Guest Post: Bill Greenwood on Chuck Berry

Thoughts on the Death of Chuck Berry

By Bill Greenwood, Manager of The Paper Jets, Founder/Editor of Babel Reviews

In this piece, I chose to focus on Chuck Berry’s art and influence, though it is important to remember that his legacy is tied to some extremely troubling incidents regarding his treatment of women. For more context on Berry’s personal life, read this in-depth obituary from The Guardian.

"If you had to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry.'" – John Lennon

That's a quote you're going to hear a lot now that Chuck Berry has passed away. And while it may soon bear the strain of cliché, the fact is that Berry's work is the cornerstone of all rock and pop music. Elvis Presley might have been first with "That's All Right," Bill Haley & The Comets might have had the first mainstream hit with "Rock Around the Clock," and Buddy Holly might have been the first to push against the walls of what rock music could be, but no one defined rock and roll the way Berry did.

1.) It's about youth.

The Who didn't sing "I hope I die before I get old" for nothing. Rock and roll is for the young, and Berry understood that better than anybody. "School Days" applies the blues to the experience of any teenager trying to make their way through high school, legitimizing their "burden" by putting it in the language of people with real problems. And you can dance to it! From "Round and Round" to "Rock and Roll Music," no one wrote a dance song about dancin’ better than Berry. And lest we forget, "You Never Can Tell" soundtracks one of the most famous dance scenes of all time.



Make no mistake. As rock fans and musicians age, youth remains a key element in the mix. Just look at the recent spate of nostalgia-heavy albums from the likes of Japandroids and The Menzingers. Even this year's Grammy Award winner for Album of the Year, Adele's 25, features a song called "When We Were Young." If we can't be young, we can at least remember how it felt, and that’s what rock music does.

2.) It's about sex.

Originally an African-American phrase for sex, "rock and roll" music is all about gettin' it on, even if it's not obvious. Just listen to Berry's "Reelin' and Rockin'." Faced with a prudish 1950s culture that couldn't even deal with sex, especially if it was being sung about by a black man, Berry began coding his lyrics so they wouldn't inflame the powers that be and deny him a shot at success. But, even though the words are about dancing, you can hear the mischievousness in Berry's voice. He was winking at the kids, and the kids were winking right back. (Want proof? Scroll down to the bottom of this piece.)



But surely not every rock song is about sex, right? Well, what's a love song without desire? What's a heartbreak ballad without yearning? What's a kiss-off track without the betrayal that only intimacy can fuel? Sex is at the core of romantic relationships, perhaps the most central topic to rock music. So whether it's Bruce Springsteen's sweeping tales of star-crossed lovers seeking escape from New Jersey or the latest Ed Sheeran single about loving boobs, it all boils down to one thing: sex. And it was Berry who snuck it into rock's DNA.

3.) It's about rebellion.

Berry faced intense discrimination throughout his career, whether it be from record labels, concert venues, or even the U.S. government. After all, let's not forget that a "cover" song originally referred to a white artist re-recording a black artist's work to make it "suitable" for the mainstream. Through sheer force of will and talent, Berry was able to become a star despite the color of his skin, which made him a rebel figure in and of himself. Society's attempts to damn him only made his songs more powerful. He may not have been inciting riots with his lyrics, but he was fueling some badass dance parties and directly attacking the musical establishment with tracks like "Roll Over Beethoven," a song that literally encourages the pillars of classical music to roll over in their graves.



Today, a little rebelliousness remains crucial in the rock world. First, the vast majority of musicians don't make it; so you're already fighting against the odds from the moment you pick up a guitar. Second, good rock is fueled by extreme emotions, be it love, hate, grief, joy, or disgust. It's why people like Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan are considered great singers when, technically, that couldn't be further from the truth. They are able to unleash the emotions that society tells us we ought to keep to ourselves. Who wants to hear a song about toeing the line until you die? Rock is all about shaking listeners out of their rut, and Berry's odes to fast cars and raucous dance parties were just the beginning.

Berry's legacy has since been tainted by his behavior with women. But despite his personal demons, the fact remains that Berry is responsible for creating the foundation of popular music as we know it. Each major movement in rock history is a result of these three ingredients being mixed in different ways. Pile on the youth and rebellion and you've got punk. Focus on the youth and sex, and you've got pop. Dial the sex and rebellion up to 11, and you’ve got hair metal. But when they're all in absolute balance, that's when you have rock and roll. That's when you have "Chuck Berry."

Despite his massive influence, Berry was constrained throughout his career. He over-enunciated to make his voice palatable to the mainstream. He toned down his lyrics to keep the censors at bay. And he reined in his impulses to take off on wild, blues-inspired guitar tangents. Therefore, it's fitting to wrap things up with the below 1972 live recording of "Reelin' and Rockin'" from the Lancaster Arts Festival in the U.K. It's a powerhouse reclamation, with Berry's voice twisting into a blues-y shout as he throws himself into the far more explicit lyrics, his band like a locomotive pushing him to throw off his shackles and unleash his true power. It's over seven minutes of pure, unadulterated rock and roll courtesy of the master, and most bands couldn't hope to top it today. RIP Chuck, and thanks for the music. All of it.