The "teenage wedding" song of Chuck Berry and Pulp Fiction

[luisam]

Chuck Berry wrote the song titled "You Never Can Tell (C'est La Vie)", in 1964, with its lyrics about Pierre, "the young M'sieur", and "the lovely Mademoiselle" who became "Madame".  It's the story of a happy young French couple, who had a "teenage wedding", and settled down in or near New Orleans to begin their married life. He wrote this song while he was serving a lengthy prison sentence (20 months) after being convicted under the Mann Act provisions. This piece of legislation was originally an anti-prostitution measure, but by then it was interpreted more loosely and dealt with taking an underage girl over state lines, for immoral purposes.

 

In December 1959, he was arrested under the Mann Act after allegations that he had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old waitress, Janice Escalante, whom he had transported across state lines to work as a hatcheck girl at his club. After a two-week trial in March 1960, he was convicted, fined $5,000, and sentenced to five years in prison. He appealed the decision, arguing that the judge's comments and attitude were racist and prejudiced the jury against him. The appeal was upheld, and a second trial was heard in May and June 1961, resulting in another conviction and a three-year prison sentence. After another appeal failed, Berry served one and one-half years in prison, from February 1962 to October 1963.

 

It is hard to ascertain the truth of the whole matter. The law in the US in the sixties was applied so differently to blacks than whites. On the other hand, Berry wasn't really a teenager, not even a "young M'sieur" at this time (1959), he was 33 years old. Musicians who worked with Berry said that the experience left him feeling very bitter.

 

This version from YouTube played live by Chuck Berry is probably the best I’ve listened.

 

 

"You Never Can Tell" remains a great song which has inspired many covers, notably one by Emmylou Harris.

 

Have some fun watching John Travolta dancing with Uma Thurman You Never Can Tell in the Jack Rabbit Slims Twist Contest in Pulp Fiction. Some movie critics commented that the scene was included to associate Travota dancing in Saturday Evening Fever or Grease but according to Quentin Tarantino "Everybody thinks that I wrote this scene just to have John Travolta dancing. But the scene existed before John Travolta was cast. But once he was cast, it was like, "Great. We get to see John dance. All the better."…

Certainly, the audience expects something special when the Travolta accepts to step out but finally he is NOT displaying any extraordinary dancing ability, not much more what you should expert from the gangster role he has in the pictur. Probably the only way he could get the trophy is by stealing it, as actually is insinuated by an "urban legend"!

The legend is based on a scene in Butch Coolidge’s story within the film. Butch (played by Bruce Willis) has to go back to his apartment to get the gold watch that had been left from Coolidge father to son for generations. This is a problem, of course, as Butch has just won a fight he was paid to throw by Marsellus Wallace. This scene takes place a day after the Vincent/Mia dance competition.

As Butch walks to his apartment via the back way, you can hear the radio mention “Jack Rabbit Slim’s,” the name of the restaurant where the twist competition happened. People have long claimed that you can hear them report on the radio that a trophy had been stolen from the restaurant. That is not true. It is just a commercial for Jack Rabbit Slim’s. It says “…and $5 milk shakes! Visit Jack Rabbit Slims nearest you…”