Up In The Morning And Off To School

Chuck Berry attended Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri.

Interesting fact, Chuck Berry's mom was a school principal so I bet he had extra insight into the workings of a school day.

School Days

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

Up in the mornin' and out to school
The teacher is teachin' the Golden Rule
American history and practical math
You study' em hard and hopin' to pass
Workin' your fingers right down to the bone
And the guy behind you won't leave you alone

Ring ring goes the bell
The cook in the lunchroom's ready to sell
You're lucky if you can find a seat
You're fortunate if you have time to eat
Back in the classroom open you books
Gee but the teacher don't know
How mean she looks

Soon as three o'clock rolls around
You finally lay your burden down
Close up your books, get out of your seat

Down the halls and into the street
Up to the corner and 'round the bend
Right to the juke joint you go in

Drop the coin right into the slot
You gotta hear something that's really hot

With the one you love you're makin' romance
All day long you been
Wantin' to dance
Feelin' the music from head to toe
'Round and 'round and 'round you go

Drop the coin right into the slot
You gotta hear something that's really hot

Hail, hail rock'n'roll
Deliver me from the days of old
Long live rock'n'roll
The beat of the drum is loud and bold
Rock rock rock'n'roll
The feelin' is there body and soul 

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". 

Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFo8-JqzSCM 

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