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.
I'm Just A Name
Chuck Berry Lyrics
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Someone you won't remember of the many that you own
I'm just a name within your past you met while all alone
Someone who shared a love with you and stayed behind unknown
I know I'm only someone else in love with you in vain
I wish I could have helped myself, but love is so much pain
It makes me feel that there is still a chance that may remain
I knew your love would never be as deep as mine for you
And I knew that these many nights I'd be alone and blue
And lie awake while you forsake the only love I knew
And never learn that you'll return and we would live it through
Each time I dream a dream, I dream we're cuddled arm in arm
It seems you're looking straight at me, when I see you perform
Sometimes I think you see my face become so shy and warm
I often wonder if you know the power in your charms
Please, let me say I still love you before you hang the phone
And I am proud to once have shared the beauty that you own
I'm just a name within your past you met while all alone
Someone who shared a love with you and stayed behind unknown
Chuck Berry's "I'm Just A Name" is a nostalgic and bittersweet song, which tells the story of a fan who calls his beloved singer "on the phone". The fan speaks to him as someone who shared a love with him, but someone he will most likely forget. The fan expresses his longing for his love and admits that love can be painful. He hopes that one day, the singer will reciprocate his love.
The song expresses the feeling of unrequited love, of loving someone who does not feel the same way. The fan understands that his love for the singer is more profound than the singer's love for him. He acknowledges that he will be lonely, and the singer will continue to perform without him. However, whenever he dreams, he dreams that they are together, and he wishes that the singer knew the power in his charms.
"I'm Just A Name" is a classic representation of the themes of love, loss, and longing. The song's sentiments remain very relatable, especially to music lovers who have harbored unrequited love for their favorite artists.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello, I'm just a fan who had to call you on the phone
I am a fan who decided to call you on the phone.
Someone you won't remember of the many that you own
I am just one of the many fans that you may not remember.
I'm just a name within your past you met while all alone
I am just a memory from your past that you met while being alone.
Someone who shared a love with you and stayed behind unknown
I shared a love with you but remained unknown to you.
I know I'm only someone else in love with you in vain
I am one of the many people who love you but it's in vain.
I wish I could have helped myself, but love is so much pain
I wish I could control my feelings, but love is very painful.
It makes me feel that there is still a chance that may remain
Despite the pain, I still have hope that there may be a chance for us.
That you will someday surely come and give me love again
I hope that one day you will come back and love me again.
I knew your love would never be as deep as mine for you
I always knew that my love for you is deeper than your love for me.
And I knew that these many nights I'd be alone and blue
I knew that I would spend many lonely and sad nights.
And lie awake while you forsake the only love I knew
I would stay awake while you ignore the only love I have.
And never learn that you'll return and we would live it through
I would never learn that you will come back, and we could have a future together.
Each time I dream a dream, I dream we're cuddled arm in arm
In my dreams, I imagine us holding each other.
It seems you're looking straight at me, when I see you perform
I feel like you are performing to me when I see you perform.
Sometimes I think you see my face become so shy and warm
Sometimes I think you notice my shy and warm face.
I often wonder if you know the power in your charms
I often wonder if you are aware of your charm, and how it affects people.
Please, let me say I still love you before you hang the phone
Please, let me tell you that I still love you before you hang up.
And I am proud to once have shared the beauty that you own
I am proud to have shared the beauty that you possess.
I'm just a name within your past you met while all alone
I am just a memory from your past that you met while being alone.
Someone who shared a love with you and stayed behind unknown
I shared a love with you but remained unknown to you.
Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: CHUCK BERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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.