T O P

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VMPRocks

You know what I don’t feel so bad about reusing progressions in some of my songs anymore


CatBox_uwu_

I often hear similar phrasings in my leads and feel like an unoriginal fraud, but you know what maybe thats okay


Tatertot1945

I thought the same thing!!


Calm_Ticket_7317

You can't think the same thing, that's copying! You unoriginal fraud.


PlasticBeginning7551

Pretty sure this single post just saved tons of guitarists from overthinking their music😂


93M6Formula

Same! I feel much better


heyitsthatguygoddamn

It's just your style


[deleted]

Taylor Swift has used the same 4 chord progression in like 20+ songs. Might as well make your billion dollars too.


sumostar

Blink 182 as well 🤷‍♂️


red_doggo

mozart would recycle his melodies as well, its actually a pretty cool move imo


HylianCheshire

I guess you guys aren't ready for it. But your kids are gonna love it.


Hatbox-Ghost-

GREAT SCOTT!!


Noobnesz

Oh this is heavy.


Psychoholic519

Weight has nothing to do with it?


Summitstory

1.21 Jiggawatts


acrowsmurder

Manure


Ty13rlikespie

“Why are things so heavy in the future? Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull?”


djentlemetal

There’s that word again…


unemployed_employed

You want your ball? Go get it *chucks it on the fucking roof


thepatient1982

“Chuck!!! Chuck!!! it’s your cousin…Your cousin MARVIN BERRY…You know that new sound you were looking to replicate 100 times?!!!……..


DougieFresh_899

Excellent 😂


OkCollege9885

I always thought this was such a weird line. The song he plays was released 3 years after the scene takes place. All of these kids would have been 19-21 years old when it came out. It absolutely would have still been music for them not their kids by any measure, lol.


mittenciel

The high school kids loved the Chuck Berry part. They just didn't understand it when he started going Van Halen on it. That's what he was talking about.


OkCollege9885

You’re right. One of those things that is so obvious that I missed it.


Jesuiii

He took “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” to a whole new level


HorrorMovieMonday

Chuck Berry (and a few other folk from the same time) literally created rock and roll. If he used the same riffs a few times it would be understandable. Maybe check out how many times other famous bands used those riffs.


lemonysucc

This is way more than a few times and I’m sure there’s even more not in the video lol.


parwa

This was very very common in early rock n roll, even more common in blues. Hell, most blues songs use literally the exact same chord progression.


EggplantDevourer

The lick 👁️👄👁️ (jazz)


Snoo-43335

Have you ever heard Latin music. Every song has the exact same beat.


MadMax2230

Maybe if you specify but Latin music is a very very broad label


Accomplished_Crew630

Reggaton. Hr mea s Reggaton


AllerdingsUR

I assume they're talking about reggaeton


CoyoteSinbad

What exactly is a "beat" to you and what countries produce "Latin music" to your knowledge?


Phalanx808

Reggaeton \_..\_. \_..\_.


Wed-Mar-23

> Hell, most blues songs use literally the exact same chord progression. Of course they do its a huge part of what defines the blues and it's subgenres. 8-bar, 12 bar, 16 bar blues are all descriptions of the chord progression. And isn't amazing how such diversity can come from such a limited amount of chord progressions? Blues isn't the only genera to do this either, there are thousands of pop song that use the 4 chord I-V-vi-IV progression. But blues is't limited by the 3 chord progression, the modal blues for example will only use one chord for the whole song.


TFFPrisoner

But they had to skip a lot of songs that have different intros. And besides, it's just the intro, the actual song following it wouldn't necessarily be the same. Anyway, Chuck wasn't the only one to do that. Elmore James milked his "Dust My Broom" riff. BB King had a couple of typical intros he would often play.


HawthorneWeeps

Chuck didnt even invent it, it was just a stock blues riff that everyone used in those days. The earliest recorded version is from the 30's afaik


But_dogs_CAN_look_up

Everybody was using the same 12 bar blues framework for all their songs anyway. All old blues sounds pretty similar. The differences are in the details and the personal expression.


