Chuck Berry

I was watching a documentary from 1987 about Chuck Berry's 60th birthday concert. I can't understand why I love Chuck Berry so much. It's true that all his songs sound more or less the same. And he admits that he sings mostly only about school, cars, and love - which interestingly enough, is admittedly a sell-out scheme. In an interview, Berry remarked that when he was growing up he never heard "neighborhood" songs, like Muddy Waters, in the cities, where they only played Frank Sinatra and the like (perhaps covering a Muddy Waters, at best). Berry wanted to reach out beyond the neighborhood, and so he thought, what can all people relate to? His answer was school, cars, and love. It worked.

I think the simplicity might be what I find so beautiful. Like I said in my previous post, I love that very same simplicity as I find it also in the Beach Boys or Phil Spector. A thing more complicated - like the Beatles, even; say, "Let It Be" - is borderline lame in my aesthetics, and downright stupid when exaggerated (the main reason I gave up on metal, because I actually still love the music). Every Chuck Berry song I find delightful almost to the point of tears, mysteriously. Maybe it's just written in my heart.

The documentary introduced various theories from the great rock n roll heroes. John Lennon said that Berry was one of the first to be socially conscious. Eric Clapton said that he set the standard for the sound and structure for every rock n roll song. Bruce Springsteen said that his lyrics sounded like real people talking. Roy Orbison said that he was the first singer-songwriter.

Are these the things I like about Chuck Berry? Jury's still out. All I know is that when I heard him singing "Memphis," I thought it was simply perfect.

At the end of the documentary, we get this clip of Berry in the studio playing an (uncharacteristically) sad and very lovely song, "Cottage for Sale."