Chuck Berry
Vinyl Record Memories

Chuck Berry vinyl record memories returns to 1964 with the cleverly worded song, "You Never Can Tell."

From the Rockabilly flavored "Maybellene" to the all-time favorite, "Johnny B. Goode" Berry, one of the founding titans of rock, produced some of the most imitated guitar licks of all time.

Berry noted in his autobiography he always liked country-western and "Maybellene" was his effort to sing country. Most believe "Maybellene" is Rockabilly all the way. 

Step back in time, and nearly 60 years ago as the Chuck Berry vinyl record memories returns to 1964 and the #14,"You Never Can Tell." It was a new experience growing up in the 50s and listening to the original Chuck Berry Songs. Some of those original 45's remain in my collection.

Thirty years later the song became popular again as a unique 50's dance sequence in the movie "Pulp Fiction." 

The music was played in a fictional restaurant called "Jack Rabbit Slim's" where Vincent Vega, played by John Travolta and Mia Wallace, played by Uma Thurman, danced for the contest's main prize.

The song is about a couple that originally met in New Orleans and describes a fictional wedding and the events that followed.

They use their money to add to their music collection and then buy a souped-up Jitney in order to return to New Orleans to celebrate their anniversary. 

I have read more than once that Berry invented the word Coolerator. Coolerator, another term for refrigerator, was used in the second verse of the song; "The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale."  

It's not likely he invented the word "coolerator." It was simply his way of using unique lyrics that fit much better in the song than refrigerator.

The Coolerator company was making ice boxes in Duluth Minn since 1904, later electric refrigerators, freezers and kitchen ranges.

Before Bob Dylan and the rash of great rock-n-roll songwriters evolved in the wake of Beatlemania, Chuck Berry was hands down the finest rock songwriter, with the lone exception of his equal Buddy Holly. 

By any standards, Chuck Berry is one of the founding titans of rock.

Musically, he contributed more than any other of the original inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Elvis put rock-n-roll on the map, but some argue that Chuck is the one who drew it.

The song "You Never Can Tell" reached #14 becoming Berry's final Top 40 hit until 1971 when "My Ding-a-Ling" reached #1.

Sadly, Chuck Berry died on March 18, 2017, at the age of 90.