the roll in the rock

Fred Below (accent on the first syllable) -- BEE'-low


"Too Much Monkey Business," recorded by Elvis Presley in 1968, was written and recorded by Chuck Berry in 1956.

     In the Elvis version it says, "Been to Vietnam, been a-fightin' in the war..."
     In 1956 Vietnam was not going on yet, the original lyrics were, "Been to Yokohama, been a-fightin' in the war..."


On You Tube, we can listen to Chuck Berry's original recording, and there is also a video, if you scroll down, with Rolling Stone Keith Richards playing it with him (recorded in the 1980s for the documentary "Hail, Hail, Rock and Roll").

     In that documentary, drummer Steve Jordan

gave credit to 1950s-era drummer Fred Below who played on "Too Much Monkey Business" when they first laid it down at Chess Records in Chicago.  Jordan said Below "put the roll in the rock" with his technique.

     On the Elvis version of this song, a listener on You Tube Commented, 
"That's Jerry Reed on the acoustic guitar!"
     The Uploader of the video stepped in and answered, "Yes it is."

Jerry Reed:
"East Bound and Down"
"She Got the Goldmine, I Got the Shaft"
"Down on the Corner"


     In the online free encyclopedia, it says "Too Much Monkey Business" influenced Bob Dylan writing "Subterranean Homesick Blues" --

     ...Watch the plain clothes
     You don't need a weatherman
     To know which way the wind blows

-30-