About the song
**”Roll Over Beethoven”** is a landmark song written and performed by Chuck Berry, first released in May 1956 on Chess Records. With “Drifting Heart” as its B-side, this track is celebrated as a powerful anthem of rock and roll and an assertion of its place in the musical landscape.
The song’s lyrics cleverly express a desire for rock and roll to receive the same respect as classical music, mentioning classical composers like Ludwig van Beethoven and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and referencing popular music elements such as Louis Jordan’s “Early in the Mornin’” and Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes.” It reflects Berry’s playful defiance against the dominance of classical music in his household, particularly his sister Lucy’s preference for classical pieces on the family piano, while Berry himself yearned to play and promote rhythm and blues.
Recorded at Universal Recording Corporation in Chicago on April 19, 1956, the song features Berry’s distinctive guitar work, accompanied by Johnnie Johnson on piano, Willie Dixon on bass, and Melvin Billups on drums. Produced by Leonard and Phil Chess, “Roll Over Beethoven” achieved notable success, peaking at number two on the Billboard R&B chart and reaching number 29 on the pop chart.
Berry’s original version has been highly influential, inspiring numerous covers by artists such as The Beatles and the Electric Light Orchestra. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song number 97 on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” highlighting its role as a defining rock and roll anthem. Additionally, the Library of Congress selected it in 2003 for preservation in the National Recording Registry, recognizing its cultural significance.
The song’s impact is further evidenced by its induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1990. Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven” stands as a quintessential piece of rock and roll history, capturing the spirit of a new musical era and solidifying Berry’s place as a pioneering force in the genre.
Video
Lyrics
Well, I’ma write a little letter
I’m gonna mail it to my local DJ
Yeah, it’s a jumping little record
I want my jockey to play
Roll over Beethoven, I gotta hear it again today
You know my temperature’s rising
The jukebox blowing a fuse
My heart’s beating rhythm
And my soul keep a-singing the blues
Roll over Beethoven
Tell Tchaikovsky the news
Well, if you feel and like it
Go get your lover, reel and rock it
Roll it over then move on up just
A trifle further and reel and rock with one another
Roll over Beethoven
Tell Tchaikovsky the news
Well, early in the morning I’m giving you my warning
Don’t you step on my new shiny shoes
Hey diddle diddle, I’ma play my fiddle
Ain’t got nothing to lose
Roll over Beethoven
Everybody, repeat after me
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Tell Tchaikovsky the news