--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe it is true what they say, that…" description: "\"Maybe it is true what they say, that playing these Chuck Berry songs is easy. But try singing them. The words come out hard, like bullets.\" — Chuck Berry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/chuck-berry-4519_chuck-berry_maybe-it-is-true-what-they-say-that-play_961420.jpg" --- # Maybe it is true what they say, that playing these Chuck… ![“Maybe it is true what they say, that playing these Chuck Berry songs is easy. But try singing them. The words come out hard, like bullets.” quote by Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/chuck-berry-4519_chuck-berry_maybe-it-is-true-what-they-say-that-play_961420.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/chuck-berry-4519_chuck-berry_maybe-it-is-true-what-they-say-that-play_961420.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/chuck-berry-4519_chuck-berry_maybe-it-is-true-what-they-say-that-play_961420.jpg) > “Maybe it is true what they say, that playing these Chuck Berry songs is easy. But try singing them. The words come out hard, like bullets.” [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing music is easy, but singing the lyrics is challenging, likened to being shot with bullets. **In simple terms:** Playing is easy; singing is hard and intense. Key Takeaway Respect the difficulty of vocal performance. Themes music challenge performance Mood intense reflective Type musical motivational When to use this quote - live concerts - music education - songwriting workshops Key Concepts artistry vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - Why do you think singing feels like being shot? - How does difficulty affect artistic expression? A Different Perspective Does not address why the lyrics feel hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Berry Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/berry-songs-1782544/) [Chuck berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chuck-berry/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Say Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-playing-1380748/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Singing Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing-words-943870/) [Songs Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs-easy-968196/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [Berry's On Top is probably my favorite record of all time; it defines rock and roll. A lot of people have done Chuck Berry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-perry/berry-s-on-top-is-probably-my-favorite-record-of-all-time-it-defines/) [Joe Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-perry/) > [I always say that when I'm playing well, no one can beat me. I'm not just saying that to sound full of myself or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/i-always-say-that-when-i-m-playing-well-no-one-can-beat-me-i-m-not/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [“My mother would say, 'Why are you always playing alone?' And I would say, 'I'm not playin', Ma. I'm fuckin' serious!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/my-mother-would-say-why-are-you-always-playing-alone-and-i-would-say/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“People say we are playing God. My answer is: If we don't play God, who will?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-watson/people-say-we-are-playing-god-my-answer-is-if-we-don-t-play-god-who/) [James D. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-watson/) > [Sometimes when you're the good guy, you're sort of trapped. "Oh, he can't say that." And even when you're playing a real person like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/sometimes-when-you-re-the-good-guy-you-re-sort-of-trapped-oh-he-can-t/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [I'm not going to say no to playing a show in Missoula.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ament/i-m-not-going-to-say-no-to-playing-a-show-in-missoula/) [Jeff Ament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ament/) > [I can speak for most songwriters - those breakup love songs are so easy to write, as far as the inspiration and all that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucinda-williams/i-can-speak-for-most-songwriters-those-breakup-love-songs-are-so-easy/) [Lucinda Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucinda-williams/) > [I don't cuss in songs. It's too easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-don-t-cuss-in-songs-it-s-too-easy/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [One-minute songs are easy as hell!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tierra-whack/one-minute-songs-are-easy-as-hell/) [Tierra Whack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tierra-whack/) > [I always felt like I could combine good pop songs that are easy for people to like with a real person and a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn/i-always-felt-like-i-could-combine-good-pop-songs-that-are-easy-for-2/) [Robyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn/) > [I've had a bit of a crazy life. So writing lyrics in songs is easy for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/i-ve-had-a-bit-of-a-crazy-life-so-writing-lyrics-in-songs-is-easy-for/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Writin songs is like a mystery. The most difficult thing to do is have a good idea. If you have a decent idea, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/writin-songs-is-like-a-mystery-the-most-difficult-thing-to-do-is-have/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [Songs are easy to remember because they have rhythm and music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asha-bhosle/songs-are-easy-to-remember-because-they-have-rhythm-and-music/) [Asha Bhosle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asha-bhosle/) > [Chuck Berry doesn't give interviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/chuck-berry-doesn-t-give-interviews/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [That's the misconceptions that people have, that Chuck Berry went to jail. They're just totally wrong. It might have said something in the large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/that-s-the-misconceptions-that-people-have-that-chuck-berry-went-to/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) ## More by Chuck Berry > [A contract is an ask game, and if it asks for an hour, and I submit to an hour, then it's an hour. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/a-contract-is-an-ask-game-and-if-it-asks-for-an-hour-and-i-submit-to/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [It amazes me when I hear people say, 'I want to go out and find out who I am.' I always knew who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/it-amazes-me-when-i-hear-people-say-i-want-to-go-out-and-find-out-who/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [If I wasn't a musician, I'd take up the law. They are the rottenest, wealthiest people in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/if-i-wasn-t-a-musician-i-d-take-up-the-law-they-are-the-rottenest/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [Rock's so good to me. Rock is my child and my grandfather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/rock-s-so-good-to-me-rock-is-my-child-and-my-grandfather/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [I used to work at Kroger's. When the store opened, you were there. When I worked in an automobile plant, you punched in. