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.
Viva Viva Rock 'N' Roll
Chuck Berry Lyrics
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Rock it, g'on take it, child, shake it
Rock it, singing the song
Viva, viva, rockin' along
Grandma and Grandpa did the Charleston Rug
Aunt Mary and Uncle Joe, they did the Jitterbug
My sister used to do the Twist and Shout
Rock on, g'on jerk it, child, work it
Rock on, go 'head and shake it
I can take it
Rock on, oh, my soul
Viva, viva, Rock and Roll
Rock and Roll
My mother had my sister learning Bach and Strauss
For years it was the only music in our house
But I got my guitar and I rearranged Bach
And came up with some good old folk and country rock
Rock on, go 'head and jerk it, child, work it
Rock on, go 'head and take it
I can shake it
Rock on, oh, my soul
Viva, viva, Rock and Roll
Chuck Berry's song "Viva Viva Rock 'N' Roll" is a celebration of the power of rock and roll music. In the song, Berry urges his listeners to let go and get lost in the rhythm, encouraging them to "jerk it" and "shake it" while he sings the praises of this new musical form. His lyrics are a reflection of the generational divide that existed in the 1950s and 60s, with parents and grandparents often feeling that rock music was immoral or disruptive to traditional values.
The first verse of the song introduces the idea that different generations have had their own dance crazes, with grandparents doing the Charleston and Aunt Mary and Uncle Joe doing the Jitterbug. However, Berry asserts that he's part of the new wave of rock and rollers, doing the "Go-Go" and "working out" to the latest tunes. In the second verse, Berry takes a swipe at the classical music that his mother and sister might have preferred, showing how he's taken the traditional forms and infused them with the new sound of rock and roll. This juxtaposition of old and new is a hallmark of many of Berry's songs, and it speaks to his belief in the power of music to bring people together and bridge gaps between different cultures.
Line by Line Meaning
Rock it, g'on jerk it, child, work it
Let's amplify the music and dance with our rhythm
Rock it, g'on take it, child, shake it
The music is ours to take and dance along to
Rock it, singing the song
Sing along to the music and let it lift you up
Viva, viva, rockin' along
Long live the spirit of rock and roll that's always with us
Grandma and Grandpa did the Charleston Rug
The generations before us had their own dances and music styles
Aunt Mary and Uncle Joe, they did the Jitterbug
Everyone has a preferred way to dance to the music they love
My sister used to do the Twist and Shout
Even within families, people have different tastes in music and dance
But I'm with the Go-Go, I'm workin' out
Personally, I prefer a more energetic, modern dance style
Rock on, g'on jerk it, child, work it
Let's keep the energy high and enjoy the music together
Rock on, go 'head and shake it
I can take it
Dance as wild as you like, I can handle it
Rock on, oh, my soul
Viva, viva, Rock and Roll
Rock and Roll
Deep down in my soul, I know rock and roll is here to stay
My mother had my sister learning Bach and Strauss
My family had a more classical taste in music
For years it was the only music in our house
Growing up, classical music was all we listened to at home
But I got my guitar and I rearranged Bach
I found a way to bring my own style of music into our home
And came up with some good old folk and country rock
I blended my love of classical music with my affection for other genres
Contributed by Skyler T. 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.