Some people claim that Elvis Presley was the king of rock and roll. These “people” are mostly media types or “fans” who never played a note in their lives. They based their opinions on his popularity, his singing and perhaps his “sex appeal,” and not on his musical abilities or real impact on music.
After all, Elvis never wrote a song in his life and probably had little input into his recording sessions. He just did what the Colonel told him to do, followed other people’s orders and suggestions—and made millions.
Contrast that with the real king of rock and roll — Chuck Berry.
Chuck wrote over 300 songs. Many covered by a full range of other musicians including The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and just about every band that ever called themselves a rock and roll band. More garages have heard Chuck Berry songs than 8 cylinder engines.
Only one song made #1 on Billboard Charts – My Ding A Ling — hardly his best. Really just a novelty song. But to say he had an enormous impact on music and the development of rock and roll is perhaps an understatement.
When it came to recording and performing his songs, Chuck knew just what he wanted—and demanded allegiance from his musicians—at least in the studio. His stubbornness and temper are legendary—just ask Keith Richards. More from Keith in a bit…
You can vote for your choice below…
But first let’s listen to Chuck at his best…
And there was a dark side to Chuck.
As far as the law, Chuck was often on the wrong side of it. He went to prison multiple times and escaped spending even more time through the grace of the courts and just plain luck.
Yes he was an ornery son of a bitch, even though he was brought up middle-class in St. Louis, Missouri and by all accounts did not have a hard life growing up.
As far as making money goes…
Chuck Berry never made the millions that Elvis did. He did well but never what he deserved. His songs were played millions of times by thousands of bands but he never seemed get the recognition that others with less talent did. Probably due to the racism of the time.
Could he still have made more?
No question… but his stubbornness and that big chip on his shoulder got in the way.
Take his 60th Birthday Party, arranged by Keith Richards and recorded for posterity in the movie “Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll”. Watching that movie shows that dark side of Berry. His treatment of Keith Richards, who idolized him, shows that he didn’t understand the impact his music had on other musicians, who would have gladly helped him reach new heights if he only let them. But instead he gave Keith a ration of shit and almost came to blows with him during rehearsal.
By that time the die was cast. Years of disrespect, and perhaps that racism, made him a grumpy, bitter man.
Actually, systemic racism was probably at the heart of it — the rock and roll system of the 50’s that is.
Back then, Sam Phillips of Sun Studios realized these great black musicians like Berry and Little Richard, and all the great blues artists he recorded, would never hit it big because they were black. That’s why Phillips promoted and recorded Elvis Presley over the other black rock and rollers like Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, who he also recorded. Elvis was the safe, white alternative… along with Pat Boone and others who covered his tunes.
As Boston Globe writer Renée Graham eloquently said…
“In the 1950s, when Berry was at his creative zenith, both Presley and Pat Boone were outselling him. At least Presley could flat-out sing and inject a song with tension and swagger; by comparison, Boone, who made declawed versions of such classics as Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti” and Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That a Shame,” was a warm bowl of vanilla ice cream. He was comfort food for a nation terrified that rock ’n’ roll, a colloquialism for sex, would corrupt tender white minds and morals.”
If Chuck Berry didn’t resent how he was treated he wouldn’t be human. So Chuck went through life with that chip on his shoulder.
So the only ones who really appreciated him were other musicians.
But why? What Made Chuck Berry So Great?
Several factors stand out about Chuck Berry.
- He invented how to play rock and roll guitar
- His melodies were original and his lyrics were nothing short of poetry
- His stage showmanship was unique and crowd-pleasing.
Let’s dig a little deeper into each of these.
Guitar Playing
Any of the millions of guitar players who started in the 50’s and 60’s spent much of their early development learning Chuck Berry licks. His song introductions on guitar were solely his own and were a mix of simplicity, groove and creativity. I’m still trying to master them myself after 50 years.
And his rhythm guitar playing, particularly on Johnny B. Goode, Roll Over Beathoven and others, defined rock and roll rhythms there after. Keith Richards and George Harrison, along with thousands of others, picked up many of their rock rhythm parts directly from him.
Here’s my favorite Chuck intro and lead…
But Chuck would admit that he got his guitar playing from his idols — mostly from T-bone Walker who’s stage moves and playing behind his head he had copied.
His vocal style he got from the smooth, articulate singing of Nat King Cole.
