Loved him. Set the trend for those that followed. He hinted at dancing. MJ confirmed it.
Wow! I was just thinking about him yesterday, and how he, Little Richard, Fats Domino and Jerry Lee Lewis--pioneer rock and rollers--were getting awfully old these days, but still kicking it. But not Chuck any more. What an influential master of the art! Thanks, Chuck! (BTW: The first song that the Beatles performed at their first US concert was "Roll Over Beethoven," in honor of their American music hero. "If you had to give Rock 'n' Roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry." John Lennon.)
Aside from the music itself, one thing I recall thinking about from time to time was how clearly he enunciated every word of this songs. No 'misheard lyrics' among his hits. No slurred lines, every word was precise. I liked that, it seemed to present the music very professionally, but didn't take away from that rock-and-roll edge.
Yeah, that was usually a good thing. However, on his biggest hit of all - My Ding-a-ling - he could have slurred and mumbled however much he wanted, IMO.
I was hoping we could get through this thread w/o mention of that, ummmm, 'song'? (just kidding you ). But what an embarrassment. And that was the only one to make #1!
Reminds of Randy Newman's "Short People" - he said if he knew it would have been popular, he wouldn't have released it!
-ERD50
Kind of funny listening to the old videos of Chuck Berry , no effect peddles or any synth. music. This is Rock and Roll . Today you can go to just about any bar that has a band and hear Johnny B Goode years later with every type of effect you can imagine added . Rock and Roll really did form our lives at a time when things were simpler music was formed by trend setting musicians not higher technology . I remember in a music store a guy coming in wanting to buy a guitar that played itself . I'm sure they have them but I have never seen one .
I guess I will just have to learn the words to the song ( Louie Louie ) . It was banned for years because it drove kids crazy . Today people still dance to Louie Louie . We might have just all gone crazy.