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.
Baby What You Want Me To Do
Chuck Berry Lyrics
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You got me cryin', lyin', anyway you want
And I'll roll, yeah, yeah, yeah
You got me doin' what you want me, any way you want me to go?
You see me up, you see me down
You see me up, down, down, up, anyway you want
And I'll roll, yeah, yeah, yeah
You keep me reelin', you keep me rockin'
You keep me reelin', rockin', anyway you want
And I'll go, yeah, yeah, yeah
You got me doin' what you want me, any way you want me to go?
In "Baby What You Want Me To Do," Chuck Berry depicts a love relationship where one partner has total control over the other, to the point where they only exist to please them. The lyrics reveal a sense of helplessness as the singer cries, lies, and does whatever their lover wants them to do. The phrase "any way you want me to go" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing this power dynamic.
The use of repetition in the lyrics gives the impression that the singer is in a constant state of motion, unable to resist their lover's control. The lines "You see me up, you see me down" and "You keep me reelin', you keep me rockin'" suggest that the relationship is tumultuous and unstable, with the singer being thrown around at their lover's whim. The song's upbeat tempo and guitar-driven melody add to the feeling of being caught up in a whirlwind romance.
Taken as a whole, "Baby What You Want Me To Do" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of giving up one's agency in a relationship. It suggests that being completely at someone else's mercy can be exhilarating but ultimately damaging.
Line by Line Meaning
You got me cryin', you got me lyin'
You make me feel so desperate that I have to shed tears and tell lies to satisfy you.
You got me cryin', lyin', anyway you want
Regardless of how you want me to do it, I will still cry and lie to make you happy.
And I'll roll, yeah, yeah, yeah
I will change my ways and attitudes to suit your expectations and make you satisfied.
You got me doin' what you want me, any way you want me to go?
You have so much control over me that I'll do whatever you want, however you want it, without even questioning it.
You see me up, you see me down
You tend to observe me constantly and have the power to change my emotional state.
You see me up, down, down, up, anyway you want
Irrespective of how you alter my emotional state, I will adjust my behavior to suit your wishes.
You keep me reelin', you keep me rockin'
You have the capability to destabilize me and make me feel disoriented or give me ecstasy.
You keep me reelin', rockin', anyway you want
I am willing to adjust to your mood swings and remain joyful even when you make me feel unstable.
And I'll go, yeah, yeah, yeah
I am at your beck and call, and regardless of how you behave, I am willing to go with the flow.
You got me doin' what you want me, any way you want me to go?
Once again, you have complete control over me, and I am willing to follow your commands in all aspects of my life.
Contributed by Aaliyah E. 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.