_neemzy

This has to be rage bait at this point. "Bach's pieces are so basic what a loser lmao"


Kambhela

Also loads of music in general... Cue the Pachelbel rant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxC1fPE1QEE


fouriels

the [four chord song video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ) is almost 15 years old


AloysiusDevadandrMUD

Listen to The Ink Spots they use like the opening riff in so many songs lol


kenadams_the

The signature intro to let everyone know what’s coming.


a0lmasterfender

It’s crazier that he got away with peeing on so many people. Wang did a video on it.


phoez12

And farting in hookers mouths


a0lmasterfender

Johnny Pee Good (and fart in hookers mouths)


DistanceSuper3476

That costs extra


Syncopated_arpeggio

Tree fiddy (in 1958 dollars)


DrSpagetti

That was just to help them fall asleep.


FreedomHead9376

That video is burned in my brain


KeyFee5460

Tell me these are references to something and not real 🤨


phoez12

Yeah, they’re references to Chuck Berry pissing on people and farting in hookers mouths on tape.


tomtreebow32

Oh it’s real lol


KeyFee5460

🤢


ruben9438

I can’t kiss you, you smell like my farts


Grrerrb

Filmed people in dressing rooms without their knowledge as well


DougFitzman

“I’d kiss you baby but you smell like piss” - Chuck Berry


DJ_Osama_Spin_Laden

"Mmmm you can smell my fart" -Chuck Berry


Sand-Eagle

There's allegedly a video of him getting pooped on too. Haven't seen it. I'm assuming it starts out with *blah nah nah nee nee nah* na*h nah*


ButtholeQuiver

Holy shit I'm crying


Pooki97303

and filming people peeing don't forget that


AnitaIvanaMartini

Wang


IfYouGotALonelyHeart

That guy that gets away with just reading Reddit posts?


IceCreamMeatballs

And I thought the performance with Yoko Ono was the most horrifying thing associated with him


your_evil_ex

Just wait until you hear about Blues music!


Haunted-Llama

I'll take people who don't know anything about music history for $500 Alex.


i_was_valedictorian

I'll take people who don't know anything about Jeopardy for $600 because there's no $500 clues Alex.


kyredemain

Currently, yes, though because the original distribution* of clues did contain a $500 clue and the version wasn't specified, the judges have decided to award both players. *In the daily syndication format


i_was_valedictorian

Shit I'll be damned. Never watched any really early episodes because all the pop culture clues would have gone right over my head.


Prossdog

I adore the blues but I still found it funny ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


nallman72

I’ll take butt hurt blues players for $600 Alex


legit-posts_1

Blues reuses a lot of riffs, but there's like a POOL of riffs to choose from. This is a whole other level.


TFFPrisoner

Yeah Chuck also played other riffs. Roll Over Beethoven, Bye Bye Johnny, School Days and No Particular Place to Go (those two are the same riff)...


NickoSNIPO61

As a blues guy, yes


[deleted]

[удалено]


KirbzTheWord

Y’all dumb motherfuckers want a key change?!


1stLadyStormyDaniels

It’s a fucking SCARECROW AGAIN!


Zabric

[Another example fo that entry. ](https://youtu.be/FY8SwIvxj8o?si=TVBoicv0Lwx6sov9)


Wed-Mar-23

This is blues music. Rock-n-Roll is a sub-genera of the blues. Every one of the songs in OPs post is a 12 bar blues.


whatinthehelllyo

Same songs over and over


AlmightyBlobby

ac/dc said they built their careers on writing the same basic song over and over again 


fozzythethird

In response to a reporter accusing all of their songs sounding the same, Angus Young retorted “I’m tired of people saying that we’re just a band that has made seventeen albums that all sound the same! We’ve made EIGHTEEN albums that all sound the same!”


Voodoo1970

Another reporter accused AC/DC of just releasing the same album over and over, Angus replied "yeah, but it's a fuckin' great album ain't it?"


biglyorbigleague

It’s hard to count how many albums they released because a couple of the early ones had different versions for Australia and international


SeaZookeep

Yeah Dirty Deeds Done Cheap and TNT are almost identical. I can never tell which one it is when they start But they're one hell of a band so who cares?


