New Juke Box Hits Explained

New Juke Box Hits
Type:	studio
Artist:	Chuck Berry
Cover:	Chuck Berry - New Juke-Box Hits.jpg
Genre:	Rock and roll
Length:	29:07
Label:	Chess
Producer:	Leonard Chess, Philip Chess
Prev Title:	Rockin' at the Hops
Prev Year:	1960
Next Title:	Chuck Berry Twist
Next Year:	1962

New Juke Box Hits is the fifth studio album by rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry, released in March 1961 by Chess Records. Unlike his previous four LPs, only two songs, "Little Star" backed with "I'm Talking About You", had been previously released on a 45 rpm single.

The album was recorded and released while Berry was in the midst of legal difficulties, which led to his imprisonment in 1962. The adverse publicity from these legal problems affected sales of his records, and the previous single failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[1] Berry did not release another album of songs for over three years.

Legacy

William Ruhlmann in a retrospective review for AllMusic, feels that the distractions of his legal problems inhibited Berry, so the songs on this album compare unfavourably with his earlier albums.^[1]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Chuck Berry except as noted.

Side one

1. "I'm Talking About You" – 1:46
2. "Diploma for Two" – 2:28
3. "Thirteen Question Method" – 2:12
4. "Away from You" – 2:38
5. "Don't You Lie to Me" (Hudson Whittaker) – 2:02
6. "The Way It Was Before" – 2:52

Side two

1. "Little Star" – 2:45
2. "Route 66" (Bobby Troup) – 2:45
3. "Sweet Sixteen" (Joe Josea, B.B. King) – 2:45
4. "Run Around" – 2:31
5. "Stop and Listen" – 2:26
6. "Rip It Up" (John Marascalco, Robert Blackwell) – 1:57

Personnel

• Chuck Berry – vocals, guitars
• Johnnie Johnson – piano
• Reggie Boyd – bass
• Fred Below, Jaspar Thomas – drums
• Leroy C. Davis – tenor saxophone

Notes and References

1. Web site: Chuck Berry New Juke Box Hits. allmusic.com. William Ruhlmann.