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Chuck Berry : The Autobiography
This is the astonishingly candid autobiography of Chuck Berry, the man who created rock'n'roll. It includes a discography and filmography, and details of all of his recording sessions.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
16 people are currently reading
859 people want to read
About the author
Chuck Berry
46 books8 followersCharles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" (1955), "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "Rock and Roll Music" (1957) and "Johnny B. Goode" (1958), Berry refined and developed rhythm and blues into the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive. Writing lyrics that focused on teen life and consumerism, and developing a music style that included guitar solos and showmanship, Berry was a major influence on subsequent rock music.
Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986; he was cited for having "laid the groundwork for not only a rock and roll sound but a rock and roll stance." Berry is included in several of Rolling Stone magazine's "greatest of all time" lists; he was ranked fifth on its 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll includes three of Berry's: "Johnny B. Goode", "Maybellene", and "Rock and Roll Music". Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" is the only rock-and-roll song included on the Voyager Golden Record.
Check Berry was 90 years old at the time of his death.
Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986; he was cited for having "laid the groundwork for not only a rock and roll sound but a rock and roll stance." Berry is included in several of Rolling Stone magazine's "greatest of all time" lists; he was ranked fifth on its 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll includes three of Berry's: "Johnny B. Goode", "Maybellene", and "Rock and Roll Music". Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" is the only rock-and-roll song included on the Voyager Golden Record.
Check Berry was 90 years old at the time of his death.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 14, 2012
Being a guitar player, it's naturally fitting that I would be a big fan of Chuck Berry. The man's playing is still inspiring today, almost sixty years after these songs were first recorded. While it's true that Chuck could have toned down the coverage of certain things, I also feel that their inclusion gives us a look into how the man got to be who he was at the time he wrote this book.
At no point in this book does Chuck make any excuses for his behavior, he just tells you exactly what happened, how it happened, and his motivations for doing these things. I personally feel that you will only understand what he was really saying after a few repeat readings over the years. But until you can read this book for what it is, you won't really understand how unique of an inside glimpse Chuck gives you into himself. Before you judge the man, walk a mile in his shoes.
You also have to think of this book as damage control, because when it was being written, the tabloids were just starting to hit their first big stride of popularity. I think Chuck included so much of his sex life in one place (this book) rather than have a potentially unending stream of these stories come out in the tabloids week after week. Let's not forget that he has a wife and children to consider, too, and while he should have behaved better, only a monk or a butt pirate would have been able to resist most of the girls he was misbehaving with, because they weren't groupies. They were wholesome, respectable girls from decent backgrounds, and after so many temptations, you are going to give in. How many times can somebody offer you a piece of chocolate before you finally give in and eat one?
The only parts I didn't really care for were his forays into poetry, but then outside of song lyrics, I admittedly don't care for poetry anyway. Luckily, he does this less than a handful of times, so it's easily forgivable, and not really that much of an annoyance. Other than that, this book is full of interesting information about one of the best musicians to ever do it!
At no point in this book does Chuck make any excuses for his behavior, he just tells you exactly what happened, how it happened, and his motivations for doing these things. I personally feel that you will only understand what he was really saying after a few repeat readings over the years. But until you can read this book for what it is, you won't really understand how unique of an inside glimpse Chuck gives you into himself. Before you judge the man, walk a mile in his shoes.
You also have to think of this book as damage control, because when it was being written, the tabloids were just starting to hit their first big stride of popularity. I think Chuck included so much of his sex life in one place (this book) rather than have a potentially unending stream of these stories come out in the tabloids week after week. Let's not forget that he has a wife and children to consider, too, and while he should have behaved better, only a monk or a butt pirate would have been able to resist most of the girls he was misbehaving with, because they weren't groupies. They were wholesome, respectable girls from decent backgrounds, and after so many temptations, you are going to give in. How many times can somebody offer you a piece of chocolate before you finally give in and eat one?
The only parts I didn't really care for were his forays into poetry, but then outside of song lyrics, I admittedly don't care for poetry anyway. Luckily, he does this less than a handful of times, so it's easily forgivable, and not really that much of an annoyance. Other than that, this book is full of interesting information about one of the best musicians to ever do it!
October 5, 2017
A very shallow book about a very complicated man, who is obviously holding an awful lot back.
