"My Ding a Ling" (Dave Bartholomew and Chuck Berry)

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. 

Happy Birthday John Lennon -"C'est La Vie"

Today would be John Lennon’s 74^th birthday. Instead of some weepy tribute thing; or even a Beatles clip; I thought I would run something really cool by the man of whom John Lennon once said, “If you were to try and give Rock and Roll another name it might be called Chuck Berry.” He said that the week he was guest hosting the Mike Douglas Show from Philadelphia with Yoko Ono. Besides; having been born on October 18th; he's a fellow Libra, along with me. So, I figured John would enjoy this performance of one of Mr. Berry’s signature hits “C’est La Vie.” It was recorded in Germany at the Beat Club in Bremen during the 1972 tour.

Now, everybody knows this song but most people have never heard this version. The clarity and the relaxed way in which he handles his guitar make it a rare treat. Most of us are used to the faster paced version which became a hit for Mr. Berry and quite a few other artists. The song is even associated with Uma Thurman and John Travolta in the film “Pulp Fiction.” And Emily Lou Harris had a smash hit with it as well.

But this version tops any which I have heard over the years. The guitar weaving; done by Chuck solo; is creative and varied. He hints at his usual riffs but strays from them in a relaxed and less frenetic fashion than usual. Accompanied by Mike Snow on piano; Jimmy Campbell on guitar; Billy Kinsley on bass; and Dave Harrison on drums; this may be the best band he ever toured with during this period of time. He even has fun with the lyrics, describing the Refrigerator as a "Koolerader". (Something you put Kool-Aide in to make it cold.) If you have ever read his autobiography you already know that he loves to play with words.

His usual practice at the time was to pick up a local amateur band to back him in different towns as he toured the United States. Maybe because this was a European tour he took along one American band for the entire duration. The benefits of performing with the same group of musicians on a regular basis cannot be underestimated. And the results really show in this performance.

For a link to the Rooftop Review of Chuck Berry's 1987 memoir "The Autobiography", go here;

http://robertwilliamsofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-autobiography-by-chuck-berry-1987.html

"The Autobiography" by Chuck Berry (1987)

The only problem with this book is that it’s just too short, covering only the years from Mr. Berry’s birth in St. Louis in 1926 until 1986 when he wrote this book. At the time he was just beginning to edit the the classic rockumentary “Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll!” with Keith Richards. That film, together with this book, gives a complete picture of what went into the making of the man, but both leave out the next 25 years; from 1987 until today; and with Mr. Berry still walking amongst us, it would be nice to have a more current view into his life.

That said; you could not ask for a more personable read from a man who is iconic of the music he plays; rock and roll. John Lennon once said that “If you were to try and give Rock and Roll another name it might be called Chuck Berry.” And, he was right.

Skillfully written, with no ghost writer, Mr. Berry takes you on a no-holds barred tour de force of his life. Beginning with his childhood, and some of his first sexual stirrings, he paints a vivid picture of a young man yearning to be free in every way possible. This is the attitude which would bring him world-wide fame, and at the same time, this attitude helped to lead him off the beaten path at times, resulting in his incarceration for robbery at age 17, and then again for a supposed violation of the Mann Act in the early 1960’s. He also served 120 days for tax evasion in the early 1970’s, at a time when his career had gained new momentum. His candor in describing these periods in his life is admirable.

Mr. Berry was a victim of the unscrupulous practices which were then the norm in the music publishing business, including the song “Maybellene”, which listed DJ Allan Freed and Russ Fratto, the publisher, as co-writers. It took 25 years for Mr. Berry to get the rights back for his own song. And even then, most of the back royalties would never be realized.

The strong influence of his parents is evident in almost every aspect of the book, as the author recalls his father’s warning words of wisdom several times throughout this remarkable book. Filled with alliteration and internal rhymes, the book reads as fluently as one of his songs.

With a keen business sense, Mr. Berry is able to parlay his success in the entertainment industry into a successful career in real estate on the side. Beginning in 1957 he began work on Berry Park, a place where people could gather, picnic and listen to music in his hometown of St. Louis. It is still a work in progress, but does house a nightclub, and several other buildings, as well as a small lake. Several concerts were held there during the 1970’s, all to the benefit of the community.

The history of his joining, and then taking over, Johnnie Johnson’s band is given careful attention, helping to dispel the often told story that Mr. Berry simply came in and “took over.” As with most things, there is a second side to the story. Like-wise with the famous, but much overblown, story about not lyp-synching on American Bandstand as requested by Dick Clark. Although they did have a difference of opinion about the subject, it was never the clash of titans it was made out to be.

This is a very good book written by a very complex man who struggled to attain his goals at a time when many obstacles were placed in his path by society. It was written when Mr. Berry was 60 years old, and he is still with us today. It would be a gift to have Mr. Berry pen another volume covering the years since this book was written. So much has happened since then, including the release of “Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll”; a small clip of which is posted below.

At the risk of being redundant I will quote John Lennon once again; “If you were to try and give Rock and Roll another name it might be called Chuck Berry.” He was definitely right.

Chuck Berry in London - 1972

 

This is a very unusual and clear clip of Chuck Berry in London sometime in 1972. I believe it was filmed for the BBC special. It’s surprisingly crisp sound is what attracted me to this video. Up until Keith Richards made “Hail, Hail, Rock and Rock” in 1987, Chuck Berry usually played with local pickup bands, often not even bothering to rehearse before the show. Sometimes he never met the other musicians until about 5 minutes before show time. When Bruce Springsteen’s band was selected to back him in New Jersey in the early 1970’s, he met Mr. Berry moments before the concert was set to begin, asking him “What kind of music are we going to play?” It was a stupid question, and Mr. Berry answered, “Chuck Berry music, boy!” Springsteen tells that story in the 1987 film.

