Remembering Chuck Berry, the pioneer of rock n roll

If rock n roll had another name, it would probably have been Chuck Berry—the brain and genius who created and breathed life into the genre that would go on to inspire generations of musicians after him. Chuck Berry, more than any other musician of the 1950s, created the imagery that envisioned rock ’n’ roll not as a passing obsession but as the future of music— a vision that crossed the boundaries of generation and race. At a time when so called grown-ups ridiculed and sneered at his music, calling it immature and juvenile, Berry was opening up a world full of possibilities—where the underdog black kid too could become a star.

Berry with his unapologetic self-confidence and narratives laden with the imagery of cars, girls and wild dance parties enthralled teenagers of his generation in throngs and laid the foundation of what was to come later. His lyrics, replete with light-hearted humor and the underdog charm, defined rock ’n’ roll’ and brought out its potential.

Critic Robert Christgau called him “the greatest rock lyricist this side of Bob Dylan.”

Through numbers like Johnny B. Goode and Roll Over Beethoven, he carved the musical aesthetics that other musicians of his time were unable to figure out. For Berry, everything was here and now—the moment defined everything. Songs like Sweet Little Sixteen, You Can’t Catch Me strongly conveyed the aspirations of his times—no wonder, he became a teenage heartthrob. His music was all about having a helluva of good time. Berry also satirized and politicized America as the land of opportunities in numbers such as the Promised Land, Too Much Monkey Business and Brown Eyed Handsome Man. His irreverence and iconoclasm contributed heavily to the spirit of the genre that he was laying the foundation for. Numbers like Roll Over Beethoven, Rock and Roll Music and School Day became manifestos of American dreams and desires.

Berry’s virtuoso guitar playing, which combined elements of blues and country music, gave out memorable guitar riffs and licks that went on to establish a brand new genre of guitar playing and vocals—which was further fleshed out by Elvis Presley, the king of rock n roll. Berry developed the technique of bending two strings at once and made it the foundation of rock ’n’ roll—a technique that was picked up by countless musicians after him. Berry’s unique blend of country music and blues, peppered with hillbilly twang drew listeners in droves.

The nasal twang of his voice and guitar playing broke convention in their treatment and were remarkable for their hedonistic imagery. His music comprised jubilant desires, washed-away tensions and heavily iconoclastic metaphors. He was the king of rhythm.

But above everything else, Chuck Berry was a showman—who lived and breathed music. His music would have been nothing without his charisma and showmanship. No wonder, till his last Rock 'n' roll icon Chuck Berry was on the ball—and was recording a new album. Perhaps, that may lay down the foundation for the next musical genre.