Chuck Berry » Tracks » Johnny B. Goode

Chuck Berry – Johnny B. Goode (2:43)

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About This Track

Johnny B. Goode is a seminal 1958 rock and roll song by Chuck Berry, ranked by Rolling Stone as the seventh greatest song ever on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and the best guitar song on their list of the 100 greatest guitar songs of all time.

Written by Berry in 1955, the song is a rock and roll version of the American dream — a poor country boy becomes a star by hard work and inspired guitar playing. This image of unknowns with no future achieving fame and fortune through music became a paradigm for countless songs and even careers to follow.

The opening guitar riff on “Johnny B. Goode” may be the most famous single riff in rock and roll history. It is essentially a note-for-note copy of the opening single-note solo on Louis Jordan’s “Ain’t That Just Like a Woman” (1946), played by guitarist Carl Hogan.

Although partly autobiographical, the inspiration for the song is said to have been Johnnie Johnson who played the piano and composed several songs with Berry, and is considered a major contributor to the unmistakable Berry sound. On earlier unreleased takes Chuck sang “colored boy” instead of “country boy”, but it was changed for fear of it not being played on the radio. As a possible source for the last name, it has been noted that Berry was born on Goode Avenue in St. Louis.

Aware of the importance of the song to his fame and his image, Berry has written two more songs about Johnny, “Bye Bye Johnny” and “Go Go Go”, and also titled an instrumental album as “Concerto in B. Goode”.
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  • ImAnOldiesFan2

    "Johnny B Goode" bees a goooooood one!!!!

    Monday evening

  • Druid66

    Chuck B. Magnificent.

    last week

  • Phoenixmatthias

    "Back to the Future"!

    last week

  • tavitooo

    ey ey!! Johnny

    14 days ago

  • whhill