Chuck Berry may be gone but his "Maybellene" will live on in Rock n Roll Fame

Chuck Berry, Rock ’n’ Roll Pioneer, Dies at 90 click The New York Times

 

 

How Chuck Berry's "Maybellene" got it's name

In a fairly new book: The Third Coast When Chicago Built the American Dream, Thomas Dyja, describes how Chuck Berry's hit song "Maybellene" came about...However, as described in my book, "The Maybelline Story," Chuck Berry or his attorney, contacted Tom Lyle Williams, founder and owner of the Maybelline Company and asked for permission to use the spelling. Tom Lyle said no, so the spelling was changed to protect Berry from further disputes. Here is how the idea for "Maybelline" came about in 1955.

Chuck Berry’s "Maybellene" was taken from the country song "Ida Red", as recorded by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in 1938.  In 1955 Berry brought his version of Ida Red, to Chess Records which he had renamed "Ida May."  Leonard Chess  was enthusiastic about the commercial possibilities in a “hillbilly song sung by a black man, but he thought the title Ida May,  was “too rural”

Spotting a mascara box on the floor of the studio, Chess said, “Well, hell, let’s name the damn thing Maybellene” altering the spelling to avoid a suit by the cosmetic company. “The kids wanted the big beat, cars and young love,”  “It was the trend and taking old recordings and modifying them, by changing the instrumentals and the lyrics was a common practice in the 1950s.

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 rhythm to the steady back beat, "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.

Read more about it and so much more in The Maybelline Story, buy a signed copy from me. Now listen to the book, on audible books from Amazon.

Here's how Chuck Berry's "Maybellene" got it's name

In a fairly new book: The Third Coast When Chicago Built the American Dream, Thomas Dyja, describes how Chuck Berry's hit song "Maybellene" came about...However, as described in my book, "The Maybelline Story," Chuck Berry or his attorney, contacted Tom Lyle Williams, founder and owner of the Maybelline Company and asked for permission to use the spelling. Tom Lyle said no, so the spelling was changed to protect Berry from further disputes. Here is how the idea for "Maybelline" came about in 1955.

Chuck Berry’s "Maybellene" was taken from the country song "Ida Red", as recorded by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys in 1938.  In 1955 Berry brought his version of Ida Red, to Chess Records which he had renamed "Ida May."  Leonard Chess  was enthusiastic about the commercial possibilities in a “hillbilly song sung by a black man, but he thought the title Ida May,  was “too rural”

Spotting a mascara box on the floor of the studio, Chess said, “Well, hell, let’s name the damn thing Maybellene” altering the spelling to avoid a suit by the cosmetic company. “The kids wanted the big beat, cars and young love,”  “It was the trend and taking old recordings and modifying them, by changing the instrumentals and the lyrics was a common practice in the 1950s.

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 rhythm to the steady back beat, "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.

Read more about it and so much more in The Maybelline Story, buy a signed copy from me. Now listen to the book, on audible books from Amazon.

Happy 89th Birthday Chuck Berry, "Maybellene" has been a hit for 60 years on Maybelline's 100 year Anniversary

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."[2] 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.

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.

 In 1988 "Maybellene" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its influence as a rock and roll single.[8]

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included "Maybellene" in their list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll list, as well as "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B. Goode".  In 1999, National Public Radio included it in the "NPR 100," the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century as chosen by NPR music editors.

 "Maybellene" is currently ranked as the 81st greatest song of all time, as well as the second best song of 1955, by Acclaimed Music.

Maybellene 1955 liveChuck Berry's Maybellene, ranked # 18, by Rolling Stone magazine's top 500 hits and # 81 in all time rock and roll songs.

Chuck Berry did ask Tom Lyle Williams, for permission to use the Maybelline name.  The spelling is often spelled the same as the mascara.  Read all about it in my book, The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

1956, with Sharrie Williams, author of The Maybelline Story

Just middle class little kids in 1956, we had no idea our great uncle Tom Lyle Williams, was involved with such high profile stars that year.  We still believed in the Easter Bunny, colored Easter Eggs, and hoped for Baskets, filled to the breaking point, with Chocolate See's candy.