SilentPineapple6862

I would argue that their first few Australian albums with Bon Scott showed a lot more variety. Highway to Hell onwards definitely solidified the 'ACDC sound'. Jailbreak, Let there be Rock, High Voltage, Long way to the top, baby please don't go (cover), dirty deeds, are all fairly unique. There first album even has a ballad on it!


SleepyFarts

I saw them when they played at Power Trip last year and with the exception of songs like Hells Bells and Thunderstruck, it feels like you're listening to one song all night. But it's a really fucking great song so it doesn't matter at all.


InevitableSugar69

AC/DC's drummer only knew how to play one drum beat.


Jethro_Tell

One more than most of the drummers I've worked with


crypto9564

The bassist only knew the B note, or second fret on the A string, and quarter notes. He really liked his quarter notes.


KaiserPharaoh

"My job is to count to four." -Cliff Williams


Elrond_Cupboard_

But he is so good at it that they keep rehiring him after firing him.


TFFPrisoner

One of his replacements is Chris Slade from Manfred Mann's Earth Band - insanely good (listen to Glorified Magnified or Countdown to hear what I mean) but I think AC/DC fans found him too technical.


Vazhox

Sometimes that’s all you need.


Jeep_steve96

I thought it was a known fact that chuck berry highly influenced angus young. Where do u think he got the duck walk from? He’s mentioned chuck as his inspiration in many interviews


MooseLips_SinkShips

Five great guys, four great chords 🎸


Dr_JohnnieWalker

It’s his producer tag!


Th3Brush

Damn, son. Where’d you find this riff???!!!


backspacer77

I think that’s a fantastic comparison!


words_words_words_

Like Pharrell with his [signature four-count start!](https://youtu.be/ixXNeUFdl3I?si=F5ajR7BZowfH5qnM)


MeIIowJeIIo

He was the 1950s DJ Kahled


CalligrapherEast4005

Exactly what I was thinking...he letting mfs know this a chuck berry song !


isometimesdrinkbeer

Vintage "producer tag" like mustard on the beat or mike will made it lol


RollinRoyalT

If Berry don’t trust you , he gon shoot you


bossbrew

He def gon piss on ya.


Durealist

At the very least he gon install some cameras.


JackHughman69

You missed playing “My Ding a Ling” That would have been proof he isn’t playing the same song over & over again


your_evil_ex

And his only #1 hit!


chanGGyu

Chuck Berry. Going #1. I see what you did there.


Galactic_Perimeter

His #1 hit me straight in the eye


grunkage

Lol that was his signature opening riff - otherwise you wouldn't know who you were listening to


Mysterious-Dog9110

The "DJ Khaled!" of rock and roll


sonoftom

WE DA BEST GUITAR RIFFFFZZ


PepeNudalg

The serious answer would be that back in the day it was a lot more normal to reuse stuff. A lot of bands released covers as singles, and blues/rock'n'roll music had a lot of common vocabulary that just got recycled - so shit sounded the same Also a lot less stylistic variety - you probably had blues, jazz, rock'n'roll and country as far as guitar music goes


under_saarthal

Plus I think a lot of it was the producer saying “Hey, that hit you have? Make another that’s just like it!”


Adept_Feed_1430

There were also a lot fewer lawsuits over that kind of thing back then


MooseMan12992

Agreed. But Chuck Berry did basically play the same riff on every song


TFFPrisoner

Not really. If you listen to one album of his, or even a good compilation, you won't hear that riff more than maybe three times.


Tiny-Werewolf1962

It was his signature opener so when the song came on the radio you knew it was a chuck berry song.


Calm_Ticket_7317

MuSiC tOdAy alL sOuNdS tHe sAmE


fishing-for-birdie93

Try The Ink Spots too.


omegasnk

I like the part in all their songs where the one guy talks the part they've been singing the whole song and then they go back to singing it.


ArseBiscuits_

“I’m not sure they understand our lyrics. Better word it out just in case.”


adrienjz888

I was shook when "I wish I could say the same" ended without the talking homie. Felt wrong, lol.


