Berry mixed a little of this, a little of that

No matter how many times we hear about musicians going over a song endlessly in the studio, some of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest singles have such passion and uniqueness that it’s hard not to think of them as the result of a single moment of supreme inspiration.

So it’s intriguing to listen, on a new Chuck Berry retrospective, to a couple of early versions of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member’s recordings. Berry and other musicians were working on what they hoped would be yet another lively hit, the party-minded “Reelin’ and Rockin’.”

But they were having problems. They’d already gone through the song six times when someone in the studio told Berry that he wasn’t coming into the song at the right time. Chuck wasn’t pleased. He said he was on time. “If you don’t believe me, we can play it back, we can play it back,” he said defiantly. “I’ll bet you $5 I’m on time.” Unfortunately, it’s not clear on the tape who eventually won the bet.

Later, in the four-disc boxed set, we hear Berry and the musicians trying to nail one of his signature songs, “Johnny B. Goode.” The musicians barely get going when a voice, presumably Berry’s, calls for everyone to stop. “You were making ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ on the piano that time; stay away from that,” the voice adds, referring to an earlier Berry hit.

These are the kinds of playful moments that make comprehensive looks at our most important recording artists so much fun. Besides the hits, the Berry set includes many rarities, instrumentals and studio outtakes. The 103 selections are all drawn from his Chess Records sessions in the 1950s.

A second, two-disc set from Chess/Geffen/Hip-O Select is devoted to another great R&B-rock; star from the Chess family: Bo Diddley. Among the highlights of “I’m a Man: The Chess Masters 1955-1958” are two early, previously unreleased versions of Diddley’s hugely influential debut single, “Bo Diddley.” Though most descriptions of Diddley’s exquisite style centered on the guitar, Diddley himself has pointed to the drums as an essential element: “I’ve always been a lover of African-sounding drums. I went to the movies one time and heard a drum pattern, an Indian drum pattern, boom boom boom ch-boom. That’s when I came up with the beat and showed it to [drummer] Clifton [James].”

Diddley didn’t have as many chart hits as Berry, but some of his “misses” have since become rock staples, including “Who Do You Love” and “Mona.” A special treat is a previously unreleased version of “Love Is Strange,” recorded several months before Mickey & Sylvia’s hit treatment. Andy McKaie, senior vice president, A&R;, Universal Music Enterprises, produced both sets.

Chuck Berry

“Johnny B. Goode: His Complete ‘50s Chess Recordings”

Chess/Geffen/Hip-O Select

The back story: Berry was old by teenage rock ‘n’ roll standards (at least 28 by most accounts) when he recorded “Maybellene” with piano sidekick Johnnie Johnson and others in May 1955. But he had a sparkling, supercharged guitar style and a way with words that enabled him to talk about teen life so convincingly that there was no age separation.

Though he grew up listening to a wide range of music, including country, blues and mainstream pop, his first love was big band. In interviews, he would go on and on about bandleaders such as Count Basie and singers like Nat Cole. So I once asked him in 1987 if he would have been just as happy spending his life singing ballads like Nat Cole. “Oh, I’d have been [ecstatic],” he said, beaming. “I never would have touched rock ‘n’ roll.”

With that in mind, it’s interesting listening to his early recordings as he tries to find out what works for him in the studio. On his first Chess single, he experimented with a mix of country and R&B; (“Maybellene”) on one side and a more conventional, bluesy ballad (“Wee Wee Hours”) on the second. “Maybellene” was the bigger hit. Both tunes made the R&B; charts, but only “Maybellene” made the pop charts.

Returning to the studio for the follow-up, he tried the same formula -- the very fast, very country-ish “Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)” on one side and the ballad “Together (We Will Always Be)” on the other. This time only the upbeat tune made either chart. It was several months later before Berry really started zeroing in on teen themes, such as “Roll Over Beethoven” and “School Day.” After that, he was on his way.

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Backtracking, a biweekly feature, highlights CD reissues and other historical pop items.