How To Disappear Completely

Maybellene

I'm listening to some Chuck Berry, the early rock-n-roller whose music has been covered by just about everyone, but particularly by the Rolling Stones. And if you pay attention to "You Can't Catch Me," you'll catch the musical and poetic influence for Lennon's "here come ol' flat top, he come groovin' up slowly" from the Beatles' song "Come Together." (In fact, Lennon was sued by Berry's manager for the resemblance, though the two musicians formed a friendship afterwards). I'd listened to a few rock-n-roll songs by Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis (who also covered Berry) before, but I'd forgotten the heavy southern/midwestern influences on rock: gospel, boogie, and blues (I amuse myself sometimes by counting out the 12 bars as I tap along to the music). "Downbound Train" illustrates the pervasive imagery of trains that characterizes both blues and gospel. The account of a trip to hell and back reminds me of common literary themes beginning with Virgil and later Celtic mythology (in which case, the fantastical lair of the faerie folk is substituted for hell), and continuing up till 20th century existentialist novels (in which case, the prospect of death is substituted for hell). And I love how "Rock n Roll Music" and "Roll Over Beethoven" are not only just durn fun for dancing, but also contain blatant criticisms of the low/high art dichotomy.

I'll close with Berry's most well-known tune "Johnny B. Goode," whose text recounts the classic rags to stardom scenario that the music industry promised to poor Southern folk (see bios of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard, who boasts a particularly fascinating history, since he ended up becoming a pentacostal minister later in life). The music industry had offered employment to people unable to work other jobs (for example, Blind Lemon Jefferson, an African American country blues guitar player) since at least the 20s/30s, and in the 50s, most rock-n-rollers came from Southern, low-income backgrounds.

On a trivia sidenote, "Johnny B. Goode" is also the song that finally prompts Marty McFly's parents to kiss in Back to the Future.