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.
Rock N’ Roll Music
Chuck Berry Lyrics
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Rock and roll music,
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
I've have no kick against modern jazz,
Unless they try to play it too darn fast;
And change the beauty of the melody,
Until they sound just like a symphony,
That's why I go for that
Rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
I took my loved one over cross the tracks
So she can hear my man awailin' sax,
I must admit the have a rockin' band,
Man they were blowing like a hurricane
That's why I go for that
Rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
Way down south they gave a jubilee,
The jokey folks they had a jamboree,
They're drinkin' homebrew from a wooden cup,
The folks dancin' got all shook up
And started playin' that
Rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
Don't care to hear 'em play a tango,
I'm in the mood to dig a mambo;
It's way to early for the congo,
So keep a rockin' that piano
So I can hear some of that
Rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music" is a celebration of the musical style that was sweeping the nation at the time. The song speaks to the universal appeal of rock and roll music, with its catchy melodies and irresistible backbeat. Berry sings, "Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music, any old way you choose it; it's got a backbeat, you can't lose it, any old time you use it." The song encourages people to let go, forget their troubles, and just dance to the music.
Berry also makes a subtle dig at modern jazz, singing, "I've no kick against modern jazz, unless they try to play it too darn fast; and change the beauty of the melody, until they sound just like a symphony." He suggests that jazz has lost its way, becoming too technical and sacrificing the soulful simplicity of rock and roll. The song also includes a scene where Berry takes his "loved one" to hear a "rockin' band" play, which suggests that rock and roll was not just music, but a communal experience that brought people together.
Line by Line Meaning
Just let me hear some of that
Rock and roll music,
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
Chuck Berry loves to hear rock & roll music no matter how it is played; it's always got an irresistible beat that makes you move and he'll dance with anyone who likes it too.
I've have no kick against modern jazz,
Unless they try to play it too darn fast;
And change the beauty of the melody,
Until they sound just like a symphony,
Chuck Berry has nothing against modern jazz, but it loses its charm when played too quickly and made to sound like a symphony.
That's why I go for that
Rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
Chuck Berry prefers rock & roll music over modern jazz because it always has a back beat that he can't resist and will dance to any style of rock & roll music.
I took my loved one over cross the tracks
So she can hear my man awailin' sax,
I must admit the have a rockin' band,
Man they were blowing like a hurricane
Chuck Berry took his loved one to the other side of town to hear his friend's band play, and they were amazing, playing with so much energy that it felt like a hurricane.
That's why I go for that
Rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
Chuck Berry sticks with his love for rock & roll music, because it will always have that unbeatable back beat that he can dance to any time.
Way down south they gave a jubilee,
The jokey folks they had a jamboree,
They're drinkin' homebrew from a wooden cup,
The folks dancin' got all shook up
And started playin' that
Rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
Once upon a time, in the Southern states, while drinking homebrew from cups made out of wood, the people started dancing to rock & roll music and were totally taken over by the beat, partying at their jubilee and jamboree.
Don't care to hear 'em play a tango,
I'm in the mood to dig a mambo;
It's way to early for the congo,
So keep a rockin' that piano
So I can hear some of that
Rock and roll music
Any old way you choose it;
It's got a back beat, you can't lose it,
Any old time you use it
It's gotta be rock and roll music,
If you want to dance with me,
If you want to dance with me
Chuck Berry isn't into hearing tango, but he's feeling the mambo and it's too early for the congo, so he just wants the piano player to keep rockin' so he can listen to some more rock & roll music because it always has that unbeatable back beat.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, 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.