#1 record

Big Star made their debut with the melodic mastery of this underground powerpop classic. Chris Bell and Alex Chilton were high school friends. While Chilton found national success as the lead singer of the Box Tops, Bell stayed in Memphis where he became an engineer at Ardent Studios and formed a band called Ice Water with Andy Hummel, Steve Ray, and Jody Stephens. Ray left and Chilton joined the group after seeing them play at a VFW in Memphis. Hanging out at Ardent Studios, they got the name for the band from the Big Star grocery store across the street. John Fry and Terry Manning produced the sessions at Ardent; but Hummel recalls: "Well, Chris was in charge. I would pretty well credit him with recording and producing that LP. Of course, he had a lot of artistic help from Alex but Chris was the technical brains behind it. He was the only one of us at that time who new how to record. Early on, I was just trying to play bass and keep up with the rest. But later on, after I had taken the audio engineering course and become more comfortable with the bass, I began to play the guitar and piano and write music a lot more and to just generally expand musically. I engineered a little of the later No. 1 stuff, but Chris was the main force." Bell and Chilton co-wrote all but two of the twelve tracks that made it on to '#1 Record', emulating their heroes Lennon and McCartney in sound and style. Stephens remembers, "Alex would come in and put down something rough and edgy and Chris would come in and add some sweet-sounding background vocals to it."

'#1 Record' received rave reviews; but sold poorly due to issues with distribution. Chilton says, "It was a great album but there were just problems in trying to get it sold, get it into the stores. We'd get a lot of radio play on it somewhere but couldn't get it released there; stuff like that." Bell would leave the band that he had formed due to a severe depression. Stephens says: "Chris was a major part of the first record in terms of its production and direction. The album was released and the critics really focused on Alex, giving him a lot of attention. Anyone would have. Alex was in the Box Tops with the number one song in the nation. It's only natural that they focus on a band member that the readers would be familar with. I think Chris felt slighted and thought that he might have to live in Alex's shadow so he quit the band in late '72 or early '73." '#1 Record' has been reissued many times and over the years and its bittersweet harmonies and innocent exuberance have become an inspiration for many bands in the ensuing years.

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'In the Street'

"Hanging out, down the street

The same old thing we did last week

Not a thing to do, but talk to you

Steal your car, and bring it down

Pick me up, we'll drive around

Wish we had a joint so bad

Bust a street light

Out past midnight"

'The Ballad of El Goodo'

"Years ago my heart was set to live, oh

But I've been trying hard against strong odds

It gets so hard at times like now to hold on

Well, I'll fall if I don't fight

And at my side is God"

'Thirteen'

"Won't you let me walk you home from school

Won't you let me meet you at the pool

Maybe Friday I can

Get tickets for the dance

And I'll take you

Won't you tell your dad, get off my back

Tell him what we said 'bout 'Paint It Black'

Rock 'n Roll is here to stay

Come inside where it's okay

And I'll shake you

Won't you tell me what you're thinking of

Would you be an outlaw for my love

If it's so, well, let me know

If it's no, well, I can go

I won't make you"

'When My Baby's Beside Me'

"Read all my books and talked about

Listen to my radio

Been to school and dropped right out

Tryin' to find out what I didn't know"

'Watch the Sunrise'

"Sun, it shines on all of us

We are one in it's hand

Come inside and light my room

Like the heart of every man

It's okay to look outside

The day it will abide"

'#1 Record'
full album:

All songs by Chris Bell and Alex Chilton, except where noted.

Side one
"Feel" – 3:34 (Lead: Bell)
"The Ballad of El Goodo" – 4:21 (Lead: Chilton)
"In the Street" – 2:55 (Lead: Bell)
"Thirteen" – 2:34 (Lead: Chilton)
"Don't Lie to Me" – 3:07 (Lead: Bell)
"The India Song" (Andy Hummel) – 2:20 (Lead: Hummel)
Side two
"When My Baby's Beside Me" – 3:22 (Lead: Chilton)
"My Life Is Right" (Bell, Tom Eubanks)  – 3:07 (Lead: Bell)
"Give Me Another Chance" – 3:26 (Lead: Chilton)
"Try Again" – 3:31 (Lead: Bell)
"Watch the Sunrise" – 3:45 (Lead: Chilton)

"ST 100/6" – 1:01 (Lead: Bell & Chilton)