{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = After School Session | type = Studio | artist = Chuck Berry | cover = Chuck Berry - After School Session.jpg | alt = | released = May 1957<ref name="berry-chess">{{cite web |url=http://www.crlf.de/ChuckBerry/chessupto1966.html |title=A Collector's Guide to the Music of Chuck Berry: The Chess Era (1955–1966) |last=Rudolph |first=Dietmar |access-date=2009-09-03}}</ref> | recorded = May 21, 1955&nbsp;– January 21, 1957, Chicago, Illinois<ref name="notes1">{{cite AV media notes |title=After School Session |others=Chuck Berry |year=2004 |pages=10–15 |type=CD liner notes |publisher=Geffen Records/Chess Records |id=B0001685-02 |location=United States}}</ref> | venue = | studio = Universal Recording Corp. (Chicago)<ref>{{cite web |title=The Chuck Berry Database Details For Recording Session: 19. 4. 1956|url=http://www.crlf.de/ChuckBerry/cbdb/session/8-1956-04-19%2000:00:00.html |website=A Collector's Guide to the Music of Chuck Berry |publisher=Dietmar Rudolph |access-date=28 September 2021}}</ref> | genre = Rock and roll | length = {{Duration|m=33|s=16}} | label = Chess | producer = Leonard Chess, Phil Chess<ref name="notes1" /> | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = One Dozen Berrys | next_year = 1958 | misc = {{Singles | name = After School Session | type = studio | single1 = No Money Down | single1date = December 1955<ref name="berry-chess"/> | single2 = Too Much Monkey Business | single2date = September 1956<ref name="berry-chess"/> | single3 = School Days | single3date = March 1957<ref name="berry-chess"/> }} }} {{Music ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/after-school-session-mw0000202758|title=After School Session Chuck Berry Songs, Reviews, Credits|website=AllMusic|access-date=2021-06-11}}</ref> }} '''''After School Session''''' is the debut studio album by rock and roll artist Chuck Berry, released in May 1957 by Chess Records. With the exception of two tracks, "Roly Poly" and "Berry Pickin'", all selections had been previously released on 45 rpm singles. It is the second long-playing album released by the Chess label.<ref name=Chess/>

==Recording sessions== The songs on ''After School Session'' were taken from Berry's first five sessions for Leonard and Phil Chess, which took place at Universal Recording Corporation in Chicago.

"Wee Wee Hours" was the first to be recorded, on May 21, 1955. "Together (We'll Always Be)" was recorded in September 1955.

At the next session, on December 20, 1955, Berry recorded "Roly Poly" (also known as "Rolli Polli"), "No Money Down", "Berry Pickin'", and "Down Bound Train".

The third session was on April 16, 1956, when he recorded "Too Much Monkey Business", "Brown Eyed Handsome Man", and "Drifting Heart". "Havana Moon" was recorded on October 29, 1956.

The last session took place on January 21, 1957, when he recorded "School Days" and "Deep Feeling".<ref name="notes1" />

==Release== The album was released in May 1957 on Chess Records, catalogue LP 1426. It is the second long-playing album released by the label.<ref name=Chess>{{cite web|url=https://www.bsnpubs.com/chess/chess/chess1425.html|website=Bsnpubs.com |title=Chess Album Discography, Part 1}}</ref>

==Singles== The first song on the original version of ''After School Session'' to be released was "Wee Wee Hours", the B-side of "Maybellene", issued in July 1955.<ref name="berry-chess" /> It peaked at number 10 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s R&B Singles chart.<ref name="AMS">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic |id=p3664|tab=charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} |title=Chuck Berry: Billboard Singles |website=AllMusic|access-date=January 8, 2011}}</ref> The next song to be released was "Together We Will Always Be", the B-side of "Thirty Days", in September 1955. The next two songs released were "No Money Down" backed with "Down Bound Train", in December 1955,<ref name="berry-chess" /> the former peaking at number 8 on the R&B Singles chart.<ref name="AMS" /> In May 1956, "Drifting Heart" was released as the B-side of "Roll Over Beethoven". Berry's next single, "Too Much Monkey Business" backed with "Brown Eyed Handsome Man", was released in September 1956;<ref name="berry-chess" /> these songs reached number 4 and number 5 on the R&B Singles chart, respectively.<ref name="AMS" /> "Havana Moon", the B-side of "You Can't Catch Me", was released in November 1956. The last single from the album to be released was "School Day (Ring Ring Goes the Bell)" backed with "Deep Feeling", in March 1957,<ref name="berry-chess" /> with the former reaching number 1 on the R&B Singles chart and number 3 on the Hot 100.<ref name="AMS" />

==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = Side One | all_writing = Chuck Berry | title1 = School Days | length1 = 2:43 | title2 = Deep Feeling | length2 = 2:21 | title3 = Too Much Monkey Business | length3 = 2:56 | title4 = Wee Wee Hours | length4 = 3:05 | title5 = Roly Poly (aka Rolli Polli) | length5 = 2:51 | title6 = No Money Down | length6 = 2:59 }} {{Track listing | headline = Side Two | title7 = Brown Eyed Handsome Man | length7 = 2:19 | title8 = Berry Pickin{{'-}} | length8 = 2:33 | title9 = Together (We Will Always Be) | length9 = 2:39 | title10 = Havana Moon | length10 = 3:09 | title11 = Downbound Train | length11 = 2:51 | title12 = Drifting Heart | length12 = 2:50 | total_length = {{Track listing total length|2:43|2:21|2:56|3:05|2:51|2:59|2:19|2:33|2:39|3:09|2:51|2:50}} }}

{{Track listing | headline = Bonus tracks (2004 release) | title1 = You Can't Catch Me | length1 = 2:44 | title2 = Thirty Days (To Come Back Home) | length2 = 2:25 | title3 = Maybellene | length3 = 2:19 | total_length = {{Track listing total length|2:43|2:21|2:56|3:05|2:51|2:59|2:19|2:33|2:39|3:09|2:51|2:50|2:44|2:25|2:19}} }}

==Personnel== '''Musicians''' * Chuck Berry – vocals, guitars, steel guitar on "Deep Feeling" * Johnnie Johnson – piano * Willie Dixon – bass * Fred Below – drums * L. C. Davis – tenor saxophone on "Too Much Monkey Business" and "Drifting Heart" * Jasper Thomas – drums * Ebby Hardy – drums * Otis Spann – piano * Jimmy Rogers – guitar * Jerome Green – maracas on "Maybellene"

'''Technical''' * Leonard Chess – producer * Phil Chess – producer * Andy McKaie – reissue producer * Erick Labson – digital remastering * Vartan – art direction * Don Snowden – liner notes

==Release history== {|class="wikitable" ! Region ! Date ! Label ! Format ! Catalog |- | United States | May 1957 | Chess Records | LP | LP-1426 |- | United States | August 27, 1966 | Chess Records | Stereo-Pak | 21-383A |- | United States | 1990 | Chess Records | CD | CHD-9284 |- | United States | May 9, 1995 | MCA Special Products | CD | MCAD-20873 |- |rowspan="2"| United States |rowspan="2"| March 23, 2004 |rowspan="2"| Geffen Records/Chess Records | Cassette | B0001685 |- | CD | B0001685-02 |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{portal|1950s|}} * {{Discogs master|type=album|194415|name=After School Session}}

{{Chuck Berry}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Chuck Berry albums Category:1957 debut albums Category:Chess Records albums Category:Albums produced by Phil Chess Category:Albums produced by Leonard Chess