No Money Down

Album: After School Session (1955)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In a review of a Chuck Berry concert published in the British paper New Musical Express in April 1973, Roy Carr referred to the song "No Money Down" as a teenage fantasy. Nothing could be further from the truth. In his critical biography of Berry, John Collis says the song was inspired by an incident in Berry's youth. When he bought his first car - a 1934 V8 Ford, for $10 down and $5 a month - he was too young to sign the hire purchase agreement, so his older sister Thelma did the honors. In his autobiography, Berry says he went through a dozen automobiles in 12 years or less, and the song "got its origin from the salesman's pitch that I usually got when buying my first few cars".
  • "No Money Down" was released on Chess Records in December 1955 as the A Side of "Down Bound Train." It was also Berry's first UK single, being released there in May 1956. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander - London, England, for above 2

Comments: 3

  • Michael from Elkton, Md Duane Allman does a killer version of this tune on The 2 CD set "Duane Allman Anthology Volume 2" It's definitely worth a listen.
  • Andy from Halesowen, West Midlands, United KingdomI love this song, my favourite live band in my area, The Steve Gibbons Band, are big Berry fans, (he even called his daughter Nadine) and Steve does an awesome version of this.

    I disagree with your comment "nothing could be further from the truth". Firstly you admit it was inspired by his youth (so teenage fits) and some of the requests he makes are pure fantasy.

    Finally, it is interesting to look at his extras list and see which ones you can get in a car now - eg Phone, TV (well DVD players in the back) etc.
  • Mark from London, EnglandThe UK pub rock band Wolfie Witcher released a cockney version of this on their own label in the 80s.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)

Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MG's, Blues Brothers)Songwriter Interviews

Steve Cropper on the making of "In the Midnight Hour," the chicken-wire scene in The Blues Brothers, and his 2021 album, Fire It Up.

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde

Johnette Napolitano of Concrete BlondeSongwriter Interviews

The singer/bassist for Concrete Blonde talks about how her songs come from clairvoyance, and takes us through the making of their hit "Joey."

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Timothy B. Schmit

Timothy B. SchmitSongwriter Interviews

The longtime Eagle talks about soaring back to his solo career, and what he learned about songwriting in the group.