But those intros he created for songs like Johnny B. Goode, Roll Over Beethoven and Little Queenie were all his own. He invented them and we musicians have been trying to learn them ever since. Again ask Keith Richards who is probably the leading curator of the Chuck Berry legacy.
The Lyrics
Perhaps the most underated part of Chuck’s skill set was his lyric writing. He had a knack for coming up with stories and language that captured the spirit of the times. Who can argue that a song like Nadine doesn’t fill the mind with imagery from the era, all while being perfectly in the groove.
Nadine
As I got on a city bus and found my vacant seat, I thought I saw my future bride
walking up the street, I shouted to the driver hey conductor you must slow
down, please let me off this busNadine, honey is that you. Oh, Nadine. Honey, is that you? Seems like every
time I see you Darling you got something else to do.I saw her from the corner when she turned and doubled back and started walking towards a coffee colored Cadillac. I’s pushing through the crowd trying to get to where she’s at, I was campaign shoutin like a southern diplomat.
Downtown searching for her, looking all around. Saw her getting in a yellow
cab headed up town.Caught a loaded taxi, paid up everybody’s tab. Flipped a
twenty dollar bill, told him ‘catch that yellow cab.She moves around like a wayward summer breeze, go, driver, go, go, catch her
for me please. Moving thru the traffic like a mounted cavalier. Leaning out
the taxi window trying to make her hear.
And that groove…
A great rock and roll groove is a subtle thing. It makes you want to bob your heard and shake your butt but still has a way of swinging that just can’t be explained. I’m sure it’s that combination of simple bass and Johnny Johnson’s piano playing, combined with Chuck’s unique parts.
Well that groove is one of the great marvels of music when played correctly… like NRBQ does here.
That groove takes musicians who understand their role. The parts are simple but the whole creates something brand new and unique. It takes years before you can even hear the difference between the correct groove and what most of us played when first learning Johnnie B. Goode back when. I’d show an example but it’s best to leave sleeping dogs lie.
The Stage Show
On stage, check always had a wry smile on his face—like he knew the joke—and you didn’t. He always enunciated his words so there was no question about what he was singing. And those lyrics always appealed to white audiences… and the kids. He knew what they were doing and thinking and wrote about it.
He always seemed like he was singing to someone—eyes wide open and looking around. He definitely connected with his audience.
And the show included playing guitar behind his head like his hero T-Bone Walker. But his signature move was the “duck walk” he did. He could do that well into his 70’s and never missed a chance to show it off.
The Band
Chess Records had one of the great house bands in history. Mostly led by Willie Dixon, the great bass player and blues song writer, Chuck’s recording band knew what to do. And with Johnnie Johnson on piano and Jasper Thomas (and others) on the drums, they grooved like hell to Chuck’s songs.
Of course, when Chuck went on the road the bar went down. He never took a band on the road with him. He just picked up bands as he went, usually supplied by the promoter. Even Bruce Springsteen’s band backed up Chuck on the road. Most of the time he wasn’t so lucky. There’s plenty of videos on YouTube of him playing with some very mediocre bands. Chuck should have been embarassed but he just took the money and ran. Imagine what his legacy would have been if he had taken Johnnie Johnson and Wille Dixon on the road with him. Those videos would be worth seeing.
The fact is, there’s not many bands that can really do that thing they did. The band that Keith Richards put together for the move Hail, Hail Rock and Roll could do it. The band included Steve Jordon on drums and Joey Spampanato (NRBQ) on bass, along with Richards and Johnson. Give a listen below.
Voting Time
So you be the judge. Is Elvis the king or is this stubborn, ornery genius with the chip on his shoulder the King of Rock and Roll?
John Lennon said, “if you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry’.”
Ted Nugent said, “If you don’t know every Chuck Berry lick, you can’t play rock guitar.”
Bob Dylan called Berry “the Shakespeare of rock ‘n’ roll”. Springsteen tweeted, “Chuck Berry was rock’s greatest practitioner, guitarist, and the greatest pure rock ‘n’ roll writer who ever lived.”
All true!
So what’s your choice?
And if you’re still not sure, check out these lesser known songs on YouTube.
- No Particular Place to Go
- You Never Can Tell
- Havana Moon
- Almost Grown
- Rock and roll Music
- No Money Down
- Bown Eyed Hansome Man
- Too Much Monkey Business
- Reelin and A Rockin
