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my fave
hats off to pianist Danny Jordan; this is the only time I've ever heard his work and it's pretty magnificent here.
This is far and away my favorite Chuck Berry of all time. It's short too so you can play it right over again and really get your head on straight. In it's way it's the most impactful direct and on the edge of expolosion version I've ever heard. Only two states away from Missouri, way up there in Michigan they were right in it's direct path and this is music from the heartland U.S.A. in it's distinct way, as much as that Liverpool beat influenced so many good bands first coming over here; or whatever was 'hip' in London or NY absorbed it's own general stylistic expectations in it's own varied ways.
For me this is the pure intent and almost savage in it's perfection. here the ugly American finally rules for two minutes. he just touched down from an international flight and he's excited to be out of someone elses cultures and customs; he knows what fuels him; what's imortant, what, in it's pop american way, is essential:
Rock and roll, whatever else it is, is an American phenemonon at first with these few masters from the fifties still so ever definitionally influential.
Of course I thrilled and rolled and rocked to Mick's teeth bearing, funky slow rolling incredible funky and grovving versions in '69; and sure Carol from their first LP is sometimes I like just as much as this one; which is it's own miracle somehow...so this takes nothing from my love of watching ft. worth 78 open up and letting it rock...or anything...but i stand by these boys doing this version; In a way it might have been apex or near apex of their whole entire thing; which was a uniquely importnant and propoulsive=, tho often obsscured, part of rock and roll hisotryl. Theplayers went on to various things; marriagnes, jails, deaths, poverty, resurrections....bare recoveries and lecture circuits whatever....
for a moment in time they stood fierce as anyone who ever strapped on a guitar. with one mission; to drive themselves and you crazy; and they would like almos put their lives on the line to do that agian and again. Weird band. Anyway; if you don't find this fresh and direct and just alittle big essential, perhaps you'd swant someting a tad more soulful; for me this is a bullet to the heart and I want to get shot clean every day.
Oh well, oh well, I feel so good today,
We touched ground on an international runway
Jet propelled back home, from over the seas to the U. S. A.
New York, Los Angeles, oh, how I yearned for you
DETROIT, Chicago, Chattanooga, Baton Rouge
Let alone just to be at my home back in ol' St. Lou.
Did I miss the skyscrapers, did I miss the long freeway?
From the coast of California to the shores of Delaware Bay
You can bet your life I did, till I got back to the U. S. A.
Looking hard for a drive-in, searching for a corner café
Where hamburgers sizzle on an open grill night and day
Yeah, and a juke-box jumping with records like in the U.S.A.
Well, I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Yes. I'm so glad I'm livin' in the U.S.A.
Anything you want, we got right here in the U.S.A.
I also like Linda's studio version; it's kind of tame but awful neat and sharp; not so much the hail hail live version w Chuck; they changed keys on her at the last minute; she was gracious but pissed; she went off in her limo and didnt return for the evening show.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-03-23 15:17 by hopkins.