Tuesday, August 10, 2021

jukebox jumpin' with records

 

St. Louis, Missouri, in the 1940s when Chuck Berry lived there during his teenage years


"I made records for people who would buy them.  No color, no ethnic, no political--I don't want that, never did."

~  Chuck Berry


        "Back In The U.S.A." is another one of those jubilant songs from rock's early era that I first heard in the form of a cover version.  August 1, 1978 Linda Ronstadt's single "Back In The USA" was released -- from her album titled Living in the USA.


        I heard it, and felt that it was great -- and then I had to discover Chuck Berry and all his music, and he was the writer of that song -- released in 1959 on Chess Records, it was a hit for him then, and again for Ronstadt 19 years later.


        What was most surprising and exciting to me when I heard the Chuck Berry original recording was the presence of a sort of chorus of voices singing behind and against the main lyric, going


Uh-huh-huh,

Hoo  -  hah!


and


Uh-huh-huh,

Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah


or


Uh-huh-huh,

Oh  -  yeah!


This added component is like a party:  it expands the song's energy and deepens its groove and mystery; love it.

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You-Tube it --

There's a video on m.youtube in adblock, uploaded by

PowerBigMeat

that sounds really good --

and <PLAY>

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-30-

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