Three Maybelline Girls
Three girls wearing identical outfits out for a stroll in Plaza San Martino in the Retiro section of Buenos Aires, Argentina. They were dressed in red dresses with Maybelline lettering for a promotion. Argentinian women are world-renowned for their beauty. Behind them is the Torre de los Ingleses, or British Clock Tower.
Today’s youtube is a live version of Chuck Berry performing his rock and roll classic Maybelline on television in Europe. The single was released on Chess Records in 1955. The song tells the tale of a “hot rod” race and broken romance and was Chuck Berry’s first #1 hit record. The song has also been recorded by Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and other artists. The song is a rock and roll update of the Bob Wills tune Ida Red.
Chuck Berry: MAYBELLINE
Oh Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
You’ve done started back doing the things you used to do
As I was motivatin’ over the hill
I saw Maybelline in a coup de ville
A Cadillac rollin’ on the open road
Nothin’ outrun my V8 Ford
The Cadillac doin’ about ninety-five
Bumper to bumber rollin’ side to side
Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
You done started back doing the things you used to do
Cadillac pulled up a hundred and four
The Ford got hot and wouldn’t do no more
It done got cloudy and it started to rain
I tooted my horn for a passin’ lead
The rain water blowin’ all under my hood
I knew that was doin’ my motor good
Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
You done started back doing the things you used to do
(guitar solo)
Oh Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
You done started back doing 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 a-sittin’ like a ton of lead
A hundred and ten half a mile ahead
The Cadillac lookin’ like it’s sittin’ still
And I caught Maybelline at the top of the hill
Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
Oh Maybelline, why can’t you be true?
You done started back doing the things you used to do
Chords
(Capo up 2)
A
D
E