Peak
10
Weeks
11
Score
1,585
Chart Year
1964
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Chuck Berry often told stories in his songs, and because his target audience was teenagers, they often had to do with school, cars, or going on a date. This one falls in both the cars and date categories. It finds Berry driving around with his girl with no destination - a great opportunity to make a move. He stops so they can get out and go for a walk, but is thwarted when her safety belt won't release. He spends the rest of the night driving back home, trying to get that darn belt to work. In the years before this song was released (1962-1963), Berry literally had no place to go - he was in prison for transporting a minor across state lines. He was one of the biggest hitmakers of the 1950s, but those hits dried by the end of the decade, and his prison stint took him completely off the radar. In 1964 he staged a bit of a comeback with "Nadine (Is It You?)," "You Never Can Tell," and "No Particular Place To Go." He hit another dry spell but in 1972 landed a #1 hit with the novelty song "My Ding-a-Ling." "No Particular Place To Go" was released in May 1964 backed by the instrumental "Liverpool Drive," and is instantly recognizable as a Berry composition with his distinctive, clean cut guitar style. >> This song shows up in movies and TV shows from time to time, usually for comic effect. Examples: Cadillac Records (2008) Snow Dogs (2002) The Last Days of Frankie the Fly (1996) Sgt. Bilko (1996) Married... with Children ("Old Insurance Dodge" - 1993) The Facts of Life ("Tootie Drives" - 1985) Long before The Beach Boys did it, Chuck Berry put "Kokomo" into a song lyric, heard here in the lines: No particular place to go So we parked way out on the Kokomo There is a Kokomo in Indiana, but most likely Berry was just making up a name for an out-of-the-way place that rhymes with "go."
Ridin' along in my automobile My baby beside me at the wheel I stole a kiss at the turn of a mile My curiosity runnin' wild Crusin' and playin' the radio With no particular place to go Ridin' along in my automobile I's anxious to tell her the way I feel So I told her softly and sincere And she leaned and whispered in my ear Cuddlin' more and drivin' slow With no particular place to go No particular place to go So we parked way out on the Kokomo The night was young and the moon was gold So we both decided to take a stroll Can you image the way I felt I couldn't unfasten her safety belt Ridin' along in my calaboose Still tryna get her belt a-loose All the way home I held a grudge For the safety belt that wouldn't budge Crusin' and playin' the radio With no particular place to go
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 23, 1964 | 100 | 26 |
| 2 | May 30, 1964 | 78 | 48 |
| 3 | Jun 6, 1964 | 43 | 83 |
| 4 | Jun 13, 1964 | 30 | 96 |
| 5 | Jun 20, 1964 | 25 | 101 |
| 6 | Jun 27, 1964 | 14 | 112 |
| 7 | Jul 4, 1964 | 11 | 115 |
| 8 | Jul 11, 1964 | 10 | 116 |
| 9 | Jul 18, 1964 | 17 | 109 |
| 10 | Jul 25, 1964 | 26 | 100 |
| 11 | Aug 1, 1964 | 48 | 78 |