Tracklist Hide Credits

1947 To 1954
1-01	Gypsy Woman
1-02	Good Looking Woman Written-By – Unknown Artist
1-03	Mean Disposition
1-04	I Can't Be Satisfied
1-05	I Feel Like Going Home
1-06	Train Fare Home Blues
1-07	Mean Red Spider
1-08	Streamline Woman
1-09	Little Geneva
1-10	Rollin' And Tumblin', Part 1
1-11	Rolling Stone
1-12	Walkin' Blues Written-By – Robert Johnson
1-13	Louisiana Blues Washboard – Elgin Evans
1-14	Evans Shuffle
1-15	Long Distance Call
1-16	Honey Bee
1-17	She Moves Me
1-18	Still A Fool
1-19	Stuff You Gotta Watch Vocals – Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter
1-20	Standing Around Crying Harmonica [Either] – Junior WellsHarmonica [Or] – Little Walter
1-21	Flood
1-22	Baby Please Don't Go
1-23	Blow Wind Blow Harmonica – Walter "Shakey" Horton*
1-24	Hoochie Coochie Man
1954 To 1959
2-01	I Just Want To Make Love To You
2-02	I'm Ready
2-03	Smokestack Lightnin' Written-By – Chester Burnett
2-04	Young Fashioned Ways
2-05	Mannish Boy
2-06	Trouble No More
2-07	Forty Days And Forty Nights Written-By – Bernard Roth*
2-08	Just To Be With You Written-By – Bernard Roth*
2-09	Don't Go No Farther
2-10	Diamonds At Your Feet Written-By – Henry Morganfield*
2-11	I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love
2-12	Rock Me
2-13	Look What You Done
2-14	Got My Mojo Working
2-15	Good News Saxophone [Tenor] – Marcus Johnson
2-16	Evil
2-17	She's Nineteen Years Old
2-18	Close To You Tenor Saxophone – J.T. Brown
2-19	Walkin' Thru The Park
2-20	Blues Before Sunrise (With Dialogue & False Starts) Written-By – John Lee Hooker
2-21	Lonesome Road Blues
2-22	Take The Bitter With The Sweet (False Start, Dialogue & Alternate Take) Written-By – James Oden*
2-23	She's Into Something Written-By – Carl Wright
2-24	Southbound Train
2-25	Double Trouble Drums [Either] – Francis ClayDrums [Or] – Willie SmithWritten-By – Harriet Melka*
1960 To 1972
3-01	I Feel So Good
3-02	You Shook Me Organ, Piano – John "Big Moose" WalkerWritten-By – J.B. Lenoir, Willie Dixon
3-03	You Need Love
3-04	Twenty Four Hours Organ – John "Big Moose" WalkerWritten-By – Eddie Boyd
3-05	Elevate Me Mama (Alternate Take)
3-06	So Glad I'm Living
3-07	My Love Strikes Like Lightning
3-08	You Don't Have To Go Written-By – Jimmy Reed
3-09	Things That I Used To Do Written-By – Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones
3-10	My Home Is In The Delta
3-11	Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
3-12	The Same Thing
3-13	You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had
3-14	Short Dress Woman Clarinet – J.T. BrownDrums [Either] – Willie SmithDrums [Or] – S.P. LearyWritten-By – John T. Brown*
3-15	Making Friends Producer – Ralph Bass
3-16	Black Night (Alternate Mix) Co-producer – Gene Barge, Ralph BassWritten-By – Jessie Mae Robinson
3-17	Bird Nest On The Ground Organ – Pinetop PerkinsWritten-By – Monk Higgins, Maurice Dollison*
3-18	Country Boy Bass – Sonny WimberlyDrums – S.P. LearyGuitar [Either] – Pee Wee Madison*Guitar [Or] – Luther Johnson
3-19	Sugar Sweet ("Fathers And Sons" Alternate Take) Bass – Donald "Duck" DunnDrums – Sammy Lay*Guitar – Michael Bloomfield*Guitar [Rhythm] – Paul AsbellHarmonica – Paul ButterfieldProducer – Norman DayronWritten-By – Mel London
3-20	All Aboard ("Fathers And Sons" Alternate Take) Bass – Phil UpchurchDrums – Sammy Lay*Guitar – Michael Bloomfield*Harmonica [Chromatic] – Jeff CarpProducer – Norman Dayron
3-21	Going Down Slow Harmonica – Paul OscherPiano – Pinetop PerkinsProducer – Ralph BassWritten-By – James Oden*
3-22	Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man When I'm Gone (Original British Mix) Bass – Rik Grech*Drums – Mitch MitchellGuitar – Rory GallagherHarmonica – Carey Bell HarringtonKeyboards – Georgie FortuneProducer – Esmond Edwards, Ian Green
3-23	Can't Get No Grindin' (What's The Matter With The Meal) Harpsichord – Pinetop PerkinsProducer – Ralph Bass

