Entertainment For Lively Minds
Who stepped on who's shoes?
Posted by Paul Bernays on 9 November 2010 - 12:33am.
Was Chuck Berry referencing Carl Perkins' Blue Suede Shoes in Roll Over Beethoven (Early in the morning I'm-a-giving you a warning / Don't step on my blue suede shoes) or did Carl borrow from Chuck? This question of who first veritably expressed anguished concern that people didn't scuff his hard earned blue complexioned foot attire has long irked me but for some reason didn't seem important enough to post until tonight. I know I could mildly google and check recording dates but I'd much have this longstanding issue resolved by a Massiver who knows. Other examples or contentious or cheeky 'borrowing' of much interest also - over to you.
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I'm pretty sure Blue Suede Shoes came out first...
... and Chuck wasn't above borrowing and claiming them as his own.
In this instance
I wouldn't say Chuck was plagiarising.
There was only a matter of a few months between the two singles (both were released in 1956) and clearly Chuck was giving an affectionate nod to Carl's song which was probably still riding high in the public awareness.
The Beatles, of course, referenced several of their own songs in later recordings.
They even spoofed She Loves You at the end of All You need Is Love. Amazing to think that in only 4 years they had moved popular music on so far that they considered their early hits old fashioned and worthy of gentle lampooning.
Cheeky borrowing
Famously Chuck is credited with writing Surfin USA as it was so much like Sweet Little Sixteen. Brian claimed it was just 'inspired'.