After School Session

After School Session
Studio album by Chuck Berry
Released May 1957[1]
Recorded May 21, 1955 – January 21, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois[2]
Genre Rock and roll
Length 33:16
Label Chess
Producer Leonard Chess, Phil Chess[2]
Chuck Berry chronology

After School Session
(May 1957)		 One Dozen Berrys
(March 1958)
Singles from After School Session
  1. "No Money Down"
    Released: December 1955[1]
  2. "Too Much Monkey Business"
    Released: September 1956[1]
  3. "School Days"
    Released: March 1957[1]
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [3]

After School Session is Chuck Berry's debut album, released in May 1957 (see 1957 in music) by Chess Records as LP 1426, making it the second LP record released by Chess.

Songs

Releases

The first song on the original version of After School Session to be released was "Wee Wee Hours", which was the B-side to "Maybellene", in July 1955[1] and peaked at #10 on Billboard magazine's R&B Singles chart.[4] The next song to be released was "Together We Will Always Be", which was the B-side of "Thirty Days", in September 1955. The next two songs released were "No Money Down" b/w "Down Bound Train" in December 1955,[1] the former song peaking at #8 on the R&B Singles chart.[4] In May 1956, "Drifting Heart" was released as the B-side of "Roll Over Beethoven". Berry's next single, "Too Much Monkey Business" b/w "Brown Eyed Handsome Man", was released in September 1956,[1] the songs reached #4 and #5 on the R&B Singles chart, respectively.[4] "Havana Moon", the B-side of "You Can't Catch Me", was released in November 1956. The last single from the album to be released was "School Day (Ring Ring Goes the Bell)" b/w "Deep Feeling" in March 1957,[1] with the former reaching #1 on the R&B Singles chart and #3 on the Hot 100.[4]

Recordings

The songs on After School Session were taken from Chuck Berry's first five sessions for Leonard and Phil Chess. "Wee Wee Hours" was the first to be recorded on May 21, 1955. "Together (We'll Always Be)" was recorded in September 1955. Chuck's next session took place on December 20, 1955 and the songs recorded included "Roly Poly (aka Rolli Polli)", "No Money Down", "Berry Pickin'", and "Down Bound Train". The next session was on April 16, 1956 and featured the songs "Too Much Monkey Business", "Brown Eyed Handsome Man", and "Drifting Heart". "Havana Moon" was recorded on October 29, 1956. The last session took place on January 21, 1957 and featured the songs "School Days" and "Deep Feeling".[2]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Chuck Berry. 

Side One
No. Title Length
1. "School Days"   2:43
2. "Deep Feeling"   2:21
3. "Too Much Monkey Business"   2:56
4. "Wee Wee Hours"   3:05
5. "Roly Poly (aka Rolli Polli)"   2:51
6. "No Money Down"   2:59
Side Two
No. Title Length
1. "Brown Eyed Handsome Man"   2:19
2. "Berry Pickin'"   2:33
3. "Together (We Will Always Be)"   2:39
4. "Havana Moon"   3:09
5. "Downbound Train"   2:51
6. "Drifting Heart"   2:50
Bonus Tracks (2004 Release)
No. Title Length
1. "You Can't Catch Me"   2:44
2. "Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)"   2:25
3. "Maybellene"   2:19

Personnel

Per liner notes[2]

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog
United States May 1957 Chess Records LP LP-1426
United States August 27, 1966 Chess Records Stereo-Pak 21-383A
United States 1990 Chess Records CD CHD-9284
United States May 9, 1995 MCA Special Products CD MCAD-20873
United States March 23, 2004 Geffen Records/Chess Records Cassette B0001685
CD B0001685-02

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Rudolph, Dietmar. "A Collector's Guide to the Music of Chuck Berry: The Chess Era (1955-1966)". Retrieved 2009-09-03.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 After School Session (CD liner). Chuck Berry. United States: Geffen Records/Chess Records. 2004. pp. 10–15. B0001685-02.
  3. ↑ Allmusic review
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Chuck Berry - Billboard Singles". Allmusic. United States: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved January 8, 2011.

External link