Been listening to Chuck Berry, and reading a very good biography about him. Very well researched. But Chuck's auto biography is much more fun.
Funny story about him and Pink Floyd. In 1972 the promoter on the English tour at the Lanchester Arts Festival in Coventry told Berry he could only play one more song because the fans outside were waiting for the next show, which was Pink Floyd. Chuck said okay, and then took 11 minutes to create his version of the song "My Ding a Ling" on stage. Dave Bartholomew had a minor hit with his own version of the song in 1952.
When Chuck's version hit #1 Bartholomew tried to sue him. Berry told him, "When you pull YOUR pants down; that's YOUR Ding a Ling. When I pull MY pants down, that's "MY Ding a Ling." Bartholomew dropped the suit.
The song actually goes back to 1878 and was written by a songwriter/publisher in Philadelphia named Joseph Eastburn Winner/ aka R.A. Winner. He used to keep his office window open. It was above Bartholomew's father's barber shop. He would listen to the sounds coming from the street for inspiration. The kids were singing a very mild version of a song, based on the melody to "Little Brown Jug", the old drinking song. So it was really one of those street rhymes which all kids learn.
They are similar, but Bartholomew did not write it. It may say so on the label of the 1952 recording, but that doesn't make it true. At any rate, titles are not subject to copyright. I believe he first recorded it in 1945, but cannot find it at the moment.
Here is Chuck's 11 minute live improvisation from the concert in 1972.
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