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.
Back in the USA
Chuck Berry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We touched ground on an international runway
Jet propelled back home, from over the seas to the U. S. A.
New York, Los Angeles, oh, how I yearned for you
Detroit, Chicago, Chattanooga, Baton Rouge
Let alone just to be at my home back in ol' St. Lou.
Did I miss the skyscrapers, did I miss the long freeway?
From the coast of California to the shores of Delaware Bay
You can bet your life I did, till I got back to the U. S. A.
Looking hard for a drive-in, searching for a corner cafÚFFFFE9
Where hamburgers sizzle on an open grill night and day
Yeah, and a juke-box jumping with records like in the U.S.A.
Well, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Yes. I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Anything you want, we got right here in the U.S.A.
Chuck Berry's song Back in the USA is an upbeat celebration of American culture and life. The chorus, "Well, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A./Yes, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A./Anything you want, we got right here in the U.S.A.," expresses the sentiment of the song, that there's no place like home. Berry highlights some of America's great cities, from New York to Los Angeles, as well as smaller towns, like Chattanooga and Baton Rouge. The song is a testament to the American dream and the idea that you can find anything you need in the U.S.A, from the iconic drive-in to the corner café.
The verses of the song describe the singer's journey back home to America. The first verse references an international runway, implying that the singer has just arrived from a foreign country. The second verse mentions the singer's longing for cities he missed while he was away, such as New York and Los Angeles. He also mentions smaller towns, like Chattanooga and Baton Rouge, as well as his hometown of St. Louis. In the final verse, the singer is searching for classic American attractions, like drive-ins and diners, that he missed while he was away.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
I am feeling absolutely ecstatic today
We touched ground on an international runway
The plane landed on a runway that's used by international flights
Jet propelled back home, from over the seas to the U.S.A.
The plane's engines thrust it back towards the US, across the ocean
New York, Los Angeles, oh, how I yearned for you
I longed to be in these cities so much
Detroit, Chicago, Chattanooga, Baton Rouge
As well as these other cities
Let alone just to be at my home back in ol' St. Lou
Not to mention just being back in St. Louis, my original home
Did I miss the skyscrapers, did I miss the long freeway?
Did I ever miss those tall buildings and those endless highways?
From the coast of California to the shores of Delaware Bay
From the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean
You can bet your life I did, till I got back to the U.S.A.
I absolutely did, until I finally made it back to America
Looking hard for a drive in, searching for a corner cafe
I'm on the hunt for a classic American drive-in or a corner cafe
Where hamburgers sizzle on an open grill night and day
Where they are always cooking hamburgers on an open grill, 24/7
Yeah, and a jukebox jumping with records like in the U.S.A.
And there are jukeboxes playing great music, just like in the USA
Well, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
I'm thrilled to be living in America
Yes, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Yes, I'm really happy to be living here
Anything you want, we got right here in the U.S.A.
Anything you could want is available right here in the United States
Lyrics © MUSIC SERVICES, INC.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@thequietrevolution7390
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
We just touched ground on an international runway
Jet propelled back home, from overseas to the U. S. A.
New York, Los Angeles, oh, how I yearned for you
Detroit, Chicago, Chattanooga, Baton Rouge
Let alone just to be at my home back in ol' St. Lou
Did I miss the skyscrapers, did I miss the long freeway?
From the coast of California to the shores of the Delaware Bay
You can bet your life I did, till I got back in the U. S. A.
Looking hard for a drive-in, searching for a corner café
Where hamburgers sizzle on an open grill night and day
Yeah, and a juke-box jumping with records like in the U.S.A.
Well, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Yes, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Anything you want, we got it right here in the U.S.A.
I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Yes, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
@DouglasUrantia
This should be the USA National Anthem.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today
We just touched ground on an international runway
Jet propelled back home, from overseas to the U. S. A.
New York, Los Angeles, oh, how I yearned for you
Detroit, Chicago, Chattanooga, Baton Rouge
Let alone just to be at my home back in ol' St. Lou
Did I miss the skyscrapers, did I miss the long freeway?
From the coast of California to the shores of the Delaware Bay
You can bet your life I did, till I got back in the U. S. A.
Looking hard for a drive-in, searching for a corner café
Where hamburgers sizzle on an open grill night and day
Yeah, and a juke-box jumping with records like in the U.S.A.
Well, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Yes, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Anything you want, we got it right here in the U.S.A.
I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Yes, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
@scottdunkirk6710
This song ALWAYS popped into my mind after deployments.
@richardscally694
Yes, I bet it does no place like home.
@joquinr447
100% brother!
@cohengamertv6548
Well invadinga. Country for no reason
@scottdunkirk6710
@@cohengamertv6548 where the hell did that come from?
@RichRogerson-o4w
I understand. I'm a navy vet. I've been more places than over half of the United States population.
@MadMan731
If this song doesn't make you want to dance you may be dead.
@JeffGiovanniello
I"m dead, but I'm dancing. We need more of this
@ndogg20
Some idiot blasting this song from a car radio by a graveyard is what started the Zombie Apocalypse.
@dekusquad2384
Still listening to Chuck in 2024