When I first read this book I found it to be very disappointing, even though Chuck Berry has been a hero of mine for many years. I just felt there was something missing, but I'm not sure what. Chuck is reasonably candid about his prison experiences, the racism he experienced growing up in St. Louis (even as part of a stable family and the son of a fairly successful black professional) and the disappointments of his rock and roll career.
What's missing from this first person account is any real sense of the big picture. Rock and roll music changed the world, and Chuck Berry was at the eye of the hurricane, writing songs that defined the themes and attitudes of rock for at least the next ten years. But there are no insights into the song writing, no explanation of how or why he was able to create rock icons like "Johnny B. Goode" and "Sweet Little Sixteen." Even though he often toured with other rock legends, such as Jerry Lee Lewis, he never mentions any other performers. (There is one very cynical story about blues giant Muddy Waters trying to get free admission to a club and being turned down. But no discussion about the blues as a source of inspiration or where Chuck Berry saw himself in the continuum from blues to rock and roll.)
Somehow Chuck managed to write an incredibly impersonal book about his own personal journey.
When I first read this book I found it to be very disappointing, even though Chuck Berry has been a hero of mine for many years. I just felt there was something missing, but I'm not sure what. Chuck is reasonably candid about his prison experiences, the racism he experienced growing up in St. Louis (even as part of a stable family and the son of a fairly successful black professional) and the disappointments of his rock and roll career.
What's missing from this first person account is any real sense of the big picture. Rock and roll music changed the world, and Chuck Berry was at the eye of the hurricane, writing songs that defined the themes and attitudes of rock for at least the next ten years. But there are no insights into the song writing, no explanation of how or why he was able to create rock icons like "Johnny B. Goode" and "Sweet Little Sixteen." Even though he often toured with other rock legends, such as Jerry Lee Lewis, he never mentions any other performers. (There is one very cynical story about blues giant Muddy Waters trying to get free admission to a club and being turned down. But no discussion about the blues as a source of inspiration or where Chuck Berry saw himself in the continuum from blues to rock and roll.)
Somehow Chuck managed to write an incredibly impersonal book about his own personal journey.
July 1, 2017
After reading 'Chuck Berry' I think I admire the man more, but like him a little less.
April 30, 2014
love this autobiography of Chuck Berry's. Like his music the book is bouncy, energetic,
and unrepentant. His powerful accounts of racism make for an enlightening reading.
He is candid in his chapter dealing with his three years jail term for violating the
Mann Act (aside: less than a year after his conviction, both the Department of Justice
and the FBI handed down instructions to local prosecutors forbidding them to prosecute
Mann Act violations unless it involved "organized commercial prosecution") Simply,
Chuck Berry would not have even had the charge brought against him.
And found the lines he wrote at that time very moving:-
"Down from stardom, then I fell
to this lowly prison cell
Far from fortune, far from fame
where a number quotes my name.
I, amongst theses men in grief
must be firm in my belief,
that this shall not be the end,
but my chance to rise again.
Back to freedom, maybe fame,
clearing my encumbered name."
March 19, 2017
Keep on rocking! Loved it!
August 18, 2013
Great book, well written. Lots of insight to the real person.
May 2, 2017
Suffice it to say, Chuck Berry was quite and interesting guy who led a roller coaster life, somewhat to his liking. There are many, I suspect, who would focus on his, shall we say, mis-demeaners, but they all made him both colorful and extraordinary. I have a soft spot for autobiographies by musicians as we get to experience the ups and downs of their lives though their lens. Chuck Berry gives us all of that without blinking but also without sensationalizing it either. In fact, the voice of Berry is unique: understated when it comes to his fame, resigned when it comes to his incarcerations, careful around his dalliances, open about his commitment to his wife and family (yes, in spite of his exploits on the road), accepting of the realities of the racism he faced, and loving life pretty much overall.
His music was the center from which his joy and desire for financial stability lived. Like most musicians of the time, he was cheated and scammed by the business. But he was smart, diversifying his interests and building on his knowledge of construction and photography. He had a seemingly insatiable desire and curiosity for knowledge. He demonstrated accountability for his actions and a tolerance for the realities of how he, as a celebrity, was treated and portrayed. It was fascinating to learn about road life, all the other famous musicians he met, and the idols he patterned his music after. He did not drink or take drugs which was quite a feat at the time, or perhaps any time. It was a pleasure meeting him through his pages.
