On Your Way Chuck Berry

[spike morelli]

Of course, as anyone else from my generation and the generation just before mine, I grew up with Chuck Berry's music. Chuck passed away yesterday at 90, proving that "Rock 'n Roll in your soul, can make you stay young forever". As one of the pioneers of this new emerging music, Chuck Berry has been accredited with being an imputice for so many big names that followed. For me, I actually met Chuck, as my old group had opened for him years ago, and there are no end to some stories about the man. For all of us, we are left with some fun music of his, and, a reminder of simpler, more wholesome, and energetic times. See you later Chuck.......there's a stage and a curtain waiting for you beyond...

[HB Vic]

RIP Mr Berry


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[2manymustangs]

SO... Wentzville wasnt REALLY his home town, but it was the town where he called home... He had a farm there, well acreage where he had his guitar shaped swimming pool and party pad... Known to the locals here as "Berry Park", it was said that at one point he planned to have it opened as a destination but eventually he scrubbed the idea... He DID have some WILLLLLLLLDDDD parties there and if you know CHuck, he had a thing for young white girls (despite having a black wife for all those years)... His wife lived in STL city where his real home was...

I will tell another story after dinner...

This was always my favorite Chuck song, I especially love the guitar work and the version with no singing is way cool:

https://youtu.be/mZOHNlEiss0

[2manymustangs]

SO, my brother grew up driving a 1953 mercury Monterey custom with the 255 (high output ha ha) Merc flathead three speed manual with overdrive...

SO the story goes, my late brother pulls onto I-70 eastbound after working the late shift in Wentzville and Chuck comes on alongside in one of his infamous brown Caddy's (big air horns on the fenders) and so they race... When I hear the song Maybellene it always makes me think of my brother and the story, pulling on the overdrive at 80+... Of course the song Maybellene was written WAY WAY before that encounter... I'm in the red pants...

Chuck was not very well liked around Wentzville by MANY ladies (google Chuck Berry Souther Aire) I personally saw the coax cable hanging from the ceiling in the ladies room after the place was shut down http://rulefortytwo.com/secret-rock-knowledge/chapter-8/chuck-berry-bathroom-cameras/

65086

65087

Maybellene lyrics:

Maybellene, why can't you be true
Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
You've started back doin' the things you used to do
As I was motivatin' over the hill
I saw Mabellene in a Coup de Ville
A Cadillac arollin' on the open road
Nothin' will outrun my V8 Ford
The Cadillac doin' about ninety-five
She's bumper to bumper, rollin' side by side
Maybellene
Why can't you be true
Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
You've started back doin' the things you used to do
The Cadillac pulled up ahead of the Ford
The Ford got hot and wouldn't do no more
It then got cloudy and started to rain
I tooted my horn for a passin' lane
The rainwater blowin' all under my hood
I know that I was doin' my motor good
Maybellene
Why can't you be true
Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
You've started back doin' the things you used to do
Oh, Maybellene
Why can't you be true
Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
You've started back doin' the things you used to do
The motor cooled down the heat went down
And that's when I heard that highway sound
The Cadillac asittin' like a ton of lead
A hundred and ten half a mile aheadv The Cadillac lookin' like it's sittin' still
And I caught Mabellene at the top of the hill
Maybellene
Why can't you be true
Oh Maybellene, why can't you be true
You've started back doin' the things you used to do

[2manymustangs]

IF you haven't seen the WHOLE movie, you oughta... It's well worth the time/cost:

https://vimeo.com/9749733


This part is classic, watch the looks on Keith Richards and Johnny Johnson's face... ahahahah As I recall from the movie, this was filmed at his house in Wentzville...

https://vimeo.com/18623223

[spike morelli]

2MM,
Years ago, my group opened for Chuck in Reno at the Lawlor Events Center. Sound check was in the afternoon and I assumed Chuck would be there for sound check as well. No such thing, as Chuck's band was a "pick up" band, a group of hired musicians contracted to back Chuck for this show. All those guys had to work with was sheet music and they never actually had ever played with Chuck. The leader of this "pick up" group told me he had talked to Chuck on the phone, and asked him what key he'd be playing in. Chuck's reply was , when I start playing, " you'll find it". You've got to be "heads up" when you play with someone like Chuck Berry, you never really know where he's going to go, his live playing was not very disciplined. Chuck showed up 20 minutes before downbeat, went straight to the promoter and got paid in cash, went away to count it to make sure it was all there, before even changing into his show clothes.....which he did , played, then left immeadiately. So I never really got to meet the man, but from what I saw, he was a bit eccentric.

[2manymustangs]

lol

watch the movie, you will see that your impression was spot on... he was apparently a quick study with red & black ink and his parents were very well educated folks...

I had heard about his pick up musicians, pretty amazing... In the end would he have made more $$$ if he had traveled with a well organized band, who knows, besides his accountants :)

Watch the video with Bo Didley and LIttle richard when they are talking $$$ ahahahahah :D

The end of this one shows his bent:

https://youtu.be/e7PXF5RzoAw

[spike morelli]

2MM, you mentioned Little Richard....I DID get to meet him, nicer than you'd think....but what blows my mind, is the soundtrack for the "Casper" movie, which Little Richard did the closing track for. Seriously, the man's performance on this song was perfect, as was the other recording musicians. Go ahead, Google Little Richard Casper Theme Song. Richard, and every player are rockin'. Little Richard should have released it as a single, had the studios let him.

[2manymustangs]

2MM, you mentioned Little Richard....I DID get to meet him, nicer than you'd think....but what blows my mind, is the soundtrack for the "Casper" movie, which Little Richard did the closing track for. Seriously, the man's performance on this song was perfect, as was the other recording musicians. Go ahead, Google Little Richard Casper Theme Song. Richard, and every player are rockin'. Little Richard should have released it as a single, had the studios let him.

Im checking that... Little Richard had a cameo in "down and out in Beverly Hills", funny stuff when he is on the lawn ranting...

https://youtu.be/kvg_CME6uIA