Chuck Berry vs Bruce Springsteen, Two Visions of America – IOTW Report

Chuck Berry vs Bruce Springsteen, Two Visions of America

 

Chuck Berry “Back in the USA”

Chuck Berry – “Promised Land/Johnny B. Goode”

Maybelline

26 Comments on Chuck Berry vs Bruce Springsteen, Two Visions of America

  1. “The River” was over stuffed with songs that weren’t good enough to be on the previous album, “Darkness on the Edge of Town.”

    That said, I don’t listen to Springsteen much and “The River” never and have no interest in ever sitting through a protracted concert of his music. He can’t fake his lack authenticity anymore.

    Chuck Berry was an original warts and all, but no one ever accused him of being inauthenticity or trying to be something he wasn’t and was never going to be.

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  2. In High School, I had an Government Teacher that was also a

    Musician…(Gene Fore and the Foremen) Mr. Fore hated Brucey

    with a passion.. I didn’t get it at the time (1980) but coming

    Home from Korea in 84 and hearing “Born in the USA” ..I thought

    Gene was spot on…sprungsteen sucks ass !!!

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  3. DR TAT

    Close but no CIGAR.
    Chucks “hillbilly” sound some said was a knock of of Hank !Chuck was well educated and could both read and write music; and a quasi “musicologist. Hank was a drop out who could neither read nor write music. He played his song and a member of his band wrote the music, then another plaed back what had been written and Hank would correct.

    Chuck wrote a song to let folk know he was not a Hank wannabe (not the term used 65 years ago) It was ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN (and tell Tchikofsky the news). And it clearly showed that Chuck was a musicologist, well educated! Not at all like Hank. As I recall (hey this was64 years ago!. Chuck topped the charts wit this song. And nody ever again compared him to the white “hillbilly”! Which BTW helped Chuck sel north of the M-D line!

    but I saw many such comparisons in the mid 50’s.

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  4. I thought only white chicks and greasy yankee dudes liked springsteen.

    Never met a guy who liked him. Lots of crazy skirts seemed into him though.

    And no. It is not possible to knock boots to a springsteen album. Try the Neville Brothers. Can’t go wrong with “Yellow Moon”.

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  5. an ol exaJARHEAD

    Chuck also got into big trouble for putting cameras in the Women’s bathroom of his restaurant, though he did probation for that one.
    https://www.riverfronttimes.com/musicblog/2011/12/27/videotape-allegations-stung-berrys-legacy-22-years-ago-today

    So there’s a pretty big wart on his reputation.

    I’m not sure what your overall point is? Are you saying Chuck borrowed from Hank Williams until he came out with “Roll Over Beethoven.” I know he was famous for blending Country with Blues that added a great deal to what became Rock N’ Roll, which seems pretty original.

    Springteen has tried going folk a couple of times. It did little for either genre.

    I’d still say Chuck Berry had more originally and authenticity than Springteen could ever fake.

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  6. My favorite Chuck Berry song was Too Much Monkey Business, the least was My Dingaling. The guy in the video had a nice plaid shirt, I’m a sucker for plaid. And Brown Eyed Handsome Man, although I still wonder how you get a 2 3 count in baseball and hit a high fly ball into the stands.

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  7. Many years ago, I improved the lyrics that this leftist hack wrote for “Born in the USA” to make them worthy of the melody. Here’s what I got

    Born down in a flyover town
    Learned to love this land before I walked the ground
    You learned about folks who sang a different song
    But you must spend most your life trying to get along

    Born in the USA …..

    Had a November ’08 wake up call
    Forced to push back or we could lose it all
    Rouse up folks in my native land
    Go fight the schemes of the Kenyan Man

    Born in the USA

    Took my concerns to a townhall place
    Congressman said, “Son, dont you know your place”
    Fired an E-Mail to my Senate Man
    He said, “Son, I dont understand”

    Had a brother at Saigon
    Trying to help folks flee the Viet Cong
    We pulled out; they’re all gone
    Thrown to wolves cause pols lacked the will
    Their pleading faces do haunt him still

    Down in the shadow of the Capital Hill
    Where POTUS and Congress spurned the people’s will
    Forty years since they shot the first round
    Nowhere to run; have to stand our ground

    Born in the USA, I was
    Born in the USA ….
    I’m an un-hip daddy in the USA

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  8. Chuck berry was from Missouri and was considered a bluesman…. to the extent that versatile “roots musicians” were considered “bluesmen.”

    By that i mean he had to play to a wide audience and in chuck’s case he was versatile. As were most of the bluesmen in those days.

    I can expand on that, but have a lot on my plate tonight.

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  9. Chuck had it hard, worked hard, but remained an optimist.

    Springsteen had it easy, worked hard, but became intellectually lazy.Typical, huh?

    Berry’s legacy will dwarf springsteen’s

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  10. Forty-five years ago Springsteen protested the building of the factory from which I retired. Screw the commie a–hole.
    I don’t believe I’ve ever herd his music. I haven’t missed anything.
    Is he still alive?

    2
  11. Spunksteen was a loser when I was a little kid. He’s still a loser. He is one of the primary dudes who fucked up the 80s. Spunksteen, john cooger melonballs, and a whole bunch of other swarf.

    3
  12. His song, Hungry Heart, is about a guy skipping out on his wife & kids (in Baltimore, Jack).

    Bad lyrics for young married men to hear. It legitimizes a very bad thing.

    And not everyone has a Hungry Heart.

    4
  13. Bruce’s legacy is this–
    Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack
    I went out for a ride and I never went back
    Like a river that don’t know where it’s goin. . .
    LOSER!

    4
  14. The first Springstoned albums were good because of the band, named for David Sanscious’ address on E Street.

    Berry’s music was infinitely more melodious, rhythmic and listenable. My only beef with him was his mispronunciation of Barstow in “Route 66” (he says Barscow).

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