Chart entered : 9 February 1973
Chart peak : 18
It hasn't taken long to reach the first hit, post - Crazy Horses, of which I've no recollection. This was quite obviously a hit in the slipstream of his giant comeback hit "My Ding-A-Ling" which was slipping down the charts as I got interested. I certainly remember that but it was a while before I understood the reason behind the looks my mum and gran exchanged whenever it came on. Both songs were edited -down versions - I've yet to steel myself for 11 and a half minutes of "My Ding-A-Ling"- from the live side of his "London Sessions" album ,which was actually recorded at the Lanchester Arts Festival in Coventry in February 1972.
"Reelin' and Rockin' " was originally the B-side of "Sweet Little Sixteen" in 1958. It's quite conceivably about sex as well with Chuck checking his watch every eleven minutes while apparently dancing the night away. Otherwise it's a routine 12 bar boogie performed with gusto by the 45-year old who's in good voice and the crowd are obviously enjoying it. It was his last hit on either side of the Atlantic.
Chuck headlined at the Wembley concert in August 1972 then returned to the USA to make the album "Bio" The title track appeared on the B side of Chuck's next single "South Of The Border" a slightly rude two minute version of Frank Sinatra's "South Of The Border" released in December 1973. It's mildly funny on the first play but lightning wasn't going to strike twice for him.
It appeared two years later on his final album for Chess, "Chuck Berry". The other single was a decent version of "Shake Rattle And Roll" released in February 1975 ( when Elvis was riding high in the chartys with a cover of Chuck's Promised Land ) . Chuck's voice seems to be losing some of its power but there's good guitar work. The solo however was played by Elliott Randall who was brought in to do some overdubs on the LP without Chuck being involved. He was furious, ended his long association with the label and eventually resurfaced on Atlantic releasing what seems to be his last studio album "Rock It" in 1979. His last single was "Oh What A Thrill" which sounds strikingly like Rockpile ; even the vocals sound like Dave Edmunds. It's a good natured piano boogie but the energy level has dropped and I think the 52 year old Chuck realised the time for new material had passed.
Chuck's approach to touring was fairly unique ; he'd just turn up with a guitar and pick up local musicians assuming they'd all know his songs from the first riff. Bruce Springsteen backed him at one gig in the early seventies. Unsurprisingly the results were often terrible and his reputation as a live act inevitably started to suffer. He was also often performing for cash and eventually the tax man caught up with him so he spent four months of 1979 in prison for tax evasion.
In 1986 Keith Richards organised a concert to celebrate his sixtieth birthday with guests including Linda Ronstadt and Eric Clapton. It was filmed as "Hail ! Hail! Rock And Roll" . Chuck used some of the proceeds to buy a restaurant in Missouri. This venture came to grief when a number of women sued him for putting a camera in the women's toilets. Chuck claimed it was to catch an employee he suspected of embezzlement but he chose to settle out of court for over $1million. A police raid on his house incriminated him further and he had to plead guilty to drug possession as a plea bargain for which he received a suspended sentence.
He hasn't officially retired yet but since collapsing on stage at the beginning of 2011 he's only performed short sets at a restaurant near his home.
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