Everything-- or at least everything that matters-- recorded by Chuck Berry for Chess in the 1950s. Rock'n'roll is older than Chuck Berry, but one can argue this collection as much as any collection documents where rock'n'roll as we know it really begins. (Pitchfork)
Hughesy's assessment: When too much Chuck Berry is barely enough? Hardly. You don't need all of the multiple takes on classic tracks, but they're there. But once it's in your digital collection it's easy enough to sort them. Iconic.
Track listing:
Disc 1: Maybellene; Wee Wee Hours; Thirty Days (To Come Back Home); Together (We Will Always Be); You Can't Catch Me; Rolli Polli; Down Bound Train; Berry Pickin'; No Money Down; I've Changed; Drifting Heart; Brown Eyed Handsome Man; Roll Over Beethoven; Too Much Monkey Business; Maybellene; Roll Over Beethoven; Havana Moon; Rock and Roll Music; Untitled; Deep Feeling; School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell); Low Feeling; La Jaunda; Blue Feeling; How You've Changed; Oh Baby Doll;
Disc 2: Rock and Roll; Rock and Roll Music; 13 Question Method; How High the Moon; Sweet Little Sixteen; Rock at the Philharmonic; Guitar Boogie; Night Beat; Time Was; Reelin' and Rockin'; Chuckwalk; Johnny B. Goode; Around and Around; Ingo
Disc 3: It Don't Take But a Few Minutes; Blues for Hawaiians; Beautiful Delilah; 21 Blues; 21; Vacation Time; Oh Yeah; Hey Pedro; Time Was; House of Blue Lights; Carol; Jo Jo Gunne; Memphis Tennessee; Anthony Boy; Sweet Little Rock 'N' Roller; Long Fast Jam; Long Slow Jam; Merry Christmas Baby; Run Rudolph Run
Disc 4: Little Queenie; That's My Desire; Do You Love Me; Almost Grown; Back in the U.S.A.; Blue on Blue (Upchuck); Blue on Blue; Betty Jean. County Line; Childhood Sweetheart; One O'Clock Jump; I Just Want to Make Love to You; Broken Arrow; Let It Rock; Too Pooped to Pop; Say You'll Be Mine (The Ecuadors); Let Me Sleep Woman (The Ecuadors)
Classics:
Almost there:
Worthwhile:
Solid: