Let It Rock by Chuck Berry

Album: Reelin' & Rockin' (1959)

Charted: 6 64

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Songfacts®:

This song is sung from the perspective of a railroad worker in Alabama trying make a few bucks and get through the workday. At the end of the day, the workers are on the tracks playing dice when the foreman warns them that a train is coming. The words "Let It Rock" do not appear in the lyrics, but they indicate that the train coming through represents rock and roll.
Many of Berry's songs relate to teenagers, who were a great market for him since they bought so many records, but this song has more adult themes and a blues feel. Some of the artists who were influenced by Berry recorded this song, including Eric Clapton, The Animals and The Rolling Stones.
The Rolling Stones cover first appeared on the UK single B-side of "Brown Sugar" in 1971. It was recorded live in March 1971 at University of Leeds in England. This and other B-sides that didn't make it to albums were released on The Stones album Rarities 1971-2003. >>
Suggestion credit:
Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 14

Query Tho from LondonBut hang on what happens in the song? Do they all get killed? The foreman is trying to get the workers out the way of the train and the next thing we know gotta let the train roll on. This song left me very uneasy as a kid and still does. Is it based on an actual incident??
Michael Val Hietter from Winder, GaCountry Singer Mel McDaniel recorded a cover of this song that he titled "Let it Roll" which included a chorus of sorts (just "let it roll" four times plus the last two lines of the preceding verse over the music of the verses).
Brian from Sunderland, EnglandGreat song but the best version I've heard is by the Animals on their live album at the Club A-Go-Go.
Eric Burdons vocals are brilliant.
Rockman from BraintreeThis tune kills it not matter who does it, it seems. Love the pepped up Yardbirds version. Stones one is the best, 1971, Jagger's accentuated vowels.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 12th 1960, Chuck Berry was the headliner act* at the Apollo Theatre in the Harlem section of New York City...
At the time his "Let It Rock" was at #81 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; ten days later on February 22nd it would peak at #64 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 6 weeks...
The record's B-side, "Too Pooped to Pop", also made the Top 100, it reached #42 on the chart...
Charles Edward Anderson Berry will celebrate his 90th birthday this coming October 18th {2016}...
* Other acts on the bill were Little Anthony and the Imperials, Baby Washington and the Mello-Kings.
Ron from Los Angels, CaI think Bob Seger's version in Live Bullet is still the best. He made a studio version which is just as good as very as studio versions are concerned.
Gregory from Buena Vista, CoBasing my opinion on the 'Let It Rock' version from The Great Twenty-Eight CD, this is the immortal Chuck Berry at his composer/guitarist Best...give a listen, again, to Chuck's re-creating the train's warning air-horns, just after the line "...engineer's blowin' the whistle, loud and long, he can't stop the train, got to let it roll on...". Other excellent covers are the aformentioned Rolling Stones 'Rarities' version, and the Georgia Satellites' version from their CD of the same name. Absolute killer Rock'n'Roll at it's finest. ..All Hail Chuck Berry!
Barry from Sauquoit, NyMy favorite Berry song; but not the original 1:47 version. In 1996 a live CD called "Blue Suede Shoes" was released by Newsound Ltd. featuring various artist. The 1st song on the CD was Chuck doing 'Let It Rock'; it was 4:51 in length; there was no piano just Chuck and his guitar, it is one amazing performance!!!
Chase from Interlachen, Hithis is a awsome song i agree
Adam from Yarmouth, MeOne other person who made a song with the same name but have nothing in common with this one is Bon Jovi.
Kevin from Reading , PaAmong the notables who recorded this but were not mentioned in the song fact is Jerry Garcia, who used it as the lead off track on his "Compliments" album from 1974. Jerry's version is good, but not as good as the Chuckster's -- but then whose would be? When it comes to this kind of rock and roll song, Berry invented it. In fact, the only instance I can think of in which he gets outdone on one of his own songs would be an amazing take on "Little Queenie" by the Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis.
Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, Nmtotally. Amazin' voice
Joe from Perth, Australiathe first few lines are seriously kick ass
Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, NmWhat? Im the first one?
HOW CAN U NOT LOVE THIS SONG CHUCK BERRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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