It was a teenage wedding, and the old folks wished them well
You could see that Pierre did truly love the mademoiselle
And now the young monsieur and madame have rung the chapel bell
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale
The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale
But when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast
Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz
But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell

They bought a souped-up jitney, 'twas a cherry red '53
They drove it down to Orleans to celebrate the anniversary
It was there that Pierre was married to the lovely mademoiselle
"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell


Lyrics submitted by Nelly

You Never Can Tell Lyrics as written by Chuck Berry

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

You Never Can Tell song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

12 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +4
    General Comment

    To add to the last comment... it is about a teenage wedding that actually lasted. "C'est la vie" is a french expression that translated in english means "that's life" sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't hence you never can tell.

    jermsteadon October 08, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i loved it when mia and vincent danced to this song in pulp fiction! Tarantino always know what music goes best with the movies. KICK ASS.

    maggotbrainon April 25, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is about a teenage couple getting married and staying together. Many of Berry's songs are written from the perspective of young people. This was one of the new batch of hits Berry produced after being released from his 1962-63 prison incarceration. Berry invented a new word for the lyrics: "Coolerator." It means "refrigerator."

    kmk_natashaon March 26, 2005   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I think that none has so far realized that the song is actually about a DEAD COUPLE!!! This can be argued by the sharp contrast between the verbs in the simple past (was... wished... could... fournished... and so on) and the present of the lines

    And NOW the young monsieur and madame HAVE RUNG the chapel bell, "C'est la vie", SAY the old folks, it GOES to show you never can tell.

    So, the chapel bell is not ringing on their marriage (it would be "and THEN the young Monsieur and Madame RUNG the hapel bell" or the similar) but on their funeral!!! It is way the old folks NOW say "C'est la vie!", now when something bad is happened, because, do not forget!, the expression "C'est la vie" always expresses complaint about something bad but unvoidable.

    Guys, that's Chuck Berry, that's Rock'n'Roll!! Irony and double sense are always there! A banal love song about a couple wiho has an happy life is out of place here!

    Even more tragical here is that the youg couple dies on their anniversary, while driving back with a brand new car to the place where they got married, a year after... Call no man happy 'till he dies!

    paolobeatleson November 02, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    As mentioned, this song is about a teenage couple that managed to stay together, against the odds. The oldsters who observe this, having expected it to fall apart quickly, are surprised and say "huh, that's life, you never can tell".

    This song probably had personal meaning to Chuck Berry. In 1959, he was arrested and imprisoned on trumped up charges of violating the "Mann Act", related to a sexual relationship he allegedly had with an underage girl. This song was written while Berry was in prison.

    And no, this song is not about a young couple who have died, as one comment would have it. The use of past tense in the song is just the perspective chosen by the songwriter, nothing more.

    rkpetersenon February 20, 2016   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Pulp Fiction rules.

    GlassJAw182on August 26, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I really like the Chcuk Berry songs with the one driving rhythm, this is one of those.

    fourgangeron November 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    great song. Chuck Berry was so 'cool' back in the days, f'real.

    convinceon December 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Damn... I am not a big english speaker but it seems so obvious:

    "But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell..."

    They had almost everything but no "fun" in the night, dear kids...

    nikolawfeon October 13, 2015   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Chuck Berry wrote it and it's been played and played but still has life in it. One thing it says is that not much surprises old people.

    sdz896542on January 14, 2016   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
When We Were Young
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.