butterfield and guitar by Mike Bloomfield.

Turning you to page 292 (Vol.1 of CBID) regarding France 45s:
ROCK REVIVAL (Volume 2)
Memphis, Tennessee / Brown Eyed Handsome Man
Chess [CED] 169513 ● 1968/69
It says overdubbed audience noise and 1961 on the B-side, but that happens to be wrong. “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” is not the alt.version from 1961. It’s the ordinary studio version from 1956 without any audience noise.

On page 200 (CBID Vol.1) regarding the UK 9-CD box from Charly “The Chess Years” (1991), the correct Cat.no should be CDRED BOX-2.

The following entry should perhaps have been under Tributes but has actually nothing to do with Berry except for the title of the song.
Pharrell Williams “Chuck Berry”
Various CD: Despecable Me 3 [Universal 88985450212] ● USA, 2017
From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Original songs and themes by Pharrell Williams. (You’ll find it on You Tube.) On discogs the music is characterized as Hip Hop, Funk/Soul, Pop, Classical, Stage & Screen. Take your pick. Maybe Pop Rap (?) You see a title like “Fun Fun Fun” and you think Beach Boys and Berry soundalike, but NO. It’s a Williams original.
Besides 8 tracks by Williams the album also features people like Madonna, Michael Jackson, A-Ha, The Minions, Nena, and Heitor Pereira.

Randy Edelman is a name that sometimes turns up when you search for “Roll Over Beethoven” from the soundtrack of the Beethoven movie from 1992. Edelman was the original music composer, conductor and producer for the film, except Beethoven, which actually was performed by Paul Shaffer & The World’s Most Dangerous Band (page 1498).

Would you believe! English artist Billie Myers recorded a pop song titled “Roll Over Beethoven” (Billie Myers-David Tyson) for the album Vertigo (Universal) in 2000. On the album the title is written with quotation mark just to be sure it’s not a cover of the classic Berry song. Well, the question is still why?

And here we go with our "new" Berry covers:

MARK AMBOR (USA)

Mark Gregory Damboragian, singer, songwriter, born 1997 in Pleasentville, New York. Best known for his single “Belong Together” from 2024. In August 2024 he had an album out titled “Rockwood” on Virgin Records (Hundred Days).

Run Rudolph Run (2:35) 2024

Digital: Spotify Singles Holiday [Hundred Days] ● USA, 2024

This Xmas single (part of a series since around 2017) was released on 15 October 2024. It’s been played a lot on Spotify Top 50, also together with Chuck’s original.

ATCHAFALAYA (USA)

Quintet founded 1978 in Lafayette, Louisiana. They play cajun and swamp pop music and had 3 albums and 5 singles out in the ‘80s. In 2018 they were still performing although with a small change in the line-up.

Nadine (3:28) 1984

LP: Defined [Nijik Records NR-202] ● USA, 1984

Cajun influenced version. Pretty good.

BITTERSÜESS (Switzerland)

Pop-rock group. There is a female vocalist on the Berry number. The album has 10 tracks and I recognize three oldies covers, Folsom Prison Blues, Johnny B. and House Of The Rising Sun.

Johnny B. Goode (3:18) 2023

LP: One [Duophonic GmbH B1TT3R5U3550N3] ● Switzerland, 2023

SANDY BULL (USA)

See Volume 3, page 1104 for biographical info.

Memphis, Tennessee (5:31) 1969 (instr. live)

CD: Still Valentine’s Day 1969 [Water 179] ● USA, 2006
2-LP: Still Valentine’s Day 1969 [No Quarter NOQ-092-1] ● USA, 2023

Album recorded live at The Matrix, San Francisco, February & April 1969. Previously unissued. This is quite different than the studio version from 1965 and way shorter. (The studio version lasted almost 10 minutes.) The sound is not particularly good either.

Memphis, Tennessee (5:09) 1969 (instr. live)

LP: Live In San Francisco Late 1969 [Trading Places TDP-54111] ● UK, 2023

I haven’t been able to listen to this album or tracks. It contains only four instrumentals, two on each side. The record company is actually from the UK as follows: UK trading company of Radiation Records UK Ltd., and located in London.

KELLYLEE EVANS (Canada)

Black jazz and soul singer, born 1975 in Scarborough, Ontario. Her first album came in 2006 “Fight Or Flight!” which was nominated for a Juno Award. She has won a few Awards like Female Jazz Vocalist of the Year in 2007 and Vocal Jazz Album of the Year in 2011 for “Nina”, an album inspired by the life and music of Nina Simone.

