Chuck Berry has died. May he rest in peace.
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I will write an extensive tribute later.
He was a Founding Father of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
He was a Rock ‘n’ Roll Prophet and The Rock ‘n’ Roll Poet.
He was a writer with the immediate understanding of a top class journalist, the widescreen vision of an historian and the timing of a comedian on the stage.
He is one of the greatest chroniclers of American Life.
Hail, Hail, Hail Chuck Berry!
Here he is with a special favourite of mine, ‘School Days’
‘Up in the mornin’ and out to school
The teacher is teachin’ the Golden Rule
American history and practical math
You study’ em hard and hopin’ to pass
Workin’ your fingers right down to the bone
And the guy behind you won’t leave you alone
Ring ring goes the bell
The cook in the lunchroom’s ready to sell
You’re lucky if you can find a seat
You’re fortunate if you have time to eat
Back in the classroom open you books
Gee but the teacher don’t know
How mean she looks
Soon as three o’clock rolls around
You finally lay your burden down
Close up your books, get out of your seat
Down the halls and into the street
Up to the corner and ’round the bend
Right to the juke joint you go in
Drop the coin right into the slot
You gotta hear something that’s really hot
Drop the coin right into the slot
You gotta hear something that’s really hot
Hail, hail rock’n’roll
Deliver me from the days of old
Long live rock’n’roll
The beat of the drum is loud and bold
Rock rock rock’n’roll
The feelin’ is there body and soul’
The lyric above is the best teaching aide anyone could ever have if they wanted an example of great Rock ‘n’Roll Songwriting.
Consider the rhythmic flow of the words and music.
Consider the sociological acuity of the observations.
‘The guy behind you won’t leave you alone‘. Don’t you just know that guy!
‘Gee but the teacher don’t know How mean she looks’.
Teachers never do, never do!
‘Down the halls and into the street
Up to the corner and ’round the bend
Right to the juke joint you go in
Drop the coin right into the slot
You gotta hear something that’s really hot’
Now that’s writing! A whole generation and way of life captured perfectly.
‘With the one you love you’re makin’ romance
All day long you been
Wantin’ to dance
Feelin’ the music from head to toe
‘Round and ’round and ’round you go’
All day long you been wantin’ to dance. All day long!
Rock ‘n’ Roll swept The World because it did make you feel the music from head to toe and because what in the world could possible beat the feeling of makin’ romance with the one you love!
Round and round and round you go!
Chuck Berry set The World spinning and some of us are spinning still!
‘Hail, hail rock’n’roll
Deliver me from the days of old
Long live rock’n’roll
The beat of the drum is loud and bold
Rock rock rock’n’roll
The feelin’ is there body and soul’
And that Baby is Rock ‘n’ Roll!
With his thrilling guitar, his poetic words and his sleek charisma Chuck did indeed deliver us from the days of old.
Thank you Chuck for the feeling – body and soul.
There are some artists without whom an entire genre of art would be unthinkable: Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Mozart… and of course Chuck Berry. The surprising thing is, what he did was really quite simple, though not necessarily simplistic. Interestingly, he was one of those artists that didn’t age well in terms of his creative output; it was really over for him by the late ’60s in terms of saying anything new. Yet from the first note—and this is the true test of the genuine original—you know it’s Chuck. Without whom, no Rolling Stones! Without whom, we wouldn’t have had so much of the great rock ‘n roll of the ’60s and ’70s. Some artists have tremendous musical range yet limited impact while others actually have a fairly narrow range yet huge impact. Chuck was definitely the latter.
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Spot on!
Regards Thom.
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Who will fill their shoes. Great article. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
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Indeed! Many thanks. Thom.
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There are not a lot of advantages about getting older, but it’s great to be old enough to remember people like Chuck Berry and to have danced to his great music…Hail, hail, rock and roll!!!!
Molly in San Diego (There’s a dance in the old dame yet…)
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Lovely to hear from you Molly and, of course, there’s many a dance to be danced yet!
Regards Thom.
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