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.
Jamaica Moon
Chuck Berry Lyrics
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Me sit down on the sea shore 'til di boat she come
It long di night, it's quiet di dock
The boat a little late, she do a 12 o'clock
Me watch the tide, come easy in
It low the moon, but high di wind
Jamaica moon
Me was so alone, me couldn't help but open di rum
So long maybe di wait until di boat she come
Me girl she love me, she come back for me
We set sail in di morning, go back across di sea
We dock in New York, the building be so high
She promised me di honeymoon be so near di sky
Jamaica moon
Jamaica moon
Me still alone, me sip on di rum
Me head began to tell me that di boat no come
To bring me me love, bringing me me ting, ting, ting
She rock and roll beautiful, she dance and sing
She hold me closer me, she pushed me lip
Me eyes they close and me heart she go flip
Jamaica moon
Jamaica moon
Me lay down a little woozy, me been drinking di rum
Jamaica moon please tell me that di boat will come
She no can be me bride with di game she play
Me head tell me to go but me body say stay
Me lay down on di dock, was so good di rum
Me fall asleep at noon here when di boat she come
Jamaica moon
Jamaica moon
The girls she come, 'til dawn she roam
They tell me that she look and wait and cry and go back home
Di boat whistle blew, me open me eyes
So bright were di sun, blue Jamaica sky
Down the pier me run di boat I still can see
Sailing fast away with me bride to be
Jamaica moon
Jamaica moon
Now me broken heart is sailing on that boat she on
Me see di water trailing but dey boat she gone
Me missed me bride to be now me head low hung
Me sleep too long, no more me touch di rum
Is so dry me throat me no more can sing
Me miss me bride to be no, have no ting, ting
Jamaica moon
Me love when she gone
Me walking back home
Me still all alone
The lyrics to Chuck Berry's song "Jamaica Moon" tell a story of longing and heartbreak. The song begins with the singer sitting alone on the seashore, waiting for a boat to come. As he waits, he drinks rum to pass the time. He is joined by his girl, who promises him a honeymoon that feels like it's reaching the sky. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the boat never comes and the singer is left alone once again, sipping on rum. He becomes woozy and falls asleep, only to wake up and realize that his bride-to-be has left on the boat without him. The song ends with him lamenting the loss of love and walking back home, still alone.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of longing, disappointment, and heartbreak. The singer's hopes and dreams are shattered as he is left alone and abandoned. The repetition of the line "Jamaica moon" throughout the song serves as a symbol of both the singer's longing for love and the elusive nature of his dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Me walking alone, me bring jug of rum
I am walking by myself, carrying a jug of rum
Me sit down on the sea shore 'til di boat she come
I sit on the seashore waiting for the boat to arrive
It long di night, it's quiet di dock
The night feels lengthy and the dock is silent
The boat a little late, she do a 12 o'clock
The boat is slightly delayed, arriving around midnight
Me watch the tide, come easy in
I watch the tide as it gently comes in
It low the moon, but high di wind
The moon is low in the sky, but the wind is strong
Jamaica moon
Beautiful moon in Jamaica
Me was so alone, me couldn't help but open di rum
I was feeling incredibly lonely, so I couldn't resist opening the rum
So long maybe di wait until di boat she come
I had been waiting for a long time for the boat to arrive
Me girl she love me, she come back for me
My beloved comes back to me because she loves me
We set sail in di morning, go back across di sea
We depart in the morning, returning across the sea
We dock in New York, the building be so high
We arrive in New York, where the buildings are tall
She promised me di honeymoon be so near di sky
She promised me that the honeymoon would be heavenly
Me still alone, me sip on di rum
I am still alone, taking sips of rum
Me head began to tell me that di boat no come
My mind started to convince me that the boat won't arrive
To bring me me love, bringing me me ting, ting, ting
To bring my love to me, bringing all the joy and excitement
She rock and roll beautiful, she dance and sing
She is stunningly beautiful and dances and sings with joy
She hold me closer me, she pushed me lip
She holds me tightly and kisses me passionately
Me eyes they close and me heart she go flip
My eyes close and my heart flips with emotions
Me lay down a little woozy, me been drinking di rum
I lie down feeling a bit tipsy from drinking rum
Jamaica moon please tell me that di boat will come
I plea to the moon in Jamaica, hoping it will tell me the boat will arrive
She no can be me bride with di game she play
She can't be my bride with the games she plays
Me head tell me to go but me body say stay
My mind tells me to leave, but my body tells me to stay
Me lay down on di dock, was so good di rum
I lay down on the dock, enjoying the effects of the rum
Me fall asleep at noon here when di boat she come
I fall asleep around noon, and that's when the boat finally arrives
The girls she come, 'til dawn she roam
The girls arrive and wander until dawn
They tell me that she look and wait and cry and go back home
They inform me that she looked, waited, cried, and returned home
Di boat whistle blew, me open me eyes
The boat's whistle blows, and I open my eyes
So bright were di sun, blue Jamaica sky
The sun is shining brightly against the blue Jamaican sky
Down the pier me run di boat I still can see
I rush down the pier and can still see the departing boat
Sailing fast away with me bride to be
Sailing away quickly with my soon-to-be-bride
Now me broken heart is sailing on that boat she on
Now my broken heart is sailing on the same boat she's on
Me see di water trailing but dey boat she gone
I see the water trailing behind, but the boat has already departed
Me missed me bride to be now me head low hung
I missed my bride-to-be, and now my head hangs low
Me sleep too long, no more me touch di rum
I've slept for too long, and I won't touch the rum anymore
Is so dry me throat me no more can sing
My throat is so dry that I can no longer sing
Me miss me bride to be no, have no ting, ting
I miss my bride-to-be and have nothing, nothing left
Jamaica moon
Beautiful moon in Jamaica
Me love when she gone
I long for her when she is gone
Me walking back home
I am walking back home
Me still all alone
I am still all alone
Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: Chuck Berry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pod
So good. Wish that opening guitar wail/yip was longer.
Springbrook Metal Fabrication Inc.
Awesome ...........