LITTLE QUEENIE
“Little Queenie” is a song written and recorded by Chuck Berry. It was released in 1959 as a double A-side single with “Almost Grown”. It has been covered by many artists, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and REO Speedwagon. One year earlier Berry had released “Run Rudolph Run”, a Christmas song with the same melody. (More from Wikipedia)
The Rolling Stones’ bootleg album, The Greatest Group on Earth is mostly familiar material as might be expected in a live concert. However, until I got this album, I did not know or at least remember the song “I’m Free” (a different song from the well-known track, “I’m Free” from the Who’s album Tommy); it had been the b-side for the Stones’ second #1 song, “Get off of My Cloud”. The album also includes two Chuck Berry songs, “Carol” and “Little Queenie”. “Carol” was released as a single in January 1964, charting only in France, and was also on their first album, The Rolling Stones. While “Little Queenie” was never recorded by the Stones on a single or a studio album as far as I have been able to tell, “Carol” as well as “Little Queenie” are included on their second live album, Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert (1970). According to Wikipedia: “It [Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!] was reported to have been issued in response to the well known bootleg Live’r Than You’ll Ever Be” (the alternate name of The Greatest Group on Earth).
(September 2017)