His music was the center from which his joy and desire for financial stability lived. Like most musicians of the time, he was cheated and scammed by the business. But he was smart, diversifying his interests and building on his knowledge of construction and photography. He had a seemingly insatiable desire and curiosity for knowledge. He demonstrated accountability for his actions and a tolerance for the realities of how he, as a celebrity, was treated and portrayed. It was fascinating to learn about road life, all the other famous musicians he met, and the idols he patterned his music after. He did not drink or take drugs which was quite a feat at the time, or perhaps any time. It was a pleasure meeting him through his pages.
April 13, 2017
There are lots of things here I didn't know about Chuck Berry. However, I did not like his poor use of language and parts of his personality concerning his womanising. Having written a significant amount of his memoirs from prison, I think his longing for the touch of a female companion came across in his writing a bit too much. He should have focussed more on specific moments within his life as a rock star and shown more of his relationship with his wife. He seemed more concerned about all of the women he was sleeping with and not about his own family or life on/off the stage. However, despite the omissions, I believe that his account seemed quite frank. Still worth a read for any Chuck Berry fans.
December 6, 2012
Too much womanizing for my taste, but it is his story, not mine. His wife must be a loving, longsuffering woman who have lived with all this. It was interesting, though, to see what happened to him -- his imprisonments, his escapades, his rise to fame. I never knew about Berry Park, which he created as a place where everyone could come for fun, regardless of skin color. He describes trips through the South, with its racism, and contrasts those with trips through the North, completely the opposite. Pretty good reading, especially in a historical context.
April 1, 2012
All about him being broke and in minimum security prisons.
February 20, 2020
fantastic..." Play for the money boys" was coined expression, suitcase of cash money and a pistol and many pioneering rock n roll stories here.
November 27, 2016
I've developed a liking for '50s rock'n'roll, because of its sheer exuberance. It's not full of angst and causes. That's how I got into Chuck Berry, and why I read this book.
And I loved the first third of the book. Chuck Berry was born in 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri, and the story from then through his early hits in the '50s was a good read on a lot of levels...his growing up, the culture he grew up in, his sexual coming-of-age, his many interests, including photography and music, and an early almost comical bust that landed him in a reformatory. He has a quirky writing style- you can see the lyrics in his phrasing - and, while it took some getting used to, its authenticity made it a pleasure.
After that, he focuses more on the business end of not just his music but other businesses: the creation of "Berry Park," a St. Louis nightclub, and real estate efforts. It's interesting to color in that part of his life...but that's also the part where his reporting on the women he's had sex with gets to sound kind of repetitive. And that's what finally made the last quarter of the book a bit of a slog. (Oddly, I kept thinking about *Love in the Time of Cholera* - that same kind of obsession with getting laid, without the counterpoint of a deep passion.) The slog factor wasn't diminished by another bust, this time for tax evasion, which is just not all that captivating a read.
For all the candor in this book, he's very private about his marriage, which began in 1948 and, as far as I can tell, still endures. And that, it seems to me, is a story worth telling...and a story that would add some drama to the unrelieved promiscuity. (He also does tell the story of the bust for the Mann Act - which apparently means "transporting a woman across state lines for purposes of debauchery.")
In short, I would have liked more about the music, but I suspect he said all he had to say about it. He wrote it, he performed it, he recorded it - like many other productive people, his emphasis is on the doing, not the analysis/reflection of the work. Even if the work is the foundation of a whole lot of rock'n'roll: Johnny Be Good, Maybellene, Roll Over Beethoven, Sweet Little Sixteen, Brown Eyed Handsome Man...
Finally, I like the guy after reading this. He must have been one charismatic guy. I saw him performing in downtown Buffalo 13 years ago, when he would have been around 77 and what I recall is enthusiasm and energy. ( http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/st... ) While his book doesn't dwell on his love of performing, it's hard to imagine he didn't love it. Toward the end of the book, he lists the things that really turn him on. He ends it like this: "...I crave the feeling that I get from a performance when I hear the response of one or more to that which I have delivered. The greatest highs I've had in life have come from a mob of as many as sixty-two thousand voices, and also from the moan of one."
