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.
My Mustang Ford
Chuck Berry Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Itæ?¯ got a three hundred and eighty five horsepower over load
You know itæ?¯ way too fast to be crawlin?on these interstate roads.
I broke her in at the airport on a runway at the J.F.K.
I just touched the gas pedal and like to ran off into Jamaica Bay
I had to spin the wheels backwards or the momentum would have carried me away
I tried to stop in Indianapolis once, and had to back up from Terre Haute
But now I can slow and stop her with my windbreaker parachute
Chuck Berry's "My Mustang Ford" is a song about the writer's love for his cherry red 1966 Mustang Ford. The opening lines of the song immediately introduce the car, its vibrant color and its capabilities with the mention of the three hundred and eighty five horsepower over load. The writer describes how the car is too fast to comply with speed limits on interstate roads.
The second verse unfolds the story of the time the writer broke in his car at the John F. Kennedy Airport. He pressed the gas pedal, and the car threatened to run off into Jamaica Bay. The writer had to spin the wheels backward to retain control due to the car's powerful momentum. In the third verse, the writer explains how difficult it has become to figure out the best route for his car due to its speed. He even had to back up from Terre Haute to slow down when he tried to stop in Indianapolis once. However, the writer now has a solution to control his car's speed, a windbreaker parachute.
The lyrics convey how much the writer enjoys driving his Mustang Ford and how it has become a significant part of his life. The thrill of speed and power, especially of an iconic car like the Mustang, is something that car enthusiasts can relate to. At a deeper level, the song is also about the freedom that comes with driving, the ability to go anywhere, and the feeling of invincibility behind the wheel.
Line by Line Meaning
I got a nineteen sixty-six cherry red Mustang Ford.
I am the proud owner of a 1966 Mustang Ford in a lustrous cherry red color.
It's got a three hundred and eighty-five horsepower overload.
My car has a powerful engine with a horsepower overload of 385.
You know it's way too fast to be crawling on these interstate roads.
The car's speed is too high for me to drive it at a snail's pace on these interstate roads.
I broke her in at the airport on a runway at the J.F.K.
I tested my car's speed by driving it on a runway at the John F. Kennedy airport.
I just touched the gas pedal and like to ran off into Jamaica Bay.
With a slight touch of the gas pedal, the car almost ran off into Jamaica Bay.
I had to spin the wheels backward or the momentum would have carried me away.
I had to spin the wheels backward to avoid being carried away by the car's momentum.
It's getting to be a big problem trying to figure the best possible route.
Driving this car is becoming a huge problem as I try to figure out the best possible route.
I tried to stop in Indianapolis once, and had to back up from Terre Haute.
On one occasion, I had to reverse from Terre Haute because I failed to stop the car in Indianapolis.
But now I can slow and stop her with my windbreaker parachute.
Currently, I can control the car's speed by using a windbreaker parachute to slow it down or bring it to a stop.
Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: CHUCK BERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kevin Ceniceros
I have always loved Chuck Berry's music, and I think that this song is great.
Really Fast
R.I.P. Chuck Berry, miss you every day!
Violet. Senderhauf
@Jason Allen no he was playing with an invisibility cloak at a party.
Jason Allen
@Violet. Senderhauf was he videotaping you on the toilet?
Peter Griffin
@Violet. Senderhauf lol
Violet. Senderhauf
I miss him too he used to show up in my dreams.
Adrian Haupt
Best song to listen to when driving my mustang
eMatrix
@Thom same, I listen to this song in my 09’ lol
Thom
07 so Mines a not a classic but still love listening to this song in it
Verdant
I play this song every time I fire my 97 up