Chucky Berry Fields Forever
Gil Gilberto Lyrics

The lyrics of "Chucky Berry Fields Forever" by Gilberto Gil tell the story of the migration of musical rhythms and styles from Africa to the Americas. The first few lines describe the musical influence of Africa on North and South America, with the sound of drums resonating with a dumb, naive tone. As the song progresses, we hear about the various musical styles that evolved from this blending of cultures, including the rumba, mambo, samba, rhythm'n'blues. These styles are depicted symbolically through the image of a white garça, or heron, swaying and fainting from the dizzying rhythm of the music.

The song also touches on the birth of rock and roll, which is described as the progeny of these earlier musical styles. The title "Chuck Berry Fields Forever" is a reference to the legendary rock and roll musician Chuck Berry and his song "Strawberry Fields Forever" by the Beatles. The chorus of the song emphasizes the importance of rock and roll as a defining feature of modern times, echoed in the lines "Rock is our time, baby / Rock and roll is it / Chuck Berry fields forever / The four horsemen of the post-calypso / The post-calypso."

Overall, the lyrics of "Chucky Berry Fields Forever" celebrate and trace the historical roots of popular music, highlighting the role that Africa has played in shaping modern musical culture.