Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll


Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll is a 1987 documentary film directed by Taylor Hackford that chronicles two 1986 concerts celebrating rock and roll musician Chuck Berry's 60th birthday. A soundtrack album was released in October 1987 on the MCA label. The name comes from a line in Berry's song "School Days".
The two concerts were held on October 16, 1986, at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis; among the artists performing with Berry were Linda Ronstadt, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Etta James, Johnnie Johnson, Steve Jordan, Bobby Keys, Julian Lennon, and Joey Spampinato from NRBQ. Along with concert footage, the film also features scenes from the rehearsals for the shows, interviews with Berry and members of his family, and "talking-head"-type appearances from a number of musicians, including Bo Diddley, The Everly Brothers, John Lennon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Little Richard and Bruce Springsteen.

Track listing

  1. "Come On" rehearsal at Berry's home, Wentzville 8.-14.10.86
  2. "Carol" rehearsal at Berry's home, Wentzville 8.-14.10.86
  3. "It Don't Take But a Few Minutes" -rehearsal at Berry's home, Wentzville 8.-14.10.86
  4. "I'm Through With Love" rehearsal at Berry's home, Wentzville 8.-14.10.86
  5. "Roll Over Beethoven"
  6. "Almost Grown"
  7. "Back in the U.S.A."
  8. "Sweet Little Sixteen"
  9. "No Money Down"
  10. "Nadine"
  11. "Johnny B. Goode"
  12. "Memphis, Tennessee"
  13. "Little Queenie"
  14. "Brown Eyed Handsome Man"
  15. "Too Much Monkey Business"
  16. "No Particular Place to Go"
  17. "Wee Wee Hours"
  18. "Rock and Roll Music"
  19. "School Days"

    Bonus rehearsals on the DVD

  20. "Guitar Jam"
  21. "Mean Old World"
  22. "It Don't Take But a Few Minutes"
  23. "Hoochie Coochie Gal"
  24. "A Cottage for Sale"

    The band

As told in the interview section of the Bonus DVD, Berry shot his voice at a cold open air concert the day before the filming of the movie. All of his lead vocals are therefore overdubbed in a studio.