"Matchbox" is a song written and recorded by

Carl Perkins Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...

and released in 1957.

Blind Lemon Jefferson Lemon Henry "Blind Lemon" Jefferson (September 24, 1893 – December 19, 1929)Some sources indicate Jefferson was born on October 26, 1894. was an American blues and gospel singer-songwriter and musician. He was one of the most popular blues sing ...

wrote and recorded a song entitled "Match Box Blues" in 1927, which is musically different but which contains some lyric phrases in common. "Matchbox" was recorded as a rockabilly song by

in December 1956 and by fellow Sun Records performer, Jerry Lee Lewiswho played piano on the original trackin 1958. Sam Phillips and Sun Records released the Carl Perkins version as the

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

to "

Your True Love "Your True Love" is a 1957 song written by Carl Perkins and released as a single on Sun Records. The single was released as a 45 and 78 backed with "Matchbox" in February, 1957. The recording, Sun 261, reached no. 13 on the ''Billboard'' country ...

". Although only the A-side became a record chart hit in 1957, "Matchbox" is one of Perkins' best-known recordings and a variety of musicians have recorded the tune.

Background

Ma Rainey recorded "Lost Wandering Blues" in Chicago in March 1924.

Paramount Records Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramount Records was formed in 19 ...

issued it on the standard ten-inch 78 rpm single (no. 12098). Her lyrics include the matchbox as a suitcase reference: Three years later, Blind Lemon Jefferson used it for the title of his recording as "Match Box Blues" on March 14, 1927, for

Okeh Records Okeh Records () is an American record label founded by the Otto Heinemann Phonograph Corporation, a phonograph supplier established in 1916, which branched out into phonograph records in 1918. The name was spelled "OkeH" from the initials of Ott ...

in Atlanta, Georgia. Blues author

Paul Oliver Paul Hereford Oliver MBE (25 May 1927 – 15 August 2017) was an English architectural historian and writer on the blues and other forms of African-American music. He was equally distinguished in both fields, although it is likely that aficiona ...

stated that both Rainey and Jefferson "may have absorbed he linefrom traditional usage". Jefferson recorded the song twice more in April 1927 for Paramount Records. Although they contain some differences, they include Subsequently, the song was recorded by several blues and country swing musicians, such as

Lead Belly Huddie William Ledbetter (; January 20, 1888 – December 6, 1949), better known by the stage name Lead Belly, was an American folk music, folk and blues singer notable for his strong vocals, Virtuoso, virtuosity on the twelve-string guita ...

, Big Bill Broonzy,

the Shelton Brothers The Shelton Brothers, Bob, Joe and Merle, were pioneer country musicians and renowned recording artists based out of Texas from the mid-1930s through the 1960s. They created and popularized the songs ''Johnson's Old Gray Mule'', ''Deep Elm Blues' ...

, and Roy Newman and His Boys.

Perkins recording

After recording "Your True Love" at Sun Records studio, Carl Perkins's father Buck suggested that he write a song based on snatches of lyrics that he remembered. Buck knew only a few lines from the 1927 song from the recordings by Jefferson or the Shelton Brothers. As Perkins sang the few words his father had suggested, Jerry Lee Lewis, who was at that time a session piano player at Sun Studios, started a boogie-woogie riff. Perkins began to improvise on his guitar and with lyrics. The Sun recording on December 4, 1956 was produced by Sam Phillips at Sun Studios in Memphis. Perkins maintained that he had never heard Jefferson's song when he recorded "Matchbox". The songs are musically, thematically, and lyrically totally different. Jefferson's song is about a mean spirited woman; Perkins' is about a lovelorn "poor boy" with limited prospects. The song was published and copyrighted in 1957 in the US with words and music by Carl Lee Perkins by Knox Music/Hill and Range Songs of New York. The "Matchbox" recording session is historically significant as a milestone in rock and roll history because later that day, Elvis Presley,

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

, and Lewis were all in the Sun Studio with Sam Phillips with Carl Perkins and his band. The impromptu group formed at this jam session became known as the Million Dollar Quartet. Carl Perkins performed the song on ABC-TV's '' Ozark Jubilee'' on February 2, 1957. Perkins and his band also performed the song on the syndicated TV show ''Ranch Party'' hosted by Tex Ritter in 1957. There was also a promo ad for the release of the Sun single in ''Billboard'' magazine.

The Beatles' rendition

The Beatles were fans of Perkins and performed "Matchbox" during their shows in 1961 and 1962. The song served as the vocal spot for their drummer, Pete Best, until his sacking in August 1962, at which point John Lennon took over as lead singer. A live version from December that year was included on the 1977 album '' Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962''. In July 1963, the Beatles performed "Matchbox" with

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

, Best's replacement, on lead vocals for their BBC radio show ''Pop Go the Beatles''. This version was included on the 1994 compilation '' Live at the BBC''. Starr also sang lead vocals when the band recorded the song for their '' Long Tall Sally'' EP in 1964. Perkins was visiting London and was invited to observe the session on June 1. Starr later recalled feeling "very embarrassed" because he had a bad throat; two days later, he was hospitalized with acute tonsillitis and pharyngitis, resulting in him missing the start of the Beatles' world tour. The band were supplemented on the recording by producer George Martin, who played piano. In his commentary on the track, author Ian MacDonald dismisses the Beatles' performance as "flat-footed", adding that, as a keen student of Perkins' guitar playing, only

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

demonstrates "any motivation" in his contribution. "Matchbox" was released in the UK on June 19 as the final track on ''Long Tall Sally''. In the US, it instead appeared on the

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

album '' Something New'' in July, before being issued on a single, backed by " Slow Down", on August 24. "Matchbox" peaked at number 17 on three record charts: in the U.S., on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'', and, in Canada, on the national ''RPM'' Top 40 chart.RPM Top 40 chart, October 5, 1964.
/ref> The song was subsequently included on the Beatles compilation albums ''

Rock 'n' Roll Music Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

'', '' Past Masters'' and '' Mono Masters''. *

drums and lead vocals * John Lennonrhythm guitar * Paul McCartneybass guitar *

lead guitar Additional musicians * George Martinpiano

References

{{authority control 1957 singles 1964 singles Carl Perkins songs The Beatles songs Music published by MPL Music Publishing Parlophone singles Song recordings produced by George Martin Songs written by Carl Perkins Capitol Records singles Sun Records singles Song recordings produced by Sam Phillips 1957 songs Okeh Records singles