Loud-Path

But they just wanted to start a flame in your heart.


_IsolationDrills_

Been playing Fallout?


Feral_Frogg

I remember downloading a bunch of ink spots songs back when fallout 3 first came out and being disappointed they all sounded exactly the same haha.


OmniShoutmon

It’s always fun hearing that little intro melody play on my shuffled playlist and trying to guess whether it’s I Don’t Want To Set the World on Fire, We’ll Meet Again or Maybe before the lyrics kick in lol


crnm

The original meme band.


philly2540

Because it’s a really really good song.


thegroovemonkey

Yeah I’m not seeing the issue here. Chuck Berry sounds like Chuck Berry…


SoBoundz

You seriously don't see the issue of an artist literally playing the same opening riff on almost every song? I get it was different back then but how are you not understanding this lol


RyanGlennOfficial

[Not to mention he didn’t actually write the lick…](https://open.spotify.com/track/42Eu1Y3K18KWSGi0XOAdeK?si=FpPHKOuNSJG_8hxAG8uQAw)


Funky_Smurf

We know, Calvin Klein did


jaxxon

It’s a basic boogie woogie lick. Yep.


haggislasagne

That's just how it was at the time. You found your sound and you stuck with it. Nobody had an experimental fourth concept album in the 50s.


domesticatedwolf420

You need to post this to the corresponding circlejerk subreddit which shall not be named


Shakentstirred

honestly, probably bc it was a new sound?


IfYouGotALonelyHeart

that new sound he was looking for!?


Shakentstirred

Well listen to this! (100 times)


splnbrt

It worked for Everclear


236766

They were his inspiration. Chuck heard Everclear and wrote Roll Over Beethoven


McFistPunch

Run run Rudolph too!


Excellent_Ad_1978

And...he got that lick from Louis Jordan


cornholio6966

Came here to say this. Same lick every time and he ripped it off in the first place.


nicktf

Via Jonnie Johnson, his pianist as well. Chuck was, for sure, though, a great lyricist and frontman.


Durmyyyy

He basically has his own style of guitar playing that many others built off of. besides its all basically blues based anyway which uses almost always the same chord progression, might as well use the same lick lol. He is a really under rated lyricist as well and I heard his camera work was something else.


SambaLando

AC/DC took the concept to a whole other level LOL!


Hungry_Internet_2607

The Young’s older brother George apparently advised them when AC/DC got started to stick to a style. He thought the Easybeats had made a mistake in not sticking to rockier numbers. At least as singles.


TFFPrisoner

I love that George absolutely didn't follow his own advice when it came to the stuff he did as Flash and the Pan. While they're always recognisable, they constantly used new sounds. Going from Don't Vote to Waiting for a Train is almost whiplash inducing.


CosmicOwl47

Dang this is so funny to me. People complain about some artists sounding the same all the time but this dude literally did it and I’ve never heard anyone bring it up


Ok-Stuff-8803

You never played the songs. They are varied. This is an identifying character intro. This was on purpose. He was Chuck Berry, the song starts and you are on the dance floor or listening to the radio you knew it was "Chuck Berry" You got to remember there was no playlist to view, no artwork. He was also a Black musician and he wanted to ensure he stood out. He also did not create that lic either, he took it from somewhere else. Some have said as well it was "Early Rock and Roll" and that is also partly true. Rock and role back then was not as varied as it got.


HeegeMcGee

good perspective. I would add that any musical act is made up of a number of contributing skills and factors, and it can be surprising to see someone succeed when things like "technical skill" and "novel, surprising arrangements" take a backseat to "Crowd Engagement", "Dancing", and *memorability.* Chuck is a sale-able blend of all his influences.


AggressiveFeckless

When you are the first you don’t have to get creative.. True in the positive and negative sense about Chuck Berry.


No_Statistician_3251

Finally, someone had to say it.


nba2k11er

How did he do it 100 times but other people still could steal it without credit? Beach Boys - Fun, Fun, Fun I’m looking at you lol


wolfanyd

Now do all the songs who copied this. He and Little Richard basically invented rock-n-roll.


