… the sincerest form of flattery… or not. Today in rock history, in 1963, "Surfin' U.S.A.," the Beach Boys' thinly veiled rewrite of "Sweet Little Sixteen," enters the Top 40 at a time when Chuck Berry is serving a term in a federal penitentiary for violating the Mann Act. Berry later sues for and receives a co-writing credit on "Surfin' U.S.A." Well, excuuuse me! It’s well known in rock and roll music (and just about everywhere else) that everybody steals from everybody else –for example, I have been known to lift all of my chord progressions for my tunes from Buddy Holly, but then again, I need all the help I can get! Let’s listen to the two back to back and you be the judge! Check out all that (what is now vintage) tweed Fender equipment used by the Beach Boys...and, Chuck Berry with a clarinet solo? Crazy, man! Thanks to http://rockhall.com/story-of-rock/today-in-rock/ for the info, and keep on rockin’!
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5 comments:
The Chuck Berry video is just haunting -- what a great find! Captures so much ...
Reminds me ... we need to start planning our 2012 SXSW week in Austin soon or you know it's not going to happen. For one thing, all the decent hotels will be sold out before we know it! You're the most organized man in this outfit, help me out here! :-)
Sounds good - I'll look into it! BTW, read my blog post "The Thrill is Gone" for some big news about Aces Wild...
Man oh man.
Let me just say, after 12-plus viewing/listenings ... this is one of my Top 10 of All Time Rock Videos. Thanks for finding and sharing it with me Mr. CML!!
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