Friday, February 06, 2026

La Fin de La Semaine Essay Question: Special "I Can't Believe I've Never Done This One" Edition

And by the way, I'm not kidding about the above title -- I really can't believe I haven't already done this one.

But that being the case, enough of my yakkin' -- let's get right to the subject of the weekend's business. to wit:

...and your favorite (or least favorite) cover(s) of a song by Chuck Berry that is NOT by The Beatles or the Rolling Stones is/are...???

Discuss.

And since we're in total hurry-up mode, here are mine.

That's live, of course, and the monster groove back-up band is Brinsley Schwarz. I should add that I stole some of Edmunds' echoed guitar licks from that on numerous occasions over the years, including in the studio.

And then there's this.

About which I can only say (and I think we can all agree) that's it's kinda not good, although somebody (lead singer Stevie Wright?) does an okay impression of Chuck's occasionally nasal vocals. 😎

In any event, as long time readers are aware, I'm a humongous Easybeats fan and I found it quite disappointing overall. Your mileage etc.

Alrighty then -- what would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

25 comments:

  1. In honor of Raul Malo,
    The Mavericks, "You Never Can Tell"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5dzoXlMgvI

    ReplyDelete
  2. our friends at wikipedia tell me:

    "Surfin' U.S.A." is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys, credited to Chuck Berry and Brian Wilson. It is a rewritten version of Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen" set to new lyrics written by Wilson and an uncredited Mike Love. The song was released as a single on March 4, 1963, backed with "Shut Down". It was then placed as the opening track on their album of the same name.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Blues Project - You Can't Catch Me

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bob Seger- Let It Rock (From "Smokin' O.P.s")

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had completely forgotten that one, which is terrific.

      Delete
  5. I favor the other Edmunds/Brinsley Schwarz Chuckles Berry cover version -
    “No Money Down”. My favorite Chunk Berry cover version ever. Frequently featured on my internet radio show back in the day!

    The Hounds did a fun version of “It Wasn’t Me” occasionally live in the early days.

    Captain Al

    ReplyDelete
  6. Buddy Holly - Brown-Eyed Handsome Man is wonderful. Peter Tosh ‘s Johnny B. Goode is also a favorite.

    - Paul in DK

    ReplyDelete
  7. Here, all you Dead haters can pooh-pooh this one:

    Grateful Dead - Johnny B. Goode

    but especially this version, from the closing of the Fillmore West:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvkUfy_9SmQ&t=70s

    ReplyDelete
  8. Johnny Winter. Johnny B. Goode

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers: Back In The USA

    ReplyDelete
  10. As soon as I post this, I'll think of omissions. But here are mine:

    Buck Owens-Johnny B. Goode (live in England, released as a single)
    Beach Boys-Johnny B. Goode (live from Beach Boys Concert. Done at Ramones speed with Denny killing the kit)
    Tommy Roe-Carol (yep, remove the chirpy background vocals and it's a complete classic)
    Yardbirds-Too Much Monkey Business (the live version w/ Clapton going to town)
    Elvis-Promised Land
    Ernest Tubb-Thirty Days
    Johnny Winter-Thirty Days

    Bob in IL

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dave Clark Five - Reelin' & Rockin'
    Lovin' Spoonful- Almost Grown
    rs

    ReplyDelete
  12. Steve James- Downbound Train https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE98SC9g4tg

    ReplyDelete
  13. Status Quo: Bye Bye Johnny
    MC5: Back in the USA
    Johnny Rivers: Memphis
    ELO: Roll Over Beethoven
    The Kinks: Too Much Monkey Business

    ReplyDelete
  14. The Smithereens - Run Rudolph Run https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nFBi3-q1z8

    ReplyDelete
  15. The Band - Back to Memphis

    ReplyDelete
  16. Keith Richards - Run Rudolph Run

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fCpsBzOeUQ

    ReplyDelete
  17. Ha! Keith isn't the Stones! I've run rings around you logically!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  18. Trying again - one of my favorites
    Emmy Lou Harris
    C'est La Vie (you never can tell)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I recently discovered - Billy Strings
    One of the best guitar players I've ever heard. So...
    "Promised Land"

    ReplyDelete
  20. Dave Edmunds - "You Can't Catch Me" ...out of control!
    The 13th Floor Elevators "Roll Over Beethoven" might be the weirdest.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Jimi Hendrix did a GREAT version of Johnny B. Goode.
    --Marc

    ReplyDelete
  22. Dave Edmunds - Run Rudolph Run
    ELO - Roll Over Beethoven
    Johnny Rivers - Memphis
    C in California

    ReplyDelete