Jack Rabbit Slims Twist Contest
Chuck Berry/Jerome Patrick Hoban Lyrics
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You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
And now the young monsieur and madame have rung the chapel bell,
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale
The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale,
But when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well
They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast
Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz
But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
They bought a souped-up jitney, 'twas a cherry red '53,
They drove it down to Orleans to celebrate the anniversary
It was there that Pierre was married to the lovely mademoiselle
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
Chuck Berry's song "Jack Rabbit Slim's Twist Contest/You Can Never Tell" tells the story of a young couple's journey together through marriage as they navigate life's ups and downs. The song begins with the description of a teenage wedding, where the old folks wish them well, and you can see that Pierre truly loves his bride, the mademoiselle. They then furnish an apartment with a two-room Roebuck sale, with a coolerator crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale. When Pierre finds work, the little money coming in works out well, and the old folks wistfully say, "C'est la vie," which roughly translates to "That's life," implying that you never really know what life will bring.
The couple also had a hi-fi phono with seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz, which they let blast. But when the sun goes down, the rapid tempo of the music fell, and perhaps so did their spirits. Finally, the couple buys a souped-up jitney, a cherry red '53, and drives down to Orleans to celebrate their anniversary, where Pierre is married once again to his lovely mademoiselle. The song ends again with the refrain of "C'est la vie," as a reminder that life is unpredictable and will always have its twists and turns.
In all, the song is a fun, whimsical yet poignant reflection on the joys and challenges of life and the enduring power of love. It is no wonder why it has become a classic and beloved song over time.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a teenage wedding, and the old folks wished them well
A young couple got married, and the adults hoped they would have a good life together.
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
It was obvious that Pierre really cared for the woman he married.
And now the young monsieur and madame have rung the chapel bell,
The newlyweds have finished their ceremony and announced their marriage to everyone.
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older people present say "that's life" and it demonstrates that events in life are unpredictable.
They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale
The couple decorated their apartment with furniture they purchased at a discounted price.
The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale,
The refrigerator was packed with pre-made meals, and ginger ale to drink.
But when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well
When Pierre got a job, the little amount of money they had saved up started to work out well.
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older people present repeat "that's life" and it demonstrates that events in life are unpredictable.
They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast
The couple owned a high-quality sound system and played it loudly.
Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz
They owned 700 small disks with music in rock, rhythm and jazz styles.
But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell
At night, they turned down the volume and played calmer music instead.
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older people present repeat "that's life" and it demonstrates that events in life are unpredictable.
They bought a souped-up jitney, 'twas a cherry red '53,
They purchased a fancy car, a red 1953 model.
They drove it down to Orleans to celebrate the anniversary
They went to New Orleans to honor their wedding anniversary.
It was there that Pierre was married to the lovely mademoiselle
They got married in New Orleans, and Pierre wed the beautiful woman he loved.
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older people present repeat "that's life" and it demonstrates that events in life are unpredictable.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRIAN WILSON, BRIAN DOUGLAS WILSON, MICHAEL LOVE, MICHAEL EDWARD LOVE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind