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.
Right Off Rampart Street
Chuck Berry Lyrics
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There's an old boy plays an electric guitar right off Rampart Street
Sometimes a Go-Go girl come in with him, she be shakin' out a Mojo beat
That old boy sure pick some old mean guitar right off Rampart Street
Stays crowded every time he's there, people come there from near and far
I don't think nobody knows his name, they just know it's a Go-Go guitar
Way down south in Louisiana, up under the Delta heat, child
Go see that old boy play his guitar right off Rampart Street
Right off Rampart Street
Chuck Berry's song "Right Off Rampart Street" paints a vivid picture of a mysterious old man who plays an electric guitar in Louisiana, near the Delta heat - his name unknown, but his talent and style legendary. Berry describes how there's always a crowd wherever the old man is playing, people come from near and far to see him play. Berry creates a sense of intrigue and excitement around the old man and his instrumental mastery, specifically noting how a Go-Go girl joins him sometimes, "shakin' out a Mojo beat". Berry's description of this particular beat creates an air of the supernatural, which adds to the overall mystery and intrigue of both the guitar player and his music.
Berry's masterful storytelling style in "Right Off Rampart Street" highlights his talent for painting a picture with his words. He makes clever use of imagery and colloquial phrases to paint a realistic picture of Louisiana's local music scene, placing the old man's guitar-playing almost right in front of the listener. Within the song, he also explores the idea of music as something that transcends knowledge of the artist - despite the fact that no one knows the old boy's name, people will always come to see him play, drawn in by the incredible aura of his music and its unique style. The song has a lively, driving beat, capturing the excitement of the singer when they live the experience of hearing the guitar player right off Rampart Street.
Line by Line Meaning
Way down south in Louisiana, up under the Delta heat, child
In the southern state of Louisiana, where the weather can get quite hot, there's a place where something interesting happens.
There's an old boy plays an electric guitar right off Rampart Street
There's a man who plays an electric guitar on Rampart Street.
Sometimes a Go-Go girl come in with him, she be shakin' out a Mojo beat
Sometimes a Go-Go dancer performs with him and dances to a specific type of rhythm called a Mojo beat.
That old boy sure pick some old mean guitar right off Rampart Street
The man is a skilled guitar player and plays a type of guitar that is rough and energetic.
Stays crowded every time he's there, people come there from near and far
Whenever he plays, many people come to see him from both nearby and faraway locations, and the place gets crowded.
I don't think nobody knows his name, they just know it's a Go-Go guitar
It seems that nobody at the venue knows the performer's name, but they are aware of the type of music he plays, which is a Go-Go style that is associated with the guitar he plays.
Go see that old boy play his guitar right off Rampart Street
The singer encourages the listener to go see the guitar player on Rampart Street.
Right off Rampart Street
The location of the guitar player is on Rampart Street.
Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: CHUCK BERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Zachery Young
Can’t play this loud enough!!!!
riversidepete 61
wow...what a great song...long live chuck berry!!!
91pollici
Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
grosper
Great!
Art Boy
Have mercy