10 best Chuck Berry songs

Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 - March 18, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and rock founder. He has been called the "father of rock and roll" for his contribution to the development of rhythm and blues, the style of music that made rock and roll as we know it today.

Singer's Room writes, "Chuck Berry is a world-renowned songwriter, with his hits "Maybellene" (1955), "Roll Over Beethoven" (1956), "Rock and Roll Music" (1957) and "Johnny B. Goode" (1958). He wrote lyrics about the lives of ordinary people and social problems, developed a musical style that included guitar solos, and generally had a powerful influence on the future of rock music."

Here are the 10 best songs by Chuck Berry according to Singer's Room.

"Johnny B. Goode"

The song "Johnny B. Goode" was written and recorded in 1958. Released as a single, it peaked at number two on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and number eight on the Pre-Hot chart.

"Johnny B. Goode" is considered one of the most famous songs in the history of popular music. It has been called "the first rock 'n' roll hit about rock 'n' roll stardom," has been recorded by many other artists, and has received numerous awards and prizes. In particular, the song was ranked 33rd on the Rolling Stones' list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2021 and was included as one of 27 songs on the Voyager Gold Record, a collection of music, images, and sounds that symbolize the chronicle of humanity.

"Maybellene"

"Maybellene" (1955) is a rock and roll composition by Chuck Berry, partially adapted from the western swing fiddle tune "Ida Red". The song tells the story of hot rod racing and heartbreak. In particular, the lyrics describe a man driving a V8 Ford chasing his unfaithful girlfriend in her Cadillac Coupe DeVille.

"Maybellene" was released as a single by Chess Records from Chicago and is considered one of the first rock and roll songs. Rolling Stone magazine wrote about it as follows, "Rock 'n' roll guitar starts here".

"Roll Over Beethoven"

"Roll Over Beethoven" is a 1956 hit song written by Chuck Berry and released on a Chess Records single with the song "Drifting Heart" as its second side.

The lyrics are dedicated to the theme of rock and roll and the desire to make rhythm and blues as recognized as classical music. The song's title is an imperative to composer Ludwig van Beethoven to get out of the way and make room for the rock 'n' roll that Berry was promoting.

"Roll Over Beethoven" has been covered by many other artists, including the Beatles and the Electric Light Orchestra. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it 97th on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

"Rock and Roll Music"

"Rock and Roll Music" was recorded by Chuck Berry in May 1957 and is one of his most popular and long-lasting compositions.

"Rock and Roll Music" became a record-breaking hit for Berry, reaching the top ten in the United States. The Beatles' 1964 recording of the song topped the singles charts in Europe and Australia, and the Beach Boys' version reached the top ten in the United States in 1976.

"Sweet Little Sixteen"

"Sweet Little Sixteen" is a rock and roll song recorded by Chuck Berry and released as a single in January 1958. His performance of "Sweet Little Sixteen" at the Newport Jazz Festival that year was featured in the documentary film Jazz on a Summer's Day.

The single reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, one of Berry's two highest positions on the chart. The song "Sweet Little Sixteen" also took first place on the R&B Best Sellers chart. In the UK, it reached number 16 on the UK Official Charts.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine included "Sweet Little Sixteen" in the list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" at number 272.

"Brown Eyed Handsome Man"

"Brown Eyed Handsome Man" was released by Chess Records in September 1956 as the B-side to the song "Too Much Monkey Business". It was also included on Berry's 1957 debut album After School Session. In addition, the title of the song was used as the title in the singer's official biography.

"You Never Can Tell"

The song "You Never Can Tell", also known as "C'est La Vie" or "Teenage Wedding", was written by Chuck Berry in the early 1960s while he was in federal prison for violating the Mann Act.

It was released on the album St. Louis to Liverpool in 1964 and then as an off-album single.

Berry's recording features the iconic piano part performed by Johnny Johnson. The song has also been recorded and performed by many famous singers. In 1977, it became a top ten hit for C&W.

"Promised Land"

"Promised Land" is a composition written by Chuck Berry to the tune of the American folk song "Wabash Cannonball". It first appeared in this version in 1964 on the album St. Louis to Liverpool. In December 1964. "Promised Land" became Berry's fourth single released after his imprisonment on charges of violating the Mann Act. On January 16, 1965, the song reached number 41 on the Billboard charts.

"My Ding-a-Ling"

"My Ding-a-Ling" is a novelty song written and recorded by Dave Bartholomew. It was performed by Chuck Berry in 1972 and became his only number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Later that year, a longer version was included on The London Chuck Berry Sessions album.

"Nadine (Is It You?)"

"Nadine (Is It You?)" was released as a single in February 1964 and was the first musical composition Berry recorded after his release from prison in October 1963.

The composition is reminiscent of Berry's first hit "Maybellene," which also contains lyrics about chasing a girl, but in "Nadine", the chase takes place on foot and in a taxi instead of by car. As Berry said in an interview with Melody Maker magazine, "I took 'Maybellene' and made 'Nadine' out of it."