Maybellene

Album: Rock, Rock, Rock (1955)
Charted: 5
Play Video
  • Maybellene, why can't you be true
    Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
    You've started back doin' the things you used to do

    As I was motivatin' over the hill
    I saw Mabellene in a Coup de Ville
    A Cadillac arollin' on the open road
    Nothin' will outrun my V8 Ford
    The Cadillac doin' about ninety-five
    She's bumper to bumper, rollin' side by side
    Maybellene
    Why can't you be true
    Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
    You've started back doin' the things you used to do

    The Cadillac pulled up ahead of the Ford
    The Ford got hot and wouldn't do no more
    It then got cloudy and started to rain
    I tooted my horn for a passin' lane
    The rainwater blowin' all under my hood
    I know that I was doin' my motor good
    Maybellene
    Why can't you be true
    Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
    You've started back doin' the things you used to do

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

    The motor cooled down the heat went down
    And that's when I heard that highway sound
    The Cadillac asittin' like a ton of lead
    A hundred and ten half a mile aheadv The Cadillac lookin' like it's sittin' still
    And I caught Mabellene at the top of the hill
    Maybellene
    Why can't you be true
    Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
    You've started back doin' the things you used to do Writer/s: Chuck Berry
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 17

  • Chris Webb from GnangaraWhere does the John Greer song Come back Maybelline come in.(mid fifties) Was that first?. The song was basically stolen as we all know. Anyone heard this very good version.
  • Reggie Stout from Takoma Park MdExcuse Me, but the song has 2 cars in it. A Cadillac Coupe DeVille and his V8 Ford. Mabellene is in the Cadillac (coupe DeVille is a model of Cadillic). He sees her in the Caddy and the chase proceeds
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 28th 1955, Marty Robbins appeared at the Cotton Club in Lubbock, Texas...
    At the time his covered version of "Maybellene" was at #12 on Billboard's C&W Most Played by Jockeys chart...
    The opening act for Mr. Robbins was a duo named Buddy* and Bob...
    * Buddy was a local 19 year-old boy named Buddy Holley, and exactly three short years later on October 28th, 1958 Buddy would make his last national TV appearance when he appeared on 'American Bandstand', a little over three months later was 'The day the music died'.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 2nd 1955, Chuck Berry was one of the acts* appearing in the Alan Freed's Labor Day 'Big Rock and Rock Show' at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn, NY...
    At the time his "Maybellene" was at #1 on all three of Billboard's major R&B charts; Best Seller in Stores, Most Played by Jockeys, and Most Played on Jukeboxes {plus it was at #7 on the Pop Best Seller in Stores chart}...
    * Others acts appearing that day were the Moonglows, the Flamingos, Nappy Brown, the Harptones, the Cardinals, the Nutmegs, Red Prysock, and believe it or not, that real rocker, Tony Bennett.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, Ny*** Nothin' will outrun my V8 Ford ***
    On March 31st 1932, the Ford Motor Company unveiled its new V8 engine...
    And twenty-three years later on August 4th, 1955 "Maybellene" by Chuck Berry would enter Billboard's Top 25 Best Sellers in Stores chart at position #13; four weeks later on August 25th it would peak at #5 {for 1 week} and spent 11 weeks on the chart...
    And on August 11th, 1955 it reached #1 {for 11 weeks} on Billboard's R&B Records Most Played on Juke Boxes chart...
    Charles Edward Anderson Berry will celebrate his 89th birthday this coming October 18th {2015}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 5th 1964, Johnny Rivers performed "Maybelline"* on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    A little under a month earlier on August 9th, 1964 it entered Billboard’s Hot Top 100 chart at position #70; and on September 20th, 1966 it peaked at #12 {for 1 week} and spent 9 weeks on the Top 100...
    It reached #9 on the Canadian RPM 100 Singles chart...
    The day "Maybelline"* entered the Top 100 chart Johnny Rivers' preceding release, "Memphis", was at #26 and Chuck Berry was at #47 with his "You Can Never Tell"...
    Nine years earlier on August 18th, 1955 Chuck Berry's original version of "Maybellene"* was at #1 on Billboard's R&B Best Sellers and Most Played by Jockeys charts...
    * On Johnny's Imperial record label it’s spelled "Maybelline" and on Chuck's original Chess label it’s "Maybellene".
  • Vanessa from Honolulu, HiCorrection, Jon in Oregon. Not the King of Rock. That's Elvis. Chuck Berry: The INVENTOR of Rock.
  • Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, NmGood song. Love the beging, Doo do do do DO do do do da dum dum dum.
  • Gerry from Ottawa, CanadaI probably heard this song about 500 times before I bought the Chess Box and heard it remastered for CD. This was when I really listened to Johnny Johnson's piano for the first time. Man, Chess had some great players.
    Chuck Berry was once a hairdresser but he began to take his music career more seriously because it paid better.
  • Jon from Oakridge, OrChuck Berry: The King Of Rock. "Havanna Girl" is his best.
  • Howard from St. Louis Park, MnThis was the first song, legendary DJ Cousin Brucie played on WABC and every radio station he owned after leaving in the early 70s.
  • Eric from Teaneck, NjIn their concert in Central Park, Simon and Garfunkel segued into this song while singing Simon's "Kodachrome."
  • Jonah from Boston, MaThe song is NOT about a "girl cheating on her man." The genius of the song is that Maybellene could refer to either the car or the girl.
  • Ross from Independence, MoThis is #18 in Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs.
  • Jango from Chennai, Indiaoriginally called Ida May but was asked to change it by Leonard Chess
  • Brett from Edmonton, CanadaWell, Berry was planning on being a beautician..
  • Ben from London, EnglandMaybellene is the name of a cosmetics manufacturer but i doubt that it has much to do with the song.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Which Songs are About Drugs?

Which Songs are About Drugs?Fact or Fiction

"25 or 6 to 4" to "Semi-Charmed Life" - see if you can spot the songs that are really about drugs.

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Sarah Brightman

Sarah BrightmanSongwriter Interviews

One of the most popular classical vocalists in the land is lining up a trip to space, which is the inspiration for many of her songs.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Concert Disasters

Concert DisastersFact or Fiction

Ozzy biting a dove? Alice Cooper causing mayhem with a chicken? Creed so bad they were sued? See if you can spot the real concert mishaps.