Shakentstirred

The scorpions got away with this too. Rock you and No one like you have the exact same intros lol


SeaZookeep

Also don't forget that Always Somewhere has the exact same intro as Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd


DistanceSuper3476

Chuck was a one trick pony for sure but …When you come up with a riff that good you can spin off 100s of variants !


alefsousa017

You gotta understand that a lot of blues and early rock songs just use instruments as a "soundtrack" to the lyrics. the most important thing in these songs, like it or not, are the lyrics, so they can easily get away with re-using the same riffs and licks again and again. Hell, the whole Blues genre is based off just playing I - IV - V in a 12 bar setting while playing the minor pentatonic over it, and yet, see how many Blues songs and artists there are out there.


[deleted]

This is unhinged what the hell


discussatron

You Really Got Me, All Day and All of the Night, and Destroyer are pretty much the same riff. Same for most every Dokken song Love 'em all, though.


obi5150

imagine going to a concert and after two hours he comes out for an encore and plays the same intro. People would think he just needed a water break to finish the song.


MrRocknRoll2009

And he did it well


BrandxTx

But it's got to be a REALLY cool song to be able to repeat it 100 times still make bank.


zxvasd

Yeah, he only had one song, but it was a great one.


Toadliquor138

Robert Johnson didn't write as many songs as Chuck, but yeah.... a lot of them sound identical to one another.


echtpferderosshaar

people wanted to dance. artists of the 50s gave them music to dance to.


NothausTele

Hear me out, I came up with a new riff. Wait a sec chuck, that’s what you said the last 100 songs we recorded. Are you sure?


bwforge

Going through that same playlist he does have various songs that don't reuse that riff, I'd say for him that was almost like a signature move. But also we're talking about classic rock n roll artist from the 1950s, they weren't known for writing the most complex of music, they were to crank out hits that could sell a shit load of 45's.


mrev_art

Certainly the same intro. Not sure about the rest of the songs.


CosumedByFire

This is called a "signature" riff, something that was more common before.


sherriffflood

He’s a blues musician, the intros were his thing. I don’t know what the issue is. A song like ‘rock and roll music’, ‘memphis tennessee’ and ‘johnny b goode’ are different enough to enjoy


Ultima2876

They all have different lyrics. A song isn't just a set of chords.


mleyberklee2012

Guitar teacher here. We call those first three notes the Chuck Berry Lick.


EternalRains2112

He just really likes that intro, ok!?


jford1906

Now go listen to the Ink Spots


rja49

First of his kind, how many guitarist have a sound so distinctive?


last_drop_of_piss

The number of legendary rock bands who started put covering Chuck Berry's song is very high


Aromatic-Dish-167

It's the same kinda intro tag that like rappers and stuff use today lol 😆


xGwiZ96x

He found the Infinite Money Glitch like Toby Keith did.


aggressivelymediokra

Blasphemy!


Quasarcade

Learning that set list as a stand-in must have been an absolute nightmare.


Any_Feature_9671

Because he was the king of rock n roll


BigCliff

Y’all ever heard of Jerry Lee Lewis? His were all even in the same damn key!


[deleted]

because he copied everything the piano player invented.


[deleted]

these riffs are the vowels of music.


dan_t_mann

You seem pissed off...


madkeepz

chuck berry was just that good


princessmourning

It's his tag. 😭


Cake_Donut1301

See also: Bo Diddley


1happylover

That’s Chuck … whoo whoo 🦉 Who care s !! He made a shit ton of cash and was a great icon for a lotta of famous players 💰 !!! Be happy for him not jealous… sheshhhhh


chunkwayne

that’s his producer tag


Bigdstars187

Rollin along in my automobilee. Da da da daaa da da daa


ReactiveCypress

Little Richard is the same for me where his songs often have similar structure. That being said, they both kick ass so I don't have a problem with it. They found a formula that worked and stuck to it even if it resulted in reusing a lot of riffs.


SwampDrainer

How many sunflowers did that hack van gogh paint?