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/i-used-to-work-at-kroger-s-when-the-store-opened-you-were-there-when/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [People said I was king, but I was never king, and I say I'm the prime minister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/people-said-i-was-king-but-i-was-never-king-and-i-say-i-m-the-prime/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [All I want for Christmas is a rock n roll electric guitar...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/all-i-want-for-christmas-is-a-rock-n-roll-electric-guitar/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [All in all it was my intention to hold both the black and the white clientele by voicing the different kinds of songs in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/all-in-all-it-was-my-intention-to-hold-both-the-black-and-the-white/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [The music played most around St. Louis was country-western and swing. Curiosity provoked me to lay a lot of the country stuff on our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/the-music-played-most-around-st-louis-was-country-western-and-swing/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [In the Fifties, there were certain places we couldn't ride on the bus, and now there is a possibility of a black man being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/in-the-fifties-there-were-certain-places-we-couldn-t-ride-on-the-bus/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [If you're going to be mad, at least let the people know what you're mad about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/if-you-re-going-to-be-mad-at-least-let-the-people-know-what-you-re/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [All were artists, playing foolish, having fights and making love as if the rest of the world had no racial problems whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/all-were-artists-playing-foolish-having-fights-and-making-love-as-if/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [Maybellene, why can't you be true?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/maybellene-why-can-t-you-be-true/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [There had to be a market in order for you to be successful in a business. The market had to need your business, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/there-had-to-be-a-market-in-order-for-you-to-be-successful-in-a/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) > [They're drinkin' home brew from a wooden cup. The folks were dancin' there got all shook up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-berry/they-re-drinkin-home-brew-from-a-wooden-cup-the-folks-were-dancin/) [Chuck Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) [Explore all 110 Chuck Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-berry/) ## More Chuck berry quotes > [If you're going to do Chuck Berry, you got to, you know, go all out, and the duck walk is just kind of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/if-you-re-going-to-do-chuck-berry-you-got-to-you-know-go-all-out-and/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I'm influenced by Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelly, Roland Kirk, John Coltrane, B.B. King, and then by bluegrass. But when I was 16, bluegrass wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickey-betts/i-m-influenced-by-django-reinhardt-stephane-grappelly-roland-kirk/) [Dickey Betts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickey-betts/) > [Growing up, I never listened to English music. I was more into Motown, as well as early rock n' roll like Chuck Berry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-winston/growing-up-i-never-listened-to-english-music-i-was-more-into-motown/) [Alex Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-winston/) > [I never liked blues music, and I really didn't like jazz. I liked Chuck Berry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-ramone/i-never-liked-blues-music-and-i-really-didn-t-like-jazz-i-liked-chuck/) [Johnny Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-ramone/) > [Blues is a big part of rock and roll. The best rock and roll got its birth in the blues. You hear it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-young/blues-is-a-big-part-of-rock-and-roll-the-best-rock-and-roll-got-its/) [Angus Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-young/) > [People always talk about good time rock and roll, Chuck Berry or whatever, like this liberating force for feeling good. But what I need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/people-always-talk-about-good-time-rock-and-roll-chuck-berry-or/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [When Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, Tommy and me were inducted to the Hall of Fame, it meant we were with the Beatles, The Who,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marky-ramone/when-johnny-joey-dee-dee-tommy-and-me-were-inducted-to-the-hall-of/) [Marky Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marky-ramone/) > [Chuck Berry's 'Maybellene' hit the airwaves at about the time Alan Freed got to New York, and it was definitely a song I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/chuck-berry-s-maybellene-hit-the-airwaves-at-about-the-time-alan/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I would listen to Little Richard and Fats Domino and Chuck Berry, and I would listen to how they played their riffs, and after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-would-listen-to-little-richard-and-fats-domino-and-chuck-berry-and/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [When I was in high school in the '50s, all pop music - Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard - was aimed at teenagers. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hilburn/when-i-was-in-high-school-in-the-50s-all-pop-music-elvis-chuck-berry/) [Robert Hilburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hilburn/) > [When Chuck Berry came along, what he did was more rock & roll than it was blues. It was more exciting. He was like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/when-chuck-berry-came-along-what-he-did-was-more-rock-roll-than-it/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [The best musicians in the world were raised on the same kind of music I was raised on and that is black, soulful, authoritative,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/the-best-musicians-in-the-world-were-raised-on-the-same-kind-of-music/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [My momma always said, 'You and Elvis are pretty good, but y'all ain't no Chuck Berry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lee-lewis/my-momma-always-said-you-and-elvis-are-pretty-good-but-y-all-ain-t-no/) [Jerry Lee Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lee-lewis/) > [When I started reaching teenage years, I listened to everything that was on the radio like everyone else did, which was Chuck Berry, Beach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-montrose/when-i-started-reaching-teenage-years-i-listened-to-everything-that/) [Ronnie Montrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-montrose/) > [Chuck Berry invented rock 'n' roll. He was one of the best songwriters of the 20th century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/chuck-berry-invented-rock-n-roll-he-was-one-of-the-best-songwriters/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) [Browse all 106 Chuck berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chuck-berry/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Maybe it is true what they say, that playing these Chuck Berry songs is easy. But try singing them. 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