Memphis

Album: Johnny Rivers At The Whisky a Go Go (1964)
Charted: 2
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  • Long distance information, give me Memphis Tennessee
    Help me find a party that tried to get in touch with me
    She did not leave a number but I know who placed the call
    'Cause my uncle took a message and he wrote it on the wall

    Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie
    She's the only one who'd call me here from Memphis Tennessee
    Her home is on the south side, high upon a ridge
    Just a half a mile from the Mississippi bridge

    Last time I saw Marie she was wavin' me goodbye
    With "hurry-home" drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye
    We were pulled apart because her mom did not agree
    She tore apart our happy home in Memphis Tennessee

    Help me, information, more than that I cannot add
    Only that I miss her and all the fun we had
    Marie is only six years old, information please
    You got to put me through to her in Memphis Tennessee Writer/s: Chuck Berry
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 20

  • Michael Jerry Bettua from Syracuse, NyOperator 2983 Looking for Marie.
  • Jenny from AustraliaElvis recorded the song on January 12th 1964.
    Johnny heard Elvis' version at Elvis' and recorded and released it before Elvis' was due for release. The arrangement is very similar, with Elvis' being a little faster.
    It saw the end of the friendship between the two men.
  • Jennifur Sun from Ramonafor some reason (and correct me if I'm wrong) that the first time I ever head this song the line went Marie is Sweet Sixteen instead of 6 years old.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyPer: www.legacy.com
    Mario Maglieri, entrepreneur and owner of Hollywood’s famous Whiskey A Go Go nightclub and Rainbow Bar & Grill, died Thursday, May 4, according to multiple news sources. He was 93...
    His clubs, located on Hollywood’s notorious Sunset Strip, provided both a performance venue as well as food and drink for generations of rock and roll stars and aspiring stars. The Doors, Johnny Rivers*, Van Halen, and Guns ‘N Roses all played at the Whiskey A Go Go early in their careers...
    The Rainbow Bar & Grill was frequented by hundreds of musicians, including Led Zeppelin, Motorhead and Cyprus Hill. Fans and groupies often flocked to the restaurant in hopes of catching a glimpse of their favorite artists...
    Upstairs at the restaurant a private drinking club formed, known as the Hollywood Vampires, whose members included Alice Cooper, Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon. Comedians Cheech & Chong recorded a track that took place at that bar called “Rainbow Bar & Grill"...
    May he R.I.P.
    * Johnny Rivers' "Memphis", a #2 hit in 1964, was recorded at the Whiskey A Go Go.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 3rd 1963, 'Lonnie Mack Day' was proclaimed by the mayor of Aurora, Indiana, Lonnie Mack's hometown; and that evening Mr. Mack performed at the local Moose Lodge Hall...
    It's a good bet he played his instrumental covered version of "Memphis", for just the day before on June 2nd it had entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #90; six weeks later on July 14th, 1963 it would peak at #5 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 13 weeks...
    {See the 4th post below}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn September 23rd 1964, Johnny Rivers performed his first two charted records, "Maybelline" and "Memphis", on the ABC-TV program 'Shindig!'...
    See posts below for info on "Memphis"; "Maybelline", another Chuck Berry song, entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart on August 9th, 1964 at position #70; and on September 20th, 1964 it peaked at #12 {for 1 week} and spent 9 weeks on the Top 100...
    R.I.P. Jimmy O'Neill {Shindig's host, 1940 -2013} and Johnny Rivers, born John Henry Ramistella, will celebrate his 72nd birthday in two months on November 7th {2014}.
  • Susan from Atlanta, GaI've been a big fan of Johnny Rivers since the '60s. I love the Whiskey-a-Go-Go album. I get that he released a lot of cover songs, but he also released "Secret Agent Man" and "Rockin' Pneumonia" and "Summer Rain" (my personal favorite) as originals, not to mention "Slow Dancing". I was fortunate enough to see him a few years ago on my birthday -- what a great birthday present!
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 20th 1964, Johnny Rivers performed "Memphis" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    (See second post below for chart info).
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 2nd 1963, "Memphis" by Lonnie Mack entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #90; and on July 14th it peaked at #5 (for 1 week) and spent 13 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 5 of those 13 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
    Was track 5 from his 'The Wham of That Memphis Man' album; and two other tracks from the album made the Top 100, "Wham!" (peaked at #24) and "Baby, What's Wrong" (reached #93)...
    He had one other Top 100 record, "Honky Tonky '65", it stayed on the chart for 5 weeks, peaking at #78...
    Mr. Mack, born Lonnie McIntosh, will celebrate her 73rd birthday next month on July 18th, 2014.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn January 16th 1964, the night club 'Whisky A Go Go' at 8901 Sunset Blvd. in West Hollywood, CA opened for business...
    And on May 24th, 1964 Johnny River's debut record, "Memphis", which was recorded at the club, entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on July 5th, 1964 it peaked at #2 (for 2 weeks) and spent 12 weeks on the Top 100 (and 6 of those 12 weeks were on the Top 10)...
    It reached #1 in Canada and Germany...
    The first week it was at #2 the #1 record was "I Get Around" by the Beach Boys and the next week it was "Rag Doll" by the Four Seasons that kept it out of the top spot...
    Mr. Rivers, born John Henry Ramistella, celebrated his 71st birthday two months ago on November 7th (2013).
  • Doc from Dallas, Tx@Mike in Cincinnati... The story about how Johnny Rivers swiped the song from Elvis Presley has been refuted by (the song's composer) Chuck Berry, Johnny Rivers, Johnny's record producer, and even by some other close friends of Elvis. I have a great deal of trouble believing that story.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyMr. Cover, that's our Johnny, he had 29 records that made Billboard's Top 100, 20 of them were cover versions. Interestingly emough his biggest hit, 'Poor Side of Town' was an original recording!!!
  • Mike from Cincinnati, OhJohnny Rivers & Elvis were very good friends. Elvis had this song but had not made a commitment to record it. Johnny stopped by to see Elvis, saw the song and recorded it. This upset Elvis so much that they never spoke again.
  • Susan from Chantilly, VaJohnny Rivers was also famous for hiring the 5th Dimension to his label, Soul City. They were the label's most successful act. He introduced them to Jimmy Webb, who wrote Up, Up, and Away, which was a Top 10 song for the group.
  • Dirk from Nashville, TnBrian--I agree. I always thought the same thing. Those Whiskey-a-go-go recordings sounded a little too neat to be 1960s barroom tapes....And yet... I still like them.
  • Brian from La Mesa, CaI always thought Rivers' songs sounded like studio recordings with the crowd noises dubbed in.
  • Steph from Menomonee Falls, WiThis song sound like it was written for Elvis, that's why I was shocked to discover it was sung in 64. "Marie is only 6 years old, information please... tore apart our happy home in Memphis Tennesee"
  • R from Seattle, WaThis was also covered by Jan & Dean on their album "Little Old Lady From Pasadena", they copied the live sound of River's recording almost exactly.
  • Joe Smrekar from Green Bay, WiRivers always had his biggest successes with other peoples songs. Just about evry song he released as a single is a cover or remake. But that's ok, he does it so well.
  • Charles from Charlotte, NcRecorded live at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go in Los Angeles.
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