Everyone knows the story that when Chuck Berry's Maybellene came out in the summer of 1955, Berry was surprised to see two more people -- Russ Fratto and Alan Freed -- listed as co-writers. Classic payola.

How is it, though, that when the record was covered -- by Jim Lowe on Dot, by Johnny Long and His Orchestra on Coral, and by Ralph Marterie and His Orchestra on Mercury -- it was always credited to just Berry?

If the copyright was owned solely by Chuck Berry, how could it benefit Fratto and Freed that their names are on the physical label? And if Fratto and Freed got their names on the copyright, why are they not listed as such on the covers?

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BR

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On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 12:45:13 PM UTC-5, Bruce wrote:

All the images I see on line of both the 78 and the 45 all have just Berry alone as the writer.

Interesting. So I guess that means that Fratto and Freed got their names added to the copyright after the initial label was printed but before Freed began promoting the record. And then the other labels just followed Chess.

That's not how the story is usually told.

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BR

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All the images I see on line of both the 78 and the 45 all have just Berry alone as the writer.


https://www.popsike.ch/pix/20090521/330332240628.jpg

https://i.discogs.com/xkJyakHwLwNlxZpGRM0ZSMV89bzCkxq5Rjy-7bD0lY4/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:598/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTUxMDk3/MTAtMTY3MTA3OTE4/NS0xODU0LmpwZWc.jpeg

The only copies of the 45 I see with those other names are reissues from much later.

https://i.discogs.com/X_pjL_6uHKWQaDV6-ci7k1et1Gqwnf_MrS1K6MVLK5k/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:590/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTMxMzk3/ODItMTQ3NjQxOTQ5/NC03NzM1LmpwZWc.jpeg

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On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 12:11:49 PM UTC-5, Bob Roman wrote:

Everyone knows the story that when Chuck Berry's Maybellene came out in the summer of 1955, Berry was surprised to see two more people -- Russ Fratto and Alan Freed -- listed as co-writers. Classic payola.

Apparently "Everybody" has the story wrong. The original copyrighting of the song listed only Chuck as the writer, which explains why all the covers do the same.

As of late 1956 when the song first appeared on an album, the "Rock, Rock, Rock" soundtrack (with extra songs that were not in the movie), Chuck is still listed as the sole writer.

https://www.discogs.com/release/14262444-Various-Rock-Rock-Rock/image/SW1hZ2U6NDI0OTU5MjA=

In 1959 it appears for the first time on a Chuck Berry album, and it still just lists Chuck as the sole writer.

https://www.discogs.com/release/15271068-Chuck-Berry-Berry-Is-On-Top/image/SW1hZ2U6NDYyOTc1MTY=

I see sheet music on line mostly with Chuck as the sole writer, but there also are some with all 3 guys listed. But those are from much later.

https://www.musicnotes.com/images/productimages/large/mtd/MN0100461.gif

So it seems that a deal was struck at some point, maybe without Chuck's knowledge, to add those other 2 names as writers. But Chuck never saw anything of this in 1955.

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On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 1:00:56 PM UTC-5, Bob Roman wrote:

On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 12:45:13 PM UTC-5, Bruce wrote:

All the images I see on line of both the 78 and the 45 all have just Berry alone as the writer.

Interesting. So I guess that means that Fratto and Freed got their names added to the copyright after the initial label was printed but before Freed began promoting the record. And then the other labels just followed Chess.

I doubt that. If their names were added that quickly they would have been shown that way on "Rock, Rock, Rock" for sure, which was Freed's project. It looks more like the names were added much later, like in the 60s. Plus, when there's a cover of a song
they don't just go by the label of the original version. They must contact whoever (BMI, ASCAP) did the publishing and get the info that way. So the original publishing must just have Chuck alone as the writer.

Maybe this is discussed in one of the Freed books.

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Even the promo 45, which would have been the first ones pressed, just shows Chuck as the writer.

https://www.discogs.com/release/8303929-Chuck-Berry-And-His-Combo-Maybellene-Wee-Wee-Hours/image/SW1hZ2U6NDIwODc5Mjg=

Supposedly Chess gave those 2 guys each 25% of the "publishing," not the writing credits. Somehow their names got on there eventually as writers. The royalties are split evenly between the publishers and the writers, So Chuck would have gotten his 50%,
with Chess (Arc Music) getting 25%, and Freed and the other guy each getting 12.5%. The other guy was a printer who Chess owed money to for labels. His place was next door to Chess.

That publishing eventually got them lots of money, like when Johnny Rivers had a big hit with the song. Their names do show up on Rivers' version.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51yS8bzw3qL._UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg

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On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 1:07:45 PM UTC-5, Bruce wrote:

I doubt that. If their names were added that quickly they would have been shown that way on "Rock, Rock, Rock" for sure

I just took another look at Berry's Autobio from 1987. He says there that he first discovered the scam when his first royalty statement came in, and two thirds of his money was going to two other guys. So it seems that Fratto and Freed weren't so worried
about label credit and cared more about their bank credit.

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BR

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On Sun, 5 Mar 2023 10:07:44 -0800 (PST), Bruce <SavoyBG@aol.com>
wrote:

On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 1:00:56=E2=80=AFPM UTC-5, Bob Roman wrote:

On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 12:45:13=E2=80=AFPM UTC-5, Bruce wrote:=20

All the images I see on line of both the 78 and the 45 all have just Be= >rry alone as the writer.

Interesting. So I guess that means that Fratto and Freed got their names = >added to the copyright after the initial label was printed but before Freed=

began promoting the record. And then the other labels just followed Chess.=
=20

I doubt that. If their names were added that quickly they would have been s= >hown that way on "Rock, Rock, Rock" for sure, which was Freed's project. It=
looks more like the names were added much later, like in the 60s. Plus, wh=
en there's a cover of a song they don't just go by the label of the origina= >l version. They must contact whoever (BMI, ASCAP) did the publishing and ge= >t the info that way. So the original publishing must just have Chuck alone = >as the writer.=20

Maybe this is discussed in one of the Freed books.

It's "Berry-Freed-Fratto" writing credit on "Maybellene" from the word
go on the UK release (London EP) in 1956

https://www.45cat.com/record/reu1053


ROGER FORD
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