Almost Grown (song)
| "Almost Grown" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Chuck Berry | |
| from the album Berry Is on Top | |
| B-side | "Little Queenie" |
| Released | March 1959[1] |
| Recorded | February 17, 1959 |
| Studio | Chess (Chicago)[2] |
| Genre | Rock and roll, rhythm & blues |
| Length | 2:21 |
| Label | Chess |
| Songwriter(s) | Chuck Berry |
| Producer(s) | Leonard Chess, Phil Chess |
"Almost Grown" is a song written and recorded by Chuck Berry. It was released as a double A-side with "Little Queenie".
Background
[edit]The song was released as Chess single 1722,[3] and was later notable when featured in the 1973 film American Graffiti, and on its soundtrack album.
Recording
[edit]The song was recorded on February 17, 1959, at Chess Studios in Chicago, Illinois.
- Chuck Berry, vocals and guitar
- Johnnie Johnson on piano
- Willie Dixon on bass
- Fred Below on drums
- The background vocals on Berry's recording are by Etta James and The Marquees[4] aka Harvey & the New Moonglows, featuring the young Marvin Gaye.
Chart performance
[edit]The song reached number thirty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number three on the Billboard R&B chart.
| Chart (1959) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[5] | 32 |
| US Billboard Hot R&B Sides[6] | 3 |
Covers
[edit]- The song was covered by The Animals on their 1963 album of the same name.[7]
- Australian band Ol' 55 covered the song on their album Take It Greasy (1976).[8]
- French version by Eddy Mitchell called "C'est la vie, mon chéri" on his album Rocking in Nashville (1974)
- The song has also been covered by The Ivy League and David Bowie.
References
[edit]- ^ "The Billboard Reviews This Week's Singles". Billboard: 48. March 9, 1959.
- ^ "The Chuck Berry Database: Details For Recording Session: 17. 2. 1959". A Collector's Guide to the Music of Chuck Berry. Dietmar Rudolph. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
- ^ Berry, Chuck, Chuck Berry: The Anthology, CD, 088 1120304-2, MCA Records, Chess, 2000, liner notes
- ^ Berry, Chuck, Chuck Berry: The Anthology, CD, 088 1120304-2, MCA Records, Chess, © 2000, liner notes
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 77.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 55.
- ^ "Almost Grown - The Animals | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
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