Chuck Berry remains an influential figure and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music who first began performing in 1953. Cub Koda wrote, "Of all the early breakthrough rock & roll artists, none is more important to the development of the music than Chuck Berry. He is its greatest songwriter, the main shaper of its instrumental voice, one of its greatest guitarists, and one of its greatest performers." John Lennon was more succinct: "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'."
Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2000 in a "class" with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plácido Domingo, Angela Lansbury, and Clint Eastwood. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Chuck Berry #5 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He was also ranked 6th on Rolling Stone's Rolling Stone's 100 greatest guitarists of All Time.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included three of Chuck Berry's songs (Johnny B. Goode, Maybellene, Rock & Roll Music), of the 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll.
Chuck Berry held a special place, in terms of sound development, in the formation of, Mersey-Beat at Liverpool.
The finest exponent of Chuck Berry, guitar, sound at Liverpool during 1959 to 1963, was Vincent Tow/Ismail, who in turn passed on many of the learned skills to Lennon & McCartney, his friends and colleagues during that period--1959 to 1962/3.
Chuck Berry also influenced many of the great rock 'n' roll bands that we know today including The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.
Aimlessly Driftin'
Chuck Berry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seems like I'm always on the run
Nobody ever needs a loser
We just exist under the sun
But someday, somehow, someone may need me
When my drifting days are done
Well, I'm aimlessly drifting
Hard as I try to make a showing
Something is always in my way
Even the one I truly love now
Deals in the games that people play
Every time I love I always lose
Seems like I'll never ever win
Each I hear them lonesome blues
I'm all alone at home again
Seems like I'm just existing
Aimlessly drifting to no end
All that I ask of this old world
Is just to have a happy home
All that I ask of one little girl
Is just to be my very own
It seems just like I'm just existing
Aimlessly drifting along
Yes, I'll go to California
Seems like I'm always on the run
Nobody ever needs a loser
I just exist under the sun
But someday, somehow, someone may need me
But my drifting days be done
In "Aimlessly Driftin'" Chuck Berry sings about a life of drifting and loneliness, feeling like a loser and always on the run. He contemplates going to California, searching for a new opportunity, but he's not sure if he'll ever find what he's looking for. He reflects on his failures in love and how he always seems to lose, listening to the blues alone at home. However, he's still holding onto hope that someday someone may need him when his drifting days are done. The lyrics paint a picture of a man lost in the world and struggling to find his place, longing for a happy home and someone to share it with.
Line by Line Meaning
I guess I'll go to California
I'll take a chance and go to California in the hopes of finding something better.
Seems like I'm always on the run
I'm constantly moving from place to place, trying to find my place in the world.
Nobody ever needs a loser
People don't care about losers like me, we're just overlooked by society in general.
We just exist under the sun
Losers like me are just existing in the world, barely living and struggling along.
But someday, somehow, someone may need me
Even though I'm a loser now, maybe someday I'll find someone who needs me and values me for who I am.
When my drifting days are done
When I finally find my place in the world and stop drifting aimlessly.
Well, I'm aimlessly drifting
I have no direction or purpose in life, just wandering around.
Looks like I live from day to day
I'm just surviving day by day, with no real goal or plan for my life.
Hard as I try to make a showing
Even though I try my best, I can never seem to make any progress in life.
Something is always in my way
There are always obstacles that prevent me from achieving my goals and moving forward with my life.
Even the one I truly love now
Even the person I love is involved in games and deceptive behavior, making it hard for me to trust and connect with them.
Deals in the games that people play
My loved one is playing mind games and being deceitful, making it hard for our relationship to progress.
Every time I love I always lose
Whenever I fall in love, it always ends badly for me and I'm left alone and heartbroken.
Seems like I'll never ever win
It feels like I can never come out on top or achieve success in any area of my life.
Each time I hear them lonesome blues
Whenever I hear sad music like the blues, it reminds me of my own feelings of loneliness and despair.
I'm all alone at home again
I spend a lot of time alone at home, with no one to talk to or share my life with.
Seems like I'm just existing
I feel like I'm just barely surviving and not really living a full life.
Aimlessly drifting to no end
I have no real direction or purpose in life, just wandering aimlessly with no real goal in mind.
All that I ask of this old world
All I want from the world is a little bit of happiness and security in the form of a stable home life.
Is just to have a happy home
I just want a place to call home where I can be happy and feel secure and loved.
All that I ask of one little girl
I just want one special person, a girl, to share my life and home with.
Is just to be my very own
All I want is for this girl to be mine and for us to be happy together in our own little world.
Yes, I'll go to California
I'm still willing to take a chance and try to find happiness and success in California.
But my drifting days be done
I hope that someday soon, my aimless drifting will come to an end and I'll find my place in the world.
Contributed by Jack J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jack
on Little Marie (Alternate)
Yes, oh yes, Long Distance, I'll accept the charge, I'll pay
Which love one is calling me, I did not hear you say.
Both are deep within my hearth, her Mom and my Marie
It so good to hear your voice from Memphis, Tennessee
Oh, you mean so much to me, more than you'll ever know,
Surely, you have not forgot how much I love you so
If you would remember, Dear, and sometimes talk to me
Maybe that would reunite our home in Tennessee.
Last time I saw you, just before I had to leave
You did not want to see me off and promised not to grieve,
My hearth was tore apart as I looked back at my Marie
And there the peace is still remain with you in Tennessee.
I guess I should stop talking, after all you placed the call
But anyway that I can help, you know I'll help you all
Then she spoke and asked me to come back and see Marie
And live together in our home in Memphis, Tennessee.