Credits

• Bass – Andrew Stephens* (tracks: 2-19 to 3-01), Calvin Jones (tracks: 3-14 to 3-17, 3-21), Big Crawford* (tracks: 1-01 to 1-16, 1-22), Willie Dixon (tracks: 1-24 to 2-10, 3-02 to 3-13)
• Bass [Either] – Andrew Stephens* (tracks: 2-11 to 2-18)
• Bass [Or] – Willie Dixon (tracks: 2-11 to 2-18)
• Co-producer – Leonard Chess (tracks: 1-01 to 3-15), Phil Chess (tracks: 1-01 to 3-15)
• Compilation Producer – Andy McKaie
• Compiled By – Andy McKaie, Mary Katherine Aldin
• Drums – Casey Jones (tracks: 3-02, 3-03), Clifton James (tracks: 3-10, 3-11), Elgin Evans (tracks: 1-19 to 2-01), Francis Clay (tracks: 2-04 to 2-24, 3-01, 3-12, 3-13), Fred Below (tracks: 2-02, 2-03), Willie Smith (tracks: 3-04, 3-15 to 3-17, 3-21, 3-23)
• Drums [Bass Drum] – Leonard Chess (tracks: 1-17, 1-18)
• Drums [Possibly] – Willie Smith (tracks: 3-05 to 3-09)
• Engineer [Digital Assembly From Masters & Disc Transfers] – Doug Schwartz
• Engineer [Digital Transfers From 78] – Paul Elmore (tracks: 1-11, 2-09, 2-14, 2-16), Steven Lasker (tracks: 1-11, 2-09, 2-14, 2-16)
• Guitar – Buddy Guy (tracks: 3-10, 3-11), Earl Hooker (tracks: 3-02, 3-03), Pee Wee Madison* (tracks: 3-14 to 3-17, 3-21, 3-23), Jimmy Rogers (tracks: 1-19 to 2-10), Leroy Foster (tracks: 1-07, 1-08), Little Walter (tracks: 1-16, 1-18), Luther Tucker (tracks: 2-17 to 2-198, 3-04 to 3-09), Muddy Waters (tracks: 1-01 to 2-01, 3-01, 3-10 to 3-14, 3-16, 3-17 to 3-23), Pat Hare (tracks: 2-15 to 3-01), Sammy Lawhorn (tracks: 3-12 to3-17, 3-21 to 3-23)
• Guitar [Either] – Pee Wee Madison* (tracks: 3-12, 3-13)
• Guitar [Or] – Buddy Guy (tracks: 3-12, 3-13)
• Harmonica – James Cotton (tracks: 2-11 to 2-14, 2-16, 2-20 to 3-01, 3-04 to 3-09, 3-14 to 3-16, 3-23), Little Walter (tracks: 1-12 to 1-15, 1-17, 1-19, 1-21, 1-22, 1-24 to 2-10, 2-17 to 2-19)
• Liner Notes – Mary Katherine Aldin, Robert Palmer
• Mastered By – Greg Fulginiti
• Piano – Otis Spann (tracks: 1-20, 1-23 to 2-04, 2-06, 2-08 to 3-01, 3-04, 3-05, 3-12 to 3-20), Sunnyland Slim (tracks: 1-01 to 1-03)
• Saxophone [Alto] – Alex Atkins (tracks: 1-02, 1-03)
• Saxophone [Tenor] – A.C. Reed (tracks: 3-02, 3-03), Ernest Cotton (tracks: 3-02, 3-03)
• Vocals – Muddy Waters
• Written-By – Bill Broonzy* (tracks: 2-21, 2-24, 3-01), McKinley Morganfield (tracks: 1-01, 1-03 to 1-11, 1-13 to 1-23, 2-05, 2-06, 2-12 to 2-17, 2-19, 3-07, 3-10, 3-13, 3-15, 3-18, 3-20, 3-22, 3-23), Sonny Boy Williamson (tracks: 3-05, 3-06, 3-11), Willie Dixon (tracks: 1-24 to 2-02, 2-04, 2-09, 2-11, 2-18, 3-03, 3-12)

Notes

Track 1-01 rec. 1947
Tracks 1-02 to 1-05 rec. 4/1948
Tracks 1-06 to 1-08 rec. 11/1948
Track 1-09 rec. 7/1949
Tracks 1-10 to 1-12 rec. 2/1950
Tracks 1-13, 1-14 rec. 23/10/1950
Tracks 1-15, 1-16 rec. 23/1/1951
Tracks 1-17, 1-18 rec. 11/7/1951
Track 1-19 rec. 29/12/1951
Track 1-20 rec. 17/9/1952
Track 1-21 rec. 12/1952
Track 1-22 rec. 4/5/1953
Track 1-23 rec. 24/9/1953
Track 1-24 rec. 7/1/1954
Track 2-01 rec. 13/4/1954
Tracks 2-02, 2-03 rec. 1/9/1954
Track 2-04 rec. 3/2/1955
Tracks 2-05, 2-06 rec. 1955
Tracks 2-07 to 2-09 rec. 1956
Tracks 2-10 to 2-13 rec. 1/12/1956
Tracks 2-14, 2-15 rec. 5-6/1957
Tracks 2-16, 2-17 rec. 11/1958
Track 2-19 rec. Fall 1958
Track 2-20 rec. early 1959
Tracks 2-21 to 2-24 rec. 7/1959
Track 2-25 rec. 8/1959
Track 3-01 rec. 3/7/1960
Track 3-02 rec. 6/1962
Track 3-03 rec. 12/10/1962
track 3-04 rec. 2/5/1963
Tracks 3-05 to 3-09 rec. 6/6/1963
Tracks 3-10, 3-11 rec. 9/1963
Tracks 3-12, 3-13 rec. 4/1964
Track 3-14 rec. 10/1964
Tracks 3-15, 3-16 rec. 22/6/1966
Track 3-17 rec. 1967
Track 3-18 rec. 1968
Tracks 3-19, 3-20 rec. 22/4/1969
Track 3-21 rec. 6/1971
Track 3-22 rec. 7/12/1971
Track 3-23 rec. 3/1972
All tracks rec. Chicago except:
3-01 live Newport Jazz Festival
3-18 live Montreux Jazz Festival
3-22 live Mister Kelly's
3-23 London
Tracks 1-02, 2-22, 3-05, 3-16, 3-18 to 3-22 previously unreleased
Compilation ℗&© 1989 MCA Records Inc.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

• Barcode: 0 7674-10802-2 9
• Matrix / Runout (Disc 1): DIDX-013357 1
• Matrix / Runout (Disc 2): DIDX-013631 1
• Matrix / Runout (Disc 3): DIDX-013621 1
• ASIN: B000002Q40

Other versions

Category	Artist	Title (Format)	Label	Category	Country	Year
CH6 - 80002	Muddy Waters	The Chess Box ‎(6xLP, Comp)	MCA Records, Chess	CH6 - 80002	US	1989
CHD3-80002, CHD-80002A, CHD-80002B, CDD-80002C	Muddy Waters	The Chess Box ‎(3xCD, Comp + Box, Comp)	Chess, MCA Records, Chess, Chess, Chess	CHD3-80002, CHD-80002A, CHD-80002B, CDD-80002C	US	Unknown
CHC6-80002	Muddy Waters	The Chess Box ‎(3xCass, Comp)	MCA Records, Chess	CHC6-80002	US	1989
CHD3-80002	Muddy Waters	The Chess Box ‎(3xCD, Comp, RP)	Chess	CHD3-80002	US	1998
668002	Muddy Waters	The Chess Box ‎(3xCD, Comp)	Chess, Vogue	668002	France	1990

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