Run Rudolph Run (2:44) 2024

Digital/CD: Winter Song [Enliven! Media 55561 4] ● USA, 2024

Sounds okay, a little soul in there but the song drags a bit, I feel. I could have wanted a little more jazz arrangement to the tune.

GROUP FIRE (USA)

A gospel/soul quintet based in Newark, New Jersey, formed 2009, consisting of brothers Terelle, Juwan and Justin Cooper, and Tajohn and Al Hill. They had their first album release in 2012 titled “It Takes A Village”. In 2019 they appeared on the Billboard Gospel Airplay chart with “Again”, and in 2020 with “More Than Friends”.

Run Rudolph Run (3:22) 2023

Digital/CD: The Gift – Deluxe Edition [Jet Records North/East 70129 2] ● USA, 2024

Soulful version with a big band touch. In 2023 they released a 6 track Xmas EP which did not feature the Berry classic.

MARIAN AAS HANSEN & ŽELIMIR (Norway)

Norwegian pop singer, songwriter, music producer, born 1975. Želimir Kulišić, Serbian born in 1977 now living in Norway, pop, rock, blues, country singer, songwriter, guitarist.

Rock And Roll Music (3:50) 2016 (live)

CD: Made In America [Made In America Prod. CD2016SUES001] ● Norway, 2016

Taken from a show “Made In America” (mostly ‘50s and ‘60s music) performed at Chat Noir theatre in Oslo in 2016 with special guest Chan Romero who had the original of “Hippy Hippy Shake” in 1959. They have also done “Run Rudolph Run” as a digital single (not counted for).

KALEVALA (Finland)

Prog-rock group founded in 1969 by Juha “Lido” Saionen. First album came in 1972.

Sweet Little Sixteen (2:18) 1970 (live)

CD: Live At Turku International Pop & Rock Festival 1970 [Ainoa! AOPCD-2303] ● Finland. 2023

Previously unissued. Limited edition of 500 copies. Also released as limited edition LPs, black and red vinyl.

TONY MAC (USA)

This is already on the blog, but now the year is correct, time and a little info on the song itself.

Johnny B. Goode (2:26) 1966

45: Jewel Records 806J-0928 ● USA, 1966

Record label out of MT Healthy, Ohio. Strange version in a country way, sounds unfinished.

MARC MARTEL (Canada)

Christian rock singer. Born 1976 in Montreal, Quebec (now living in Nashville, Tennessee, USA). In 1999 he formed his first band Downhere before he went solo in 2013. He is also known for his Queen covers and the vocal similarity to Freddy Mercury. Marc has released several albums and singles (EPs) mostly on his own label.

Run Rudolph Run (2:59) 2019 featuring Reese Wynans

CD: The Christmas Collection Vol. II [Marc Martel Music] ● Canada, 2019
LP: Christmas Duets [Marc Martel Music] ● Canada, 2024

Green vinyl.
Reese Wynans is a keyboard player from Florida (born 1947) who has done a lot of session work, and was a member of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Double Trouble from 1985-1990. He’s also later played with Joe Ely and Lee Roy Parnell. The tune sure rocks!

JONI MITCHELL (Canada)

Folk singer, songwriter and painter. Nice to finally have Joni Mitchell on this survey. Born 1943 in Fort Macleod, Alberta as Roberta Joan Anderson. She married singer, songwriter Chuck Mitchell (USA) in 1965, divorced ’67 but kept his name. First time I heard about her was with “Big Yellow Taxi” in 1970. It was a much bigger hit in Europe than in the USA. Regarding James Taylor she did background vocals on his million seller “You’ve Got A Friend” in 1971.

You Never Can Tell (0:25) in a medley (3:59) 1972 with James Taylor

4-LP: Archives – Volume 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) [Rhino 603497834310] ● USA, 2023
5-CD: Archives – Volume 3: The Asylum Years (1972-1975) [Rhino 603497834303] ● USA, 2023

“For the Roses” Early Sessions, 16-21 April 1972. Previously unissued. Featuring James Taylor on vocals and guitar. There are more tracks on the 5-CD set. The medley: Bony Moronie, Summertime Blues, You Never Can Tell. Well to be quite honest. “Bony Moronie” is the main cover and “Summertime Blues” is short and Berry’s is even shorter. But they are talking about a Chuck Berry riff James played during Bony Moronie. Anyway, the whole thing is just a studio jam from the two. “For The Roses” album with 12 tracks came out in December‘72 and became a Gold album in 1973.