Sharrie, holding a stuffed Easter Bunny,  Donna and Billee Williams, Easter, 1956.


As children, we were quite sheltered, in Parochial  school, living average lives within our family and playing in the backyard.  At the same time, Maybelline commercials were being shown on all the network stations and our parents went bonkers every time one came on the TV.

That year uncle Lyle, as we called him, was involved  with The Princess Grace, Prince Rainier lll, Wedding, The Miss America Contest, Chuck Berry's single, Maybellene, The Perry Como Show, The Loretta Young Show, and Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher's splash in all the movie magazines.  But for us kids and all our cousins, it was playing as usual, and waiting for the Easter Bunny to bring us live bunnies, chicks and Easter Eggs.

Read all about my life, in the 1950's, in The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

CHUCK BERRY'S, Maybellene shaped Rock & Roll in the 1950s.

Chuck Berry's Maybellene, ranked # 18, by Rolling Stone magazine's top 500 hits, and # 81 in all time rock and roll songs.

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."[2] 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.

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.

 In 1988 "Maybellene" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its influence as a rock and roll single.[8]

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included "Maybellene" in their list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll list, as well as "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B. Goode".  In 1999, National Public Radio included it in the "NPR 100," the one hundred most important American musical works of the 20th century as chosen by NPR music editors.

 "Maybellene" is currently ranked as the 81st greatest song of all time, as well as the second best song of 1955, by Acclaimed Music.

Chuck Berry did ask Tom Lyle Williams, for permission to use the Maybelline name.  The spelling is often spelled the same as the mascara.  Read all about it in my book, The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It.

Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams love of beauty lives on through his family.

After 5 years of being in storage since Bill Williams passing  in 2006, his 1977 Series 1 Clenet roadster, is back on the road, heading for the Desert Classic, Concourse d' Elegance. with the original fabricator Steve Kouracos at the wheel. 

"Bill the Clenet" as you can see in the picture, represents glamour on the road and always arrives in style. Just as Maybelline represented the American ideal in eye fashion - beautiful automobiles with their flashing headlights represented a beautiful woman's face to founder Tom Lyle Williams and his love for both endured until his death in 1976.

 His nephew Bill Williams, carried that image and confidence with him his entire life - with a love of flashy convertibles, beautiful women and state of the art design.

Growing up, It was hard seperating Maybelline from the Williams family because the Williams family was Maybelline and though it's no longer an American owned company it will live in our family's hearts forever.  I think I can speak for the entire William's family when I say we still feel connected to our uncle, and great uncle Tom Lyle Williams and his love of beauty in any form. 

 Come meet author Sharrie Williams and her family and see her father's Clenet Roadster, at the Concourse d' Elegance on Feb 27th in Palm Desert, where Alain Clenet the original Clenet designer  will be signing Bill's Clenet number 13 of 250 in series one, in a special ceremony that will be filmed in his honor. 

Also read more about Tom Lyle Williams and the founding of Maybelline in 1915 to 1968 and the family behind it, in The Maybelline Story.


If you're curious about the cruising music, while Bill the Clenet heads down the highway, click on the video's below.

Maybelline, by Chuck Berry
Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys
My Way by Frank Sinatra

Hailed by Der Spiegel magazine as one of the "Top Ten Classic Car Shows in the World," the Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance returns in 2011 with the theme "100 Years of Indy Cars," marking the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. The 4th Annual Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance, presented by La Quinta Resort & Club, will be held Sunday, February 27, in La Quinta, California. More than 200 rarely seen classic cars from museums and private collections will be exhibited for thousands of spectators.


Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/classic/auctions/1011_2011_desert_classic_concours_d_elegance_celebrate_indy_500/index.html#ixzz1DZvfag7X