And I loved the first third of the book. Chuck Berry was born in 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri, and the story from then through his early hits in the '50s was a good read on a lot of levels...his growing up, the culture he grew up in, his sexual coming-of-age, his many interests, including photography and music, and an early almost comical bust that landed him in a reformatory. He has a quirky writing style- you can see the lyrics in his phrasing - and, while it took some getting used to, its authenticity made it a pleasure.
After that, he focuses more on the business end of not just his music but other businesses: the creation of "Berry Park," a St. Louis nightclub, and real estate efforts. It's interesting to color in that part of his life...but that's also the part where his reporting on the women he's had sex with gets to sound kind of repetitive. And that's what finally made the last quarter of the book a bit of a slog. (Oddly, I kept thinking about *Love in the Time of Cholera* - that same kind of obsession with getting laid, without the counterpoint of a deep passion.) The slog factor wasn't diminished by another bust, this time for tax evasion, which is just not all that captivating a read.
For all the candor in this book, he's very private about his marriage, which began in 1948 and, as far as I can tell, still endures. And that, it seems to me, is a story worth telling...and a story that would add some drama to the unrelieved promiscuity. (He also does tell the story of the bust for the Mann Act - which apparently means "transporting a woman across state lines for purposes of debauchery.")
In short, I would have liked more about the music, but I suspect he said all he had to say about it. He wrote it, he performed it, he recorded it - like many other productive people, his emphasis is on the doing, not the analysis/reflection of the work. Even if the work is the foundation of a whole lot of rock'n'roll: Johnny Be Good, Maybellene, Roll Over Beethoven, Sweet Little Sixteen, Brown Eyed Handsome Man...
Finally, I like the guy after reading this. He must have been one charismatic guy. I saw him performing in downtown Buffalo 13 years ago, when he would have been around 77 and what I recall is enthusiasm and energy. ( http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/st... ) While his book doesn't dwell on his love of performing, it's hard to imagine he didn't love it. Toward the end of the book, he lists the things that really turn him on. He ends it like this: "...I crave the feeling that I get from a performance when I hear the response of one or more to that which I have delivered. The greatest highs I've had in life have come from a mob of as many as sixty-two thousand voices, and also from the moan of one."
November 29, 2017
Unlike an autobiography of, say, Wayne Rooney, this deals with vastly different time periods and themes. As a result, some parts are much more interesting than others.
As time goes on, an autobiography of Chuck Berry starts to serve a useful historical purpose that it may not have done as much when it came out. For example, here we now have a firsthand account of what it was like growing up as a black kid in 1930s and '40s St Louis, which is absolutely fascinating.
His experience of racism is complicated and varied, perhaps more varied than some readers may imagine given the very broad brushes used now to explain how racist America used to be. It turns out it sometimes was and sometimes wasn't, even with the police. When he was signed to Chicago-based Chess Records in the 1950s, for example, the white executive Leonard Chess comes across as simply having no interest in being racist at all. Just because you were allowed to be racist in 1950s Midwest, it doesn't mean everyone was.
Reading about Chuck Berry's rise to success is quite entertaining, but then it gets a bit repetitive. It's basically just him going around doing shows and having relations with other women. Whenever this comes up, his language is so euphemistic it's amusing in itself. However, the novelty wears off after a while. He never actually commits to saying he had sex with anyone at all, even though we're meant to think he has and he did.
He's clearly a clever dude and the range of his vocabulary is absolutely outrageous. The way he deploys it is far more elegant than certain other writers who possess the same asset (Quentin Letts), but this is a mixed bag.
As time goes on, an autobiography of Chuck Berry starts to serve a useful historical purpose that it may not have done as much when it came out. For example, here we now have a firsthand account of what it was like growing up as a black kid in 1930s and '40s St Louis, which is absolutely fascinating.
His experience of racism is complicated and varied, perhaps more varied than some readers may imagine given the very broad brushes used now to explain how racist America used to be. It turns out it sometimes was and sometimes wasn't, even with the police. When he was signed to Chicago-based Chess Records in the 1950s, for example, the white executive Leonard Chess comes across as simply having no interest in being racist at all. Just because you were allowed to be racist in 1950s Midwest, it doesn't mean everyone was.
Reading about Chuck Berry's rise to success is quite entertaining, but then it gets a bit repetitive. It's basically just him going around doing shows and having relations with other women. Whenever this comes up, his language is so euphemistic it's amusing in itself. However, the novelty wears off after a while. He never actually commits to saying he had sex with anyone at all, even though we're meant to think he has and he did.
