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GUEST, NOMADman Lyr/Origins: Maybellene (Chuck Berry) (26) Lyr Add: MAYBELLENE (Chuck Berry) 26 Aug 01


I can't help with any subsequent version, but here are the original lyrics, transcribed from what I believe was Chuck Berry's very first recording of the song - one of those 7-inch 45-rpm donuts, issued on th Chess label (Cat. no. 1604) in 1955, I think

MAYBELLENE
(Chuck Berry)

Maybellene, why can't you be true
Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
You done started back doin' the things you used to do

As I was motivatin' over the hill
I saw Maybellene in a Coupe de Ville
Cadillac rollin' on the open road
Nothin' outrun my V-8 Ford
Cadillac doin' about ninety-five
Bumper-to-bumper, rollin' side-by-side

Maybellene...

Cadillac pulled up to a hundred and four
My Ford got hot and wouldn't do no more
Begun to get cloudy and started to rain
I tooted my horn for the passin' lane
The rain water blowin' all under my hood
I knewed I was doin' my motor good

Maybellene...

(Instrumental break)

Maybellene...

Motor cooled down, the heat went down
And that's when I heard that highway sound
Cadillac settin' like a ton of lead
A hundred and ten, a half a mile ahead
Cadillac lookin' like it's settin' still
And I caught Maybellene at the top of the hill

Maybellene


There were a lot of slurred words and dropped articles in this rendition, but that's what it sounds like. Note that the first time he sings the chorus, he sings "you done started doin the things..." All subsequent times he sings "you done started back doin the things..."


Interestingly, on the record label the title is spelled Maybellene.

Regards,
John


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