While this type of arrangement was quick and easy for Mr. Berry, it was hard on the audience, as the band was not always in tune with the star. But, somehow, he always managed to play just loud enough to cover the bands mistakes.

If you have seen “Hail, Hail Rock and Roll”, then you are familiar with the story of how Keith Richards persuaded Chuck Berry to make the film. To accomplish that goal he would have to re-unite Mr. Berry with his old piano player, Johnnie Johnson. Mr. Johnson had founded the band that became known as The Chuck Berry Band, and ultimately just Chuck Berry.

Most of Chuck’s songs were really written on the piano by Johnnie Johnson, and then transposed to guitar by Mr. Berry. In the film “Hail, Hail Rock and Roll”, Keith Richards does an excellent job of explaining the difference in writing songs on guitar and piano, crediting Mr. Johnson with being the spark which gave full bloom to the sound of rock and roll. In other words, without Johnnie, there may not have been a Chuck Berry as we have come to know him.

Johnnie Johnson filed suit in 2001 for back royalties on songs which were co-written by him with Mr. Berry. A very gentle and well-loved man, he passed away in 2005. But for the efforts of Keith Richards, his role in Rock and Roll history would not have been secured.

This second clip is taken from the film “Hail, Hail Rock and Roll”, and unlike the clip above, this one features Johnnie Johnson on piano, where he belongs. You’ll also recognize several other musicians, including Jesse Ed Davis and Keith Richards. Play it loud and enjoy the music!

James Brown and the Rolling Stones on the T.A.M.I. Show (1964)

The T.A.M.I. show was the brainchild of director Steve Binder, who put it all together in late 1964 as a way of gathering all of the greatest current "pop" acts in one show. The acronym stood for Teenage Music International, or Teenage Awards Music International, depending on where you look it up. It was a genius move, staged at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in October and filmed in Electronovision, a technology which enabled the TV footage to be transferred onto the big screen. The line-up allowed the audience to experience a variety of performers, such as the Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Lesley Gore, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, James Brown and his Famous Flames, along with the Rolling Stones. As a matter of fact, the Rolling Stones had to follow James Brown as the closing act.

Just before they were to step on stage the Stones were watching this performance of James Brown, with his Famous Flames, from the wings. They were very worried, with Mick Jagger wondering how the band would ever be able to follow the act they were witnessing. Clearly, James Brown should have been the closing act. Additionally, during the 4 days of rehearsals for the show, James Brown did not rehearse. He had a unique act, and coming fresh off the road, he felt no need to. Consequently, the Stones, like so many others at the time, had never seen James Brown perform; they had only heard his records.

With Jagger worried about his dance moves, and Keith Richard concerned about following one of the greatest R and B bands of all time, they wound up pouring everything they had into their act, which included the newly released "Time Is On My Side." Watch Jagger dance. Although no real match for the Godfather of Soul, he really does a lot more than he ever had before during this performance.

Music crosses all boundaries, and the T.A.M.I. show was a landmark concert which brought together white and black music in the middle of some of the most racially charged times in the nation's history. And that music had an extraordinary effect on some of the biggest social issues of the time.

Here are the Rolling Stones, immediately following James Brown and his Famous Flames;

Chuck Berry- The Autobiography

The first thing I noticed about this book was that it has no byline. It is simply titled "Chuck Berry The Autobiography." And it is clear that this is no ghost written volume of anecdotes. This is the real thing, written by Chuck Berry himself.

With his unmistakeable style of writing he takes you from the St. Louis of his youth to his dark years of confinement in a juvenile facility. After his release he returns home, working for his Dad while learning the guitar. From there he begins to play around St. Louis, establishing a local following. His relationship with Johnnie Johnson, a local paino player with a trio of his own, and how it becomes The Chuck Berry Trio is an insight into the attitudes and the people of the era.

An impromptu trip to Chicago and an encounter with Muddy Waters (nee McKinley Morganfield) lead him to the Chess Records Studio. From there we share his amazement and wonder of touring in places like New Yorks' Paramount Theater and the Alan Freed Shows.

Learning the business along the way was not always easy and he gets cheated along with all the rest of the pioneers of Rock and Roll.But he keeps rocking and rolling, establishing himself as one of the Fathers of the Genre.

You meet,along the way, such luminaries as Howling Wolf, Ike Turner and Little Richard to name just a few. He describes their struggles as well as his own, learning the business the hard way in an industry controlled by whites.

The writing itself is often laced with internal rhyming and interesting word plays that evoke the lyrics of Chuck Berry's hits. The man is a lyrical treasure chest and sees everything as if it were a song waiting to be written.

He very casually explores and explains how some of his earlier records were written. He describes in detail the interactions of learning to play in different clubs to different audiences and makes you want to grab a guitar and hit the road.

Never a shrinking violet, Mr. Berry talks freely of his fascination,and interaction with white women at a time when such things could be deadly. Think Emmitt Till in the summer of 1954- the very year that Chuck hits the road.

The inner workings of early rock and roll are explored through the Alan Freed "payola" trials. Mr. Berry carefully explains some of the sinister practices that robbed our early rock pioneers of money and pride. He does it without bitterness or rancor- this was just the way things were then.

The Chapter on his problems with the IRS in the early 70's is of interest. The way he accepts the penalty and reports to Lompoc Prison in California are also another insight into the character of this legend.

Of course this book only goes up to 1986- the year before Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones would make a landmark film with Chuck Berry and Johnnie Johnson(who was working as a bus driver at the time)called "Hail. Hail Rock and Roll."

This book cries out for a sequel from a man who really took music a step further toward the Rock and Roll we all know and love. A music that came to define a nation, if not a whole generation.

Hail, Hail Rock and Roll!