He's clearly a clever dude and the range of his vocabulary is absolutely outrageous. The way he deploys it is far more elegant than certain other writers who possess the same asset (Quentin Letts), but this is a mixed bag.
January 19, 2019
I wonder when I buy these books if the writer will address the negatives said about him or her. I've heard some things about Chuck Berry over the years.
The book begins with Berry's family and how his father supported the family. He also talks about the women, often white that would tease him when he was a child. I figured this was setting up what comes later and THOSE stories. He writes about his wife and his early married life. His guitar playing, once side money, became his main source of income.
He is exposed to racism, payola, and drinking. He is surrounded by women that he doesn't sleep with. The chapters on his arrest for the Mann Act tell how he was railroaded. (I looked up these stories on the web, many believe Berry's side of the story). His arrest for tax evasion were promoters fault, not his.
He devotes a chapter on how he came up his hits. I would've love more on that.
Overall, this book tells the triumphs and it goes into the worst. He talks about peers and his mentors. Isee infidelity between the lines in later chapters. This didn't address the worst rumors I've heard, but he did give us a story for some of the stories. When someone is willing to go into the best and worst, I give him credit.
The book begins with Berry's family and how his father supported the family. He also talks about the women, often white that would tease him when he was a child. I figured this was setting up what comes later and THOSE stories. He writes about his wife and his early married life. His guitar playing, once side money, became his main source of income.
He is exposed to racism, payola, and drinking. He is surrounded by women that he doesn't sleep with. The chapters on his arrest for the Mann Act tell how he was railroaded. (I looked up these stories on the web, many believe Berry's side of the story). His arrest for tax evasion were promoters fault, not his.
He devotes a chapter on how he came up his hits. I would've love more on that.
Overall, this book tells the triumphs and it goes into the worst. He talks about peers and his mentors. Isee infidelity between the lines in later chapters. This didn't address the worst rumors I've heard, but he did give us a story for some of the stories. When someone is willing to go into the best and worst, I give him credit.
July 27, 2017
Most autobiographies are pretty disappointing, full of self justification and avoidance of uncomfortable truths. Chuck Berry's book is different. This was a mostly honest and unusual autobiography, full of the same kind of word play that makes Chuck's song lyrics sparkle with poetry and wit. Written mostly from his various jail terms, he is not exactly remorseful for his misdeeds, but is very open about his impulses and mistakes. He doesn't shirk the blame, but he forgives his behaviour by 'What can you do? Who could resist all that good stuff? His insatiable lust and large list of sexual conquests, as well as the minutiae of his financial misdeeds get far more attention than his own music, and music in general. That said, his insights on racial politics and wisdom about life in general reveal an enormously complex man. While he may not have a totally clear view of himself and how he may have hurt others (especially his long suffering wife, who experienced 50 years of infidelity and raised his three kids while he was on the road -- or in jail) he is open and full of gratitude for his talent and good fortune. Not a great book, but an engrossing autobiography if you're a fan.
December 22, 2012
The story of Chuck Berry's life told by the man himself.
This book could easily be renamed: Chuck the Great, Chuck the Sleazebag, Chuck: Public Enemy #1.
In his autobiography, Chuck Berry tells it all, from childhood antics, run-ins with the law, time in prison, and his life as a musician. His book leaves you thinking: wow, he did that? And, where would music today be without Chuck Berry?
Uncovering some of America's darkest truths, this book tells as much about race and America in the mid twentieth century and as it does Chuck and his music.
The best surprise in this book is: not only can Chuck sing and play guitar, he can write; and he does it well.
Definitely worth reading! I'm glad I did!
This book could easily be renamed: Chuck the Great, Chuck the Sleazebag, Chuck: Public Enemy #1.
In his autobiography, Chuck Berry tells it all, from childhood antics, run-ins with the law, time in prison, and his life as a musician. His book leaves you thinking: wow, he did that? And, where would music today be without Chuck Berry?
Uncovering some of America's darkest truths, this book tells as much about race and America in the mid twentieth century and as it does Chuck and his music.
The best surprise in this book is: not only can Chuck sing and play guitar, he can write; and he does it well.
Definitely worth reading! I'm glad I did!