OSAMA (Japan)

Singer, guitarist born 1960 in Nishinomiya City. Also known as Jiro Osama. A visual voice actor (the Batman of Japan). The name, “Osama”, could roughly be translated as “King”.

Roll Over Beethoven (2:45) 2005

CD: Kabutomushi Gaiden [Victor Entertainment VICL-61832] ● Japan, 2005

A tribute album to The Beatles. However, it’s a little peculiar when over half of the 12 tracks are not written by Lennon-McCartney.

Roll Over Beethoven (2:45) 2014 (live)

CD: Kabutomushi Gaiden Live [King Of Rock KRNK-1411] ● Japan, 2014

Live at Cavern Beat, Fukuoka 22 May, 2014. 8 tracks of covers recorded by The Beatles in their earlier days.

JUDITH OWEN (UK)

Contemporary jazz singer, songwriter and keyboard player from Wales. She has released quite a lot of albums way back since 2003. Twanky Records is her own label.

Run Rudolph Run (2:56) 2024 feat. The J. O. Big Band

Digital/CD: Judith Owen Swings Christmas [Twanky Records 50 5603 23929 1 5] ● UK, 2024

Finally a jazzy arrangement on this Xmas classic. Pretty unusual to these ears. I really do like it. She also does a very good blues/jazz rendition of “Merry Christmas Baby”. You can watch a live version on You Tube.

KIRBY ST. ROMAIN (USA)

See Volume 3, page 1486-87 for biographical info.

BUDDY & THE HEARTS (USA)

See Volume 3, page 1102 for biographical info. This is not an addition but just info to let you know that these two versions are now available on a Kirby St. Romain CD release (July 2024). As Buddy & The Hearts actually were Kirby St. Romain in disguise.

Let It Rock (2:04) 1964
Thirty Days (2:20) 1964

CD: The Complete Diamond Records Recordings [Diamond - Certron Music Group 2024] ● USA, 2024

The album above contains 11 songs.

SICK ROSE (Italy)

Garage rock quintet from Torino, formed in 1983.

Around And Around (3:17) 1990

CD: Floating [Synergy Records SYNCD-9001] ● Italy 1990

Sounds very much like the Stones version, and pretty good. The CD has 26 tracks(!). However, also released as LP with 12 tracks and cassette with 14 tracks but neither one includes the Berry cover. On an album in 2021 “Hang On - The Lost Tapes” (an unreleased 1993 album) there’s a title called “Oh Maybelline” which was written by two band members, Alberto Fratucelli and Luca Re.

NICK TSIAMTSIKAS (Greece)

In Greece: Νίκος Τσιαμτσίκας. Rock and blues singer, songwriter. He has a raw voice and the Greece musicians can play the blues too.

Johnny B. Goode ( : ) 2005

CD: Messing With The Blues [Legend Records 2202353912] ● Greece, 2005

A couple of original songs and further from the pens of Bruce Springsteen, Leiber & Stoller, John Lee Hooker, Berry etc.

UGLY GUYS (UK)

Country-rock quintet. I’ve seen 7 albums by the group, the first in 2007. There’s a video of the Berry cover on You Tube.

Johnny B. Goode (4:12) 2022

CD: Cover Your Tracks [Conquest Music CNQ-014CD] ● UK, 2023

A little groovie and slower version but without any surprises.

VIEW (UK)

Scottish indie rock band from Dundee. Formed in 2005.

Roll Over Beethoven (2:43) 2013

Various CD: Mojo Presents: We’re With The Beatles [June 2013] ● UK, 2013

Again this is a Beatles Tribute album (14 tracks) given away with MOJO Magazine #237 (2013). Celebrating 50 years since release of the Beatles album “With The Beatles” from November ’63. I haven’t been able to find this track on any of their releases.

WEEKLINGS (USA)

New Jersey based rock/pop group (quartet) regarded as a Beatles Tribute band as they often cover the band's material..

Run Rudolph Run (2:54) 2024

CD: The Weeklings Christmas [Jem Records 2028 62448 9] ● USA, 2024

Pretty good rockin’ version, and they even have the fade-out as on Berry’s original with the same riff ! But The Beatles never covered this song.

KOE WETZEL (USA)

Singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer, born 1992 in Pittsburg, Texas. He incorporates many styles in his music like grunge, country, and Americana.

Run Rudolph Run (3:08) 2024

Digital/CD: Presents…Wetzel’s Wonderland Chapter 2 [Columbia 26700 7 3] ● USA, 2024

A little heavy rock version but he has some different approaches throughout.