Johnny B. Goode
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"Johnny B. Goode" is a song written by Chuck Berry in 1955, and is considered one of the first pure rock and roll songs ever recorded.
The song is the rock and roll version of the American dream - a poor country boy from the backwoods has dreams of becoming a star by hard work and his skill at playing the guitar. Although partly based on Berry himself, the inspiration for the song is said to have been Johnnie Johnson who played the piano and composed several songs with Berry. On earlier, not released takes Chuck sang 'colored boy' for 'country boy', but the Chess-brothers decided that that would not sell.
This song has been covered by many artists including:
- Aerosmith
- The Beatles
- The Grateful Dead
- Jimi Hendrix
- Elton John
- Judas Priest
- NOFX
- Elvis Presley
- Sex Pistols
- George Thorogood
- Peter Tosh
- Johnny Winter
Berry's recording of the song was included on the Voyager Golden Record, attached to the Voyager spacecraft.
In the movie Back to the Future, Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, performs this song at a high school dance.
Berry later wrote a sequel called "Bye Bye Johnny".
Johnny B. Goode makes a cameo appearance in the Ricky Nelson song, Garden Party, as a symbol of nostalgia.
In 2004, Democratic nominee John Kerry used the song as a theme song at most of his campaign events.
Lyrics
Deep down Louisiana close to New Orleans
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode
Who never ever learned to read or write so well
But he could play a guitar just like a ringing a bell
Go go
Go Johnny go, go
Go Johnny go, go, go
Go Johnny go, go
Go Johnny go, go, go
Johnny B. Goode
He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track
Oh, the engineers would see him sitting in the shade
Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made
People passing by they would stop and say
Oh my, that little country boy could play
Go go
Go Johnny go, go
Go Johnny go, go, go
Go Johnny go, go
Go Johnny go, go, go
Johnny B. Goode
His mother told him "Someday you will be a man,
And you will be the leader of a big old band.
Many people coming from miles around
To listen to you play your music 'till the sun goes down
Maybe someday your name will be in lights
Saying Johnny B. Goode tonight."
Go go
Go Johnny go, go
Go Johnny go, go, go
Go Johnny go, go
Go Johnny go, go, go
Johnny B. Goode