January 4, 2015
This is a first-hand tale of the life of an early rock and roller, told as politely as can be. I thought the music side is way under-played. He writes of a high school choir performance that got him a lot of applause, and messing around learning guitar a bit. Then it's a 3 year stretch in prison and working as a carpenter for years until he writes suddenly that he decided to audition for local clubs to try and play music. Chuck also writes of numerous affairs while happily married, which isn't quite explained. There are many interesting stories though, and his versions of prison are quite captivating, along with his personal experiences with racism. Not a bad book for one of the most exciting guitar playing performers in the history of music.
December 17, 2007
Chuck wrote his own bio and it's a pretty entertaining read. Definitely interesting are all the great stories of how he got his start, his early career and his many zany adventures. Berry wrote some AMAZING songs and is one hell of a guitar player. His struggles and successes at combating and overcoming racism are inspiring. His relationships with his wife and his many mistresses seem pretty odd, even in his own words. What I'd like to read at this point is a Chuck Berry bio written by someone else, just to see how the facts would be reported then. Chuck Berry fans will dig this one.
January 4, 2012
As a massive fan of Chuck berry, I felt it necessary to read his auto! I learned a lot from this book, about Berry's life and the development of his amazing musical mind. However, I think the book is poorly written and is hardly a page-turner. It seemed that he went into enormous detail of his love life, which i felt unnecessary for his book. Despite this, I believe it could be reflecting Chuck Berry's personality. Greatly entertaining for lovers of Chuck and rock n roll music.. Otherwise, not such a fantastic read.
February 28, 2013
This autobiography written by Chuck Berry has his life from birth to 1985. He has musical inspirations, sexual exploits, run ins with the law, and struggles with prejudice and segregation. His literary writing style is the same as his songwriting style, with rhymes (and sometimes entire poems) sprinkled throughout each chapter. He is very frank in a way that reminds you that Chuck Berry is not just The Father of Rock n' Roll; he is a regular guy too. A highlight of the book is the chapter in which he tells what inspired some of his songs.
April 25, 2018
The female award of the...century? Goes out to Ms. Themetta “Toddy” Suggs, who put up with a womanizing, prostitute-loving and overall rock and rolling Chuck Berry for 68 years. This book gave an incredible backseat pass to Berry’s infidelities, as well as the fact that he constantly and consistently stated he was a happily married man. One of the top 25 guitarists of all time and a true Jazz man, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about all of his dalliances, whether it be physical or musical. It also has to be pointed out that he passed away a few ml the after Toddy - she was the glue.
May 12, 2014
Love the clever word-play and verse, the history of the racism he battled, and finding out about his influences and songwriting inspiration. Did not enjoy all the womanizing and really confused by how his wife could tolerate all that. Berry's a highly intelligent rascal and quite compelling, just the absolute opposite of a role model
May 7, 2017
Berry was quite a unique man. He wrote this book himself and by doing so made it as interesting as he was. Dylan's autobiography is considered a must read, this one was far more enjoyable to me, so don't miss it.
The man had a great head on his shoulders as well as musical talent second to none. He made the best of the adversities in his life.
The man had a great head on his shoulders as well as musical talent second to none. He made the best of the adversities in his life.
April 9, 2008
Whoa! The title should be Chuck Berry: Cheeky Monkey! Not very well written but interesting if you want to know more about the early days of of rock-and-roll and the most naturally talented of the pioneers.
July 15, 2011
I wouldn't consider myself as much a Chuck fan as a Rock and Roll fan....but this guy is a douche. It's less about life and music than "this is how much money I had and what kind of flashy car I had and who I was screwing along the way".
August 29, 2017
Chuck Berry is a rock icon and an interesting guy. However, even though this was a hefty book, I couldn't help but think that there should have been more detail in his life story. It really seemed to just scratch the surface.
August 7, 2023
Review title: Lyrics and music by Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry wrote his own autobiography--no ghostwriter involved. It reads like it, not a true-confessions tell all, but one that lets the true voice of the man come through on paper. It isn't just about music but life as a black man in music and in the St Louis of the middle 20th century, about money and fame, about sins and crimes which Charles Berry, the son of devout Baptist parents, would commit, admit to, and pay the price for.
