You Never Can Tell
Chuck Berry Lyrics


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It was a teenage wedding, and the old folks wished them well
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
And now the young monsieur and madame have rung the chapel bell
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale
The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale
But when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast
Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz
But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

They bought a souped-up jitney, 'twas a cherry red '53
They drove it down to Orleans to celebrate the anniversary




It was there that Pierre was married to the lovely mademoiselle
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

Overall Meaning

The song "You Never Can Tell" by Chuck Berry tells the story of a teenage wedding and the couple's journey through life together. From the beginning, it's clear that the older generation is looking on approvingly as Pierre and his lady get married. As the couple settles into married life, they scrape together enough money to furnish an apartment with the help of a two-room Roebuck sale. The young couple's limited resources put constraints on their lifestyle, leading them to consume TV dinners and ginger ale from the packed coolerator. They worked hard to make ends meet, and when Pierre finally found work, things started to look up for them.


The couple's love of music becomes a consistent theme in the song, highlighted by the fact that they possess a hi-fi phonograph that they love to let blast. Their record collection is vast, consisting of seven hundred rhythm and jazz records that they listen to with pleasure. Despite their love of the music, the song implies that they eventually grow tired of the rapid tempo and find satisfaction in living life at a slower pace.


Finally, the song seems to be a reminder that life is unpredictable and can change at any moment. The couple's tendency to make their own luck and their optimism are acknowledged by the older generation as they observe the family driving away in their cherry-red 1953 souped-up jitney. All of the events in the song suggest that while life can be challenging and full of ups and downs, it is ultimately rewarding for those who work hard and maintain a positive attitude.


Line by Line Meaning

It was a teenage wedding, and the old folks wished them well
A young couple got married and the older generation wished them happiness.


You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
It was obvious that Pierre was deeply in love with his new wife.


And now the young monsieur and madame have rung the chapel bell
The newlyweds rang the chapel bell to signal the start of their life together.


"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older generation comments that such is life, and anything can happen.


They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale
The couple bought furniture for their apartment during a sale at Roebuck.


The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale
Their fridge was filled to the brim with TV dinners and ginger ale.


But when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well
When Pierre got a job, the little bit of money they had went a long way.


"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
Again, the older generation comments that life is unpredictable, and things can turn around.


They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast
The couple had a high-quality record player on which they played their music loudly.


Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz
Their record collection consisted of 700 records of rock, rhythm, and jazz music.


But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell
At night, they would play slower, more relaxed music that reflected the calmness of the evening.


"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
Once again, the older generation comments that life can be unpredictable, and things can change.


They bought a souped-up jitney, 'twas a cherry red '53
The couple purchased a refurbished car, which was a bright red 1953 model.


They drove it down to Orleans to celebrate the anniversary
They took the car to New Orleans to celebrate their wedding anniversary.


It was there that Pierre was married to the lovely mademoiselle
New Orleans is where Pierre married his lovely wife.


"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell
The older generation's final comment, driving home the fact that life can be full of surprises.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chuck Berry

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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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.

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