I'm not sure why I would write this. I haven't intentionally listened to any Berry Chucked guitar riffage of late. Truth be told I don't plan on it either. I do own a good part of his recorded output but it's sitting in storage with a lot of LP's that I'm too lazy to e bay. The way I figure it is kinda like this, since his influence is ubiquitous in so much of the music I like from Buck Owens to AC/DC, I do not need to listen to him anymore. I can just soak it up second hand in the sounds of his disciples, which is about 90% of everyone who has ever picked up on the electric guitar since 1955. If they weren't directly under Chucks spell, they were surely influenced by somebody or some group that was. You can't get around it.
Chuck didn't invent R 'N' R by any stretch of the imagination. I've got records from the late 1930's (Guitar Boogie - Mississippi Jook Band) that are just as rock 'n' roll to me as were "Rocket 88" or any other post WW2/ pre 1955 stompdown that helped lay the foundations for Chuck, Bo, Little Richard, et al. to build and expound upon.
He certainly helped to make R N R a household word though and he brought the Guitar to the forefront of this new burgeoning movement, neatly displacing the saxophone & piano as the main instruments of band leaders coast to coast, sea to shining sea. The energy of his early records is still incredibly raw and wild and you have to wonder what country boys like Elvis and Buddy Holly must have thought upon hearing Chuck for the first time.
Likely they were in a beat up old car roaring down some dirt road in the sticks and that slash & burn guitar coming through a tinny A/M radio, cracked speaker and all, must've been what seemed like the beginning of a teenage armageddon. Finally someone who spoke to them exclusively and addressed teen age troubles, trials & tribulations, without condescending to them.
It didn't matter that he was pushing 30, black & had done time in prison, Chuck Berry was THE voice of teenaged America in the 1950's. Enough on CB. His accolades have been written better elsewhere and his praise sung with stronger voice than this writer can muster.
So, here's a list of a few tunes that've been influenced by Charles Edward Berry to varying degrees, for better or worse, for you to contemplate,scratch your head at and just plain wonder why in the name of Jeezus, I'd post such an inane list. These are in no particular order or meant to convey a "Top Ten" list by any means. I just wrote 'em out as they came to mind while digging through and on a few LP's. Before we get into this too deeply, here is prime example of the C.B. influence on one of Rock's all time classic songs: "Louie, Louie."
Article comments
1 - D*J* B
"Go,Johnny,Go!!! Good post.Nice to know
that Chuck's not forgotten.You should've
mentioned that his song "Johnny B Goode"
was taken up into Outer Space in 1977 on
spaceship "Voyager" by astronauts from
N.A.S.A. It was one of the only "Rock N
Roll tunes included on the time capsule
playlist.If I remenber correctly,I think
the list was at least partially compiled
by Dr. Carl Sagan.
2 - crooked spine
What, no Beach Boys?
3 - HW Saxton
Crooked Spine,Thanx fer reading this man
it's much appreciated. Honestly, I had
both "Surfin' U.S.A." & "Fun, Fun, Fun"
both down on the list but nixed 'em in
the final re-write of this."Surfin USA"
is a rewrite of "Sweet Little Sixteen"
of course and the whole concept of the
good looking babe in a hot rod driving
(pun intended)the boys crazy seems to
be at the least,inspired by Chuck Berry.
I had several more songs that were to be
included on the list here but since many
were by artists already noted I've filed
them for inclusion on a part two of the
above list.Have you got any suggestions?
Again, Thanks for reading this.
for
4 - Keith Fontaine
Much of Chuck Berry's '50's stuff has been overlooked. Songs like 'Wee Wee Hours'...'Blue Feeling'...'Havana Moon', or 'Rockin' at The Philharmonic' just to name a few. I played these years ago when I lived 'down under' and the usual response I got from someone who heard these tunes for the first time was..."who the hell is that?" Many of my friends were amazed that Chuck Berry put out such a fine body of work in this style. His blues was impecable, always haunted by the piano style of Johnnie Johnson. Chuck Berry was also much at home doing fine numbers like 'Rockin' At The Philharmonic' combining blues licks with a big band flavour! If you can hear the 50's originals of these, do so! The re-makes (if there are any of these songs) would NOT do them justice, I am sure. Forget what they call "commercially viable" today.
Pop these tunes on your turntable for an unforgetable experience.
5 - Al Barger
Not to belabor the obvious, but don't forget the Beatles "Back in the USSR"
6 - GerryO
Went Bo Diddley collecting crazy last year and read your blog in the KL airport a few weeks ago. It helped me sort out the fact that I hadn't previously seen/heard the song "Hey Good Lookin" and so I now own another Bo Diddley collection cd and "Hey Good Lookin".
Thanks, Gerry
7 - dsga
I can't find how Chuck Berry died.
8 - HW Saxxxton
Dearest DSGA,
To the best of my knowledge Chuck is still alive
and kicking,playing the(very)occasional live gig.
He's a reclusive,cranky old guy.But after all he's
been through it's understandable and forgivable.
9 - Ventor
"...and keeping Chuck's name alive even if it was for a crowd of 20,000+ stoned out headbangers."
So what youre saying is that we metalheads dont have the taste for music? "Even if it was for a bunch of metalheads .." ... And why stoned out? Just cause you have long hair and you're drunk doesnt mean you dont appreciate good old music. I love rock'n'roll ... [Personal attack deleted by Comments Editor]
10 - louise halama
If the writer wasn't so nauseating it might be worth it to read his article.
11 - huck l berry
Louise, do you know this writer? Curious as to the reason for a personal attack. I know him as I played in a blues band with him in chicago in 2005/6. He is a pretty damned good guitar player and musicologist with few peers as to his knowledge of rock n roll music. He's a bit arrogant and also a bit of a womanizer but arent most blues musicians worth their weight???