His parents were hard-working, his mother a school teacher and his father a contractor doing residential repair and construction. Chuck would work for their father, work diligently on his school work that interested him, ignore the subjects that didn't, and (like many... most... young men) think about sex a lot. When he and some friends dropped out of school and headed west in an old car Berry bought with his pay with a dream to reach California but little idea how to pay for it, they all ended up quickly caught and arrested for stealing a car when theirs broke down. It was the first of three prison terms he would serve as of this 1987 publication (he passed away in 2017 at the age of 90).
During his second term, deep enough into his career to recognize that he was making more money than he dreamed but wasn't managing it well, he finished his diploma coursework and took business and accounting classes to take control of his career. He worked hard at his music:
While fully aware of his place in music history ("Maybelline", "Roll over Beethoven", "Johnny B. Goode".....) he often expressed his amazement to be paid for his work and approached the music as a business to be learned, without the arrogance of an artist or dilettante. In a quote that shows his inimitable writing style, Berry describes his first in person meeting of his hero Muddy Waters: "No way was I about to ask my godfather if I could sit in and play. He didn't know me from Adam on that eve and Satan himself could not have tempted me to contaminate the father's fruit of the blues, as pure as he picked it." (p. 98). Part of his purpose in telling that story was to correct a story written about it in the papers. Late in the autobiography he introduces his theory of meaning;
So how much of what you read is to be believed, especially about his sexual appetite and exploits (never explicit even if teasing, the book remains firmly PG)? I think given the quote above, he's written what he believes and we can filter it through ours, but has edited his life with the same skill of a songwriter crafting his lyrics.
One area that comes up often, with his career taking off in the immediate post war years through the 1950s, is the subject of race and music. As born and raised in the southern culture of St. Louis, performing in front of mixed audiences was a shock that a white performer would (could) never experience: "I doubt that many Caucasian persons would come into a situation that would cause them to know the feeling a black person experiences after being reared under old-time southern traditions and then finally being welcomed by an entirely unbiased and friendly audience, applauding without apparent regard for racial difference." (p. 115). Of course, wrote Berry, this was after the pop music charts had "Anglopinionated" his songs as "white-worthy" for radio play (p. 125). The dream of a color-blind America, "a one-race, normal-face, average - shade, medium-made, balanced-weight, open-fate society with no disturbing variants." (p. 324)? Concludes the clear-eyed realist Berry: "It just wouldn't work."
This is a real man coming through, lyrics and music by Chuck Berry, full of imperfections but recognizable as a complete person worthy of respect. Despite his escapades on the road (which he apparently shared with his wife), he remained married from 1948 for the rest of his life with a large extended family. He showed up, on time, clear headed from his abstinence from drugs and alcohol (drinking for pleasure doesn't work because it dulls the mind and senses, and drinking to mask pain results in more pain plus a hangover, p. 148), and gave the audiences the show they expected. Beethoven rolled over, Berry rolls on.
Chuck Berry wrote his own autobiography--no ghostwriter involved. It reads like it, not a true-confessions tell all, but one that lets the true voice of the man come through on paper. It isn't just about music but life as a black man in music and in the St Louis of the middle 20th century, about money and fame, about sins and crimes which Charles Berry, the son of devout Baptist parents, would commit, admit to, and pay the price for.
His parents were hard-working, his mother a school teacher and his father a contractor doing residential repair and construction. Chuck would work for their father, work diligently on his school work that interested him, ignore the subjects that didn't, and (like many... most... young men) think about sex a lot. When he and some friends dropped out of school and headed west in an old car Berry bought with his pay with a dream to reach California but little idea how to pay for it, they all ended up quickly caught and arrested for stealing a car when theirs broke down. It was the first of three prison terms he would serve as of this 1987 publication (he passed away in 2017 at the age of 90).
