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.
It's Too Dark In There
Chuck Berry Lyrics
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She's ready, waitin' for me under the front porch light
She said, "Ain't it dark out there, ooh, it's so dark out there
I hope your car got bright lights, ooh, it's so dark out there"
We went to a house party, it was really outta sight
It was about forty people dancin' under one dim light
"Ain't it dark in there, ooh, it's too dark in there
So I drove her out the freeway into the country air
She said, "I hope you ain't gonna park around here nowhere
It's too dark out there, so dark out there
Let's go back into town and do something 'cause it's too dark out there"
So I asked her just where she had in mind to go
She said, "Maybe to a scary movie picture show"
I said, "It's too dark in there"
I said, "It's too dark in there
I've seen that movie before, baby, it's too dark in there"
So it was nothing left for me to do but take her back home
'Twas no one there, the lights was out and the fuse was blown
And it was dark in there, yes, it was dark in there
And we finally got the fuse in
Ooh, it was dark in there
The lyrics to Chuck Berry's "It's Too Dark in There" describe a young couple's attempt to find a place to spend time together. The song begins with the singer going to pick up a girl he met the previous night, only to be met with her apprehension about the darkness outside. The two end up at a house party with minimal lighting, where the girl again expresses her discomfort with the darkness. Seeking refuge in the open countryside, the couple is deterred by the darkness once more and instead decides to go see a movie. But even the proposed movie theater proves too dimly lit for the girl's liking. Eventually, the couple heads back to the girl's house, only to find themselves in the dark once more due to a blown fuse.
On its surface, the song seems to be a playful exploration of the theme of darkness, with the singer's various attempts to find a well-lit venue for romance thwarted at every turn. However, some interpretations have suggested that the notion of darkness in the song is also symbolic of the singer's own apprehension about intimacy. In this reading, the various dark and dimly lit settings offer a metaphor for the singer's own fear of vulnerability, and his reluctance to fully embrace the girl even in the relative safety of well-lit surroundings.
Overall, Berry's lyrics in "It's Too Dark in There" offer a playful yet thought-provoking commentary on the themes of romance, intimacy, and vulnerability. Through exploring the obstacles and distractions that can arise when seeking to get close to another person, the song ultimately highlights the importance of openness and honesty in cultivating romantic relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I went to pick this little girl up I met last night
I went to pick up a girl I met the previous night
She's ready, waitin' for me under the front porch light
The girl was waiting for me under the front porch light
She said, "Ain't it dark out there, ooh, it's so dark out there
The girl commented on the darkness outside
I hope your car got bright lights, ooh, it's so dark out there"
She hoped my car had bright lights for us to see in the dark
We went to a house party, it was really outta sight
We went to an amazing house party
It was about forty people dancin' under one dim light
There were around 40 people dancing with only one dim light
"Ain't it dark in there, ooh, it's too dark in there
The girl noted the darkness inside
Will you take me somewhere else, darlin', 'cause it's too dark in there"
She requested that we move to another location because of the darkness inside
So I drove her out the freeway into the country air
I drove her out of the city and into the countryside
She said, "I hope you ain't gonna park around here nowhere
She hoped I wasn't going to park in the area
It's too dark out there, so dark out there
It was too dark for her to see anything outside
Let's go back into town and do something 'cause it's too dark out there"
She suggested that we go back to town and do something because it was too dark outside
So I asked her just where she had in mind to go
I asked her where she wanted to go
She said, "Maybe to a scary movie picture show"
She suggested that we go see a scary movie
I said, "It's too dark in there"
I declined her suggestion because it was too dark inside the movie theater
I've seen that movie before, baby, it's too dark in there"
I had already seen the movie and still didn't want to go because it was too dark for my liking
So it was nothing left for me to do but take her back home
I had no choice but to take her back home
'Twas no one there, the lights was out and the fuse was blown
No one was home and the lights were out because the fuse was blown
And it was dark in there, yes, it was dark in there
It was dark inside the house
And we finally got the fuse inOoh, it was dark in there
We fixed the fuse and there was still darkness inside the house
Contributed by Bella R. 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.