Black History Month: Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry

Music contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Some say Chuck Berry is Rock and Roll, and due to the pervasiveness of radio, his music united kids across the country with fun. No one noticed or cared about race when you listened to Berry's imaginative music peppered with humor, and he would 'play the guitar just like a ringing a bell.'

According to Wikipedia, Berry's recording of "Johnny B. Goode" was included on the Voyager Golden Record, attached to the Voyager spacecraft as representing rock and roll, one of four American songs included among many cultural achievements of humanity. Because of this, Carl Sagan, a fan of Chuck Berry, said "this music will last a billion years".

 Like John Lennon said, "If you wanted to give rock and roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry." I'm of the opinion that the Beatles, in their appreciation of  Black American artists, also aided the Civil Rights Movement.

Here is a version of that song with Chuck and John Lennon (must have been Lennon's dream come true. Don't know about Yoko.) Love it when Chuck says to Lennon, "Johnny be good." This clip is from The Mike Douglas Show, February 1972.

Chuck Berry & John Lennon - Johnny B. Goode 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69Hy2n2Up3I 

1973 El Dorado

Chuck Berry is a part of the newly opened Smithsonian National Museum of African American History. His Cadillac is in there. Here's the article from NPR.
  
Chuck Berry's Cadillac A-Rollin' To The Smithsonian
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/03/143049687/chuck-berrys-cadillac-a-rollin-to-the-smithsonian 

Roll over Beethoven...

Chuck Berry - Roll Over Beethoven (1956) (2 minutes 25 seconds) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOrMg3pY7hw 


 And here's the Beatles' version (2 minutes 20 seconds-- George Harrison shaved 5 seconds off it!) ) 

..and tell Tchaikovsky the news!

 

The Beatles Roll Over Beethoven Live at Washington

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=LExuSagY0sI

 

Lyrics Roll Over Beethoven

I'm gonna write a little letter,
Gonna mail it to my local DJ.
Yeah an' it's a jumpin' little record
I want my jockey to play.
Roll Over Beethoven, I gotta hear it again today.

You know, my temperature's risin'
The jukebox's blowin' a fuse.
My heart's beatin' rhythm
And my soul keeps a-singin' the blues.
Roll Over Beethoven and tell Tchaikowsky the news.

I got the rockin' pneumonia,
I need a shot of rhythm and blues.
I caught the rollin' arthiritis
Sittin' down at a rhythm review.
Roll Over Beethoven they're rockin' in two by two.

Well, if you feelin' like it
Go get your lover, then reel and rock it.
Roll it over and move on up just
A trifle further and reel and rock with it,
Roll it over,
Roll Over Beethoven, dig these rhythm and blues.

Well, early in the mornin' I'm a-givin' you a warnin'
Don't you step on my blue suede shoes.
Hey diddle diddle, I am playin' my fiddle,
Ain't got nothin' to lose.
Roll Over Beethoven and tell Tchaikowsky the news.

You know she wiggles like a glow worm,
Dance like a spinnin' top.
She got a crazy partner,
Ya oughta see 'em reel and rock.
Long as she got a dime the music wont never stop.

Roll Over Beethoven,
Roll Over Beethoven,
Roll Over Beethoven,
Roll Over Beethoven,
Roll Over Beethoven, dig these rhythm and blues. 

You may wish to check this one out, too.

School Days (Daze?) 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/07/school-days-daze.html