During his second term, deep enough into his career to recognize that he was making more money than he dreamed but wasn't managing it well, he finished his diploma coursework and took business and accounting classes to take control of his career. He worked hard at his music:
In fact, my profession was to me only a job, a job that I've always performed as if it was overpaid considering the joy I receive in performing it. Therefore, why so much reimbursement? While all others receive monetary consideration, why shouldn’t I as well? Many times I have bid too low, not knowing the market price of a show, at a certain place and employed myself for less. . . . So, though I play from desire, I feel I should be paid for the hire. (p. 259)
While fully aware of his place in music history ("Maybelline", "Roll over Beethoven", "Johnny B. Goode".....) he often expressed his amazement to be paid for his work and approached the music as a business to be learned, without the arrogance of an artist or dilettante. In a quote that shows his inimitable writing style, Berry describes his first in person meeting of his hero Muddy Waters: "No way was I about to ask my godfather if I could sit in and play. He didn't know me from Adam on that eve and Satan himself could not have tempted me to contaminate the father's fruit of the blues, as pure as he picked it." (p. 98). Part of his purpose in telling that story was to correct a story written about it in the papers. Late in the autobiography he introduces his theory of meaning;
Just remember, my accounts of actions I’ve experienced are the fourth generation of communication. First, it happened; second, I conceived what happened; third, I reproduced what I conceived; and fourth, you will conceive what I have reproduced. My created songs, like my opinions, come to you only in the third generation because they were not delivered from a foreign source into my conception but were born in my concept. (p. 313)
So how much of what you read is to be believed, especially about his sexual appetite and exploits (never explicit even if teasing, the book remains firmly PG)? I think given the quote above, he's written what he believes and we can filter it through ours, but has edited his life with the same skill of a songwriter crafting his lyrics.
One area that comes up often, with his career taking off in the immediate post war years through the 1950s, is the subject of race and music. As born and raised in the southern culture of St. Louis, performing in front of mixed audiences was a shock that a white performer would (could) never experience: "I doubt that many Caucasian persons would come into a situation that would cause them to know the feeling a black person experiences after being reared under old-time southern traditions and then finally being welcomed by an entirely unbiased and friendly audience, applauding without apparent regard for racial difference." (p. 115). Of course, wrote Berry, this was after the pop music charts had "Anglopinionated" his songs as "white-worthy" for radio play (p. 125). The dream of a color-blind America, "a one-race, normal-face, average - shade, medium-made, balanced-weight, open-fate society with no disturbing variants." (p. 324)? Concludes the clear-eyed realist Berry: "It just wouldn't work."
This is a real man coming through, lyrics and music by Chuck Berry, full of imperfections but recognizable as a complete person worthy of respect. Despite his escapades on the road (which he apparently shared with his wife), he remained married from 1948 for the rest of his life with a large extended family. He showed up, on time, clear headed from his abstinence from drugs and alcohol (drinking for pleasure doesn't work because it dulls the mind and senses, and drinking to mask pain results in more pain plus a hangover, p. 148), and gave the audiences the show they expected. Beethoven rolled over, Berry rolls on.
October 9, 2008
Totally entertaining! Definately not what I expected...not sure what exactly I did expect. But, it kept me entertained!
November 21, 2021
Great
March 31, 2021
A good biography, but extremely icky. From a young age, the man was a voyeur. He disguises relentless womanizing as poetry (maybe that is the whole point to rock and roll?). Too many perverted double entendres where he might have been writing about the studio, the tours. What you get is real estate investments, and an endless stream of uncomfortable (for the reader) observations about white women, black women, French women, working women, and their availability for amour. Yuck. Need a shower after reading certain passages. Ends with excellent discography. After having studied so much cultural history of the era, one gets the idea that popular music, from Sinatra on, was a pretext for statutory rape, infidelity, and, though not the case with CB, misogyny. Berry seems like a normal human, with faults and gifts. I am glad he shared this complex story of the human condition. One of the interesting aspects of the autobiography is the relative stability, middle- or working-class position of his family. Unusual perspective, given the realities of most southern or midwestern Blacks, especially those scrapping to become pop or rock stars. But really, really creepy, especially since the book was finished before he was actually caught acting out on his lifetime voyeuristic disorder by recording the women's toilets in his various properties.
That said, my favorite line, and there are some pearls, because the guy COULD WRITE: on the first meal with his new bride, Themetta (Toddy, his nickname for her):
"Our first home meal [as newlyweds] was navy beans. Toddy had not soaked the beans, and though cooked an hour, they poured on my supper plate like peanut soup. But I loved them, gnawing with jaws of love and swallowing grit with grace."
That said, my favorite line, and there are some pearls, because the guy COULD WRITE: on the first meal with his new bride, Themetta (Toddy, his nickname for her):
"Our first home meal [as newlyweds] was navy beans. Toddy had not soaked the beans, and though cooked an hour, they poured on my supper plate like peanut soup. But I loved them, gnawing with jaws of love and swallowing grit with grace."
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