This is ELO’s take on the classic Chuck Berry song and in CB’s opinion they kill it. When this song came out CB went nuts for it. These guys sounded like they were having fun. You can hear all that rock n roll history, Chuck, Jerry Lee, Beatles. Man do I like this version. The classic intro and Boom! Rock n Roll City!
The song just builds and builds. The strings are underneath just waiting to bust out and they do. Well into the song you hear Jeff Lynne growl, that’s how the song was effecting him. He fires off some great guitar licks, sings it like he means it, piano rocks, the drums cook and then the strings just take it into orbit. ELO pays tribute to Ludwig and rock n roll. They rock out big time. What a celebration of music. What a great song. CB’s style.
When CB was a snot nosed kid he used to slap this on and go crazy (Crazier). He didn’t want it to end. If you love rock n roll like CB does revisit or discover this gem.
“I’m gonna play my fiddle I aint got nothin to lose”
(Forgotten Rock Classics did a great piece on this tune. Check it out)
It’s confusing when you talk about Chuck Berry and CB in the same sentence 🤔
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That has confused me on a couple occasions. That CB sure influenced a lot of people. This CB? Not so many.
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Communist Bloc.
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Good one.
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Yea, this is a great version. They make it fun and exciting. Who knew that Jeff Lynne would become such a musical force. Definitely doing a piece on these guys one day next year.
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I never got on the ELO train (other than this song. The rocker in me). But I agree on Jeff Lynne. I picked up on him again with the Wilburies. I always got him and Ian Hunter mixed up.
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You never got on the ELO train?! Get on it, pal. The rest of that album is good
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I miss spoke. I do like the rest of that album. I had one more stop with ‘Eldorado’.
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Classic ELO! This great version also perfectly captures my sentiments when it comes to this band – oftentimes bombastic and completely overproduced, yet brilliant at the same time. I also frequently feel like this about Queen.
No matter what you think of ELO, there simply was no other band that sounded like them. In addition to writing catchy songs, Jeff Lynne has impressive guitar chops. When ELO was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year, they played Roll Over Beethoven and Lynne killed it!
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Like I said to ME I never kept up with them. The Queen comparison is a good one. This song is an all out rocker and that’s was hooked me. I would guess that all these bands started out playing covers by their heroes . I’d like to hear more of that stuff.
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You know, I don’t think that Chuck gets all the credit he deserves as a songwriter. He was great. His songs tell cool stories. His lyrics are witty and wise and real descriptive. His songs never grow old (except maybe for My Ding A Ling!!)
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I agree 100%. CB stays away from songs like ‘Ding A Ling’.
I heard ‘Reet Petite’ last night and thought “Neil would dig this”. Great tune by our buddy Jackie.
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Jackie was something else. What a performer!
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Love Chuck! Yes, I dig this cover. 8 minutes seems like it would be too long, but it is perfect.
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I felt the same way about the length but it’s not an issue once you get into it. I don’t think Ludwig Van ever wrote a 3 minute single.
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Yup. This’ll do it every time. Thom.
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Yup, it does.
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Never heard this before (I haven’t heard much ELO)… I like. I should dig in, then?
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This was just about it for me with ELO. I think they went onto mega sellers. I really dug this rocked out version of Chuck’s song. I know lots of people really liked them.
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Yeah, I know a few folks that rate them… I don’t know why I’ve never really bothered with them, to be honest. Maybe cause there’s just so much great stuff out there?
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I stuck around for the first couple then moved on. I still get jacked by this cut though.
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