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On April 16, 1956, Chuck Berry recorded "Roll Over Beethoven" which was released by Chess Records the following month. It is said that Berry wrote the song in response to his sister Lucy always using the family piano to play classical music when Berry wanted to play pop music. The lyric "roll over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky the news" refers to how classical composers would roll over in their graves upon hearing that classical music had given way to rock and roll.
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Posted >1 y ago
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Good one David! Chuck Berry is one of the greats from back in the day... Died too soon in my view!
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Great song that I'd totally forgotten. Brought back some good elementary school playground memories.
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Thank you my friend SGT (Join to see) for posting the early classic Roll Over Beethoven performing by Chuck Berry in honor of the fact that he recorded this song on April 16, 1956 and Chess Records released it in May 1956.
Song background [edited] "This song is about the rock 'n' roll craze that was taking over America. Beethoven and Tchaikovsky were classical composers who were being bumped aside by rock. At the time, many critics dismissed rock music as a passing fad.
Berry was careful to write lyrics that told a coherent story, which in this case follows a young man as he pursues his favorite music. Berry also took care to deliver his lyrics clearly so a wider audience could understand them. This helped him avoid the fate of many Little Richard songs: more popular, but sanitized covers by Pat Boone.
Berry started writing this song to rib his younger sister, Lucy, who played classical music on the family piano. Chuck was telling her to yield the instrument so he could play rock and roll. The song ended up taking a different turn, but that's where the title came from.
The line, "Early in the mornin' I'm a givin' you a warnin'" is a tribute to Louis Jordan's 1947 track "Early In The Mornin'."
Jordan, a jump-blues innovator, certainly earned the tribute: his 1946 song "Ain't That Just Like A Woman" has a guitar intro (played by Carl Hogan) that Berry lifted for "Roll Over Beethoven."
The Beatles released a version of this song in 1963, which they played at most of their early live shows. The following year, The Beach Boys released "Fun, Fun, Fun," which copied the intro to "Roll Over Beethoven" nearly note for note.
This was used in the 1992 movie Beethoven, which is about a Saint Bernard.
The Electric Light Orchestra covered this in 1973, mixing in some of Beethoven's music. It was their biggest hit at the time, going to #6 in the UK and #42 in the US.
ELO was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 7, 2017, less than a month after Berry's death. They opened the ceremony with a performance of this song in tribute to Berry.
For a February 4, 1977 primetime special celebrating 25 years of American Bandstand, Berry performed this song joined by Seals & Crofts, Gregg Allman, Junior Walker, Johnny Rivers, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Daniels and Doc Severinsen. This was one of the first "all-star jams" that would later become commonplace. This performance served as a showcase for the musicians, who were introduced as they performed by Paul Williams. "
"Roll Over Beethoven" written by Chuck Berry
Lyrics
"Well I'm-a write a little letter
I'm gonna mail it to my local D.J.
Yeah and it's a jumpin' little record
I want my jockey to play
Roll over Beethoven
I gotta hear it again today
You know my temperature's risin'
The jukebox's blowin' a fuse
My heart beatin' rhythm
And my soul keep-a singing the blues
Roll over Beethoven
And tell Tchaikovsky the news
I got the rockin' pneumonia
I need a shot of rhythm and blues
I caught the rollin' athritis
Sittin' down at a rhythm review
Roll over Beethoven
They rockin' in two by two
Well if you feel and like it
Go get your lover then reel and rock it
Roll it over then move on up, yes-a
Try for further then
Reel and rock with one another
Roll over Beethoven
And dig these rhythm and blues
Well early in the mornin'
And I'm givin' you my mornin'
Don't you step on my blue suede shoes
Hey diddle-diddle, I'm-a play my fiddle
Ain't got nothing to lose
Roll over Beethoven
And tell Tchaikovsky the news
You know she wiggle like a glow worm
Dance like a spinnin' top
She got a crazy partner
You oughta see 'em reel an rock
Long as she got a dime
The music will never stop
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
And dig these rhythm and blues"
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs Sgt Jackie Julius SSG William Jones SMSgt Lawrence McCarter CPT Paul Whitmer SSG Franklin Briant
Song background [edited] "This song is about the rock 'n' roll craze that was taking over America. Beethoven and Tchaikovsky were classical composers who were being bumped aside by rock. At the time, many critics dismissed rock music as a passing fad.
Berry was careful to write lyrics that told a coherent story, which in this case follows a young man as he pursues his favorite music. Berry also took care to deliver his lyrics clearly so a wider audience could understand them. This helped him avoid the fate of many Little Richard songs: more popular, but sanitized covers by Pat Boone.
Berry started writing this song to rib his younger sister, Lucy, who played classical music on the family piano. Chuck was telling her to yield the instrument so he could play rock and roll. The song ended up taking a different turn, but that's where the title came from.
The line, "Early in the mornin' I'm a givin' you a warnin'" is a tribute to Louis Jordan's 1947 track "Early In The Mornin'."
Jordan, a jump-blues innovator, certainly earned the tribute: his 1946 song "Ain't That Just Like A Woman" has a guitar intro (played by Carl Hogan) that Berry lifted for "Roll Over Beethoven."
The Beatles released a version of this song in 1963, which they played at most of their early live shows. The following year, The Beach Boys released "Fun, Fun, Fun," which copied the intro to "Roll Over Beethoven" nearly note for note.
This was used in the 1992 movie Beethoven, which is about a Saint Bernard.
The Electric Light Orchestra covered this in 1973, mixing in some of Beethoven's music. It was their biggest hit at the time, going to #6 in the UK and #42 in the US.
ELO was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 7, 2017, less than a month after Berry's death. They opened the ceremony with a performance of this song in tribute to Berry.
For a February 4, 1977 primetime special celebrating 25 years of American Bandstand, Berry performed this song joined by Seals & Crofts, Gregg Allman, Junior Walker, Johnny Rivers, the Pointer Sisters, Charlie Daniels and Doc Severinsen. This was one of the first "all-star jams" that would later become commonplace. This performance served as a showcase for the musicians, who were introduced as they performed by Paul Williams. "
"Roll Over Beethoven" written by Chuck Berry
Lyrics
"Well I'm-a write a little letter
I'm gonna mail it to my local D.J.
Yeah and it's a jumpin' little record
I want my jockey to play
Roll over Beethoven
I gotta hear it again today
You know my temperature's risin'
The jukebox's blowin' a fuse
My heart beatin' rhythm
And my soul keep-a singing the blues
Roll over Beethoven
And tell Tchaikovsky the news
I got the rockin' pneumonia
I need a shot of rhythm and blues
I caught the rollin' athritis
Sittin' down at a rhythm review
Roll over Beethoven
They rockin' in two by two
Well if you feel and like it
Go get your lover then reel and rock it
Roll it over then move on up, yes-a
Try for further then
Reel and rock with one another
Roll over Beethoven
And dig these rhythm and blues
Well early in the mornin'
And I'm givin' you my mornin'
Don't you step on my blue suede shoes
Hey diddle-diddle, I'm-a play my fiddle
Ain't got nothing to lose
Roll over Beethoven
And tell Tchaikovsky the news
You know she wiggle like a glow worm
Dance like a spinnin' top
She got a crazy partner
You oughta see 'em reel an rock
Long as she got a dime
The music will never stop
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
And dig these rhythm and blues"
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs Sgt Jackie Julius SSG William Jones SMSgt Lawrence McCarter CPT Paul Whitmer SSG Franklin Briant
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