National Poetry Month: Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet?

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, painting by Julian Lennon when in pre-school

I must say I prefer John Lennon as the greatest rock poet, even though Bob Dylan probably should wear that crown, especially since he has now won the Nobel Prize for Literature! But Lennon, being an artist as well, created poetry of metaphorical paintings and the colors and images soaked with profound emotional intensity. We have recordings of poets reading their work--T.S. Eliot and the Wasteland, Robert Frost and his Snowy Evening. But nothing so dynamic as John Lennon--and his beautiful, accusatory, angry, agonized voice-- singing his personal journey of life with his friends (the Beatles) collaborating musically like Impressionist artists of rock. 

Bob Dylan

 Who's the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #1

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2013/09/whos-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-1.html?spref=bl

Greatest Rock Poet (#1 Nomination Again)

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/06/greatest-rock-poet-1-nomination-again.html?spref=bl 

John and Julian Lennon

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #2http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2013/09/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-2.html

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Revisiting #2

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/06/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-revisiting-2.html?spref=bl  

Paul McCartney

  Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #3 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/06/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-3.html 

 

Jimmy Paige and Robert Plant

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination # 4 

 http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/national-poetry-month-whos-greatest.html

Pete Townshend

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #5 

http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-6.html

George Harrison

Who Is The Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #6 
http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-6_27.html

Neil Young

The Greatest Rock Poet, Nomination #7 

Bono

 

Who Is The Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #8 

http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-8.html

Bruce Springsteen

 Who Is The Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #9 

 http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-9.html

Mao (1972) Andy Warhol (print)

  Always wanted to match this painting with these lyrics.

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #2 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2013/09/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-2.html 

 

Revolution

The Beatles: Revolution (live) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGLGzRXY5Bw

John Lennon

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money
For people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right
Ah

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...

You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right

  

National Poetry Month: Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet?

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, painting by Julian Lennon when in pre-school

I must say I prefer John Lennon as the greatest rock poet, even though Bob Dylan probably should wear that crown, especially since he has now won the Nobel Prize for Literature! But Lennon, being an artist as well, created poetry of metaphorical paintings and the colors and images soaked with profound emotional intensity. We have recordings of poets reading their work--T.S. Eliot and the Wasteland, Robert Frost and his Snowy Evening. But nothing so dynamic as John Lennon--and his beautiful, accusatory, angry, agonized voice-- singing his personal journey of life with his friends (the Beatles) collaborating musically like Impressionist artists of rock. 

Bob Dylan

 Who's the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #1

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2013/09/whos-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-1.html?spref=bl

Greatest Rock Poet (#1 Nomination Again)

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/06/greatest-rock-poet-1-nomination-again.html?spref=bl 

John and Julian Lennon

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #2http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2013/09/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-2.html

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Revisiting #2

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/06/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-revisiting-2.html?spref=bl  

Paul McCartney

  Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #3 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2012/06/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-3.html 

 

Jimmy Paige and Robert Plant

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination # 4 

 http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/national-poetry-month-whos-greatest.html

Pete Townshend

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #5 

http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-6.html

George Harrison

Who Is The Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #6 
http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-6_27.html

Neil Young

The Greatest Rock Poet, Nomination #7 

Bono

 

Who Is The Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #8 

http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-8.html

Bruce Springsteen

 Who Is The Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #9 

 http://melanielinktaylor.mzteachuh.org/2019/04/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-9.html

Mao (1972) Andy Warhol (print)

  Always wanted to match this painting with these lyrics.

Who Is the Greatest Rock Poet? Nomination #2 

http://mzteachuh.blogspot.com/2013/09/who-is-greatest-rock-poet-nomination-2.html 

 

Revolution

The Beatles: Revolution (live) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGLGzRXY5Bw

John Lennon

You say you want a revolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution
Well, you know
We all want to change the world
But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right

You say you got a real solution
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
Well, you know
We're doing what we can
But when you want money
For people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right
Ah

Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...

You say you'll change the constitution
Well, you know
We all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well, you know
You better free your mind instead
But if you go carrying pictures of chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
All right, all right
All right, all right, all right
All right, all right, all right

  

Johnny B. Goode--in Space

"If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry" - John Lennon.

Johnny B. Goode + Lyrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2-c0vZbPsQ

Chuck Berry Immortalized On Voyager Space Mission

https://www.npr.org/2017/03/20/520862763/chuck-berry-immortalized-on-voyager-mission-in-space

Johnny B. Goode

Chuck Berry

Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode
Who never ever learned to read or write so well
But he could play a guitar just like a-ringin' a bell

Go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Johnny B. Goode

He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track
Oh, the engineers would see him sitting in the shade
Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made
People passing by, they would stop and say
"Oh my that little country boy could play"

Go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Johnny B. Goode

His mother told him "Someday you will be a man
And you will be the leader of a big old band
Many people coming from miles around
To hear you play your music when the sun go down
Maybe someday your name will be in lights
Saying "Johnny B. Goode tonight"

Go go
Go Johnny go
Go go go Johnny go
Go go go Johnny go
Go go go Johnny go
Go
Johnny B. Goode

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

 

School Days (Daze?)

Chuck Berry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Berry 

 Ring, ring goes the bell! (Apologies to History teachers.)

School Days - Chuck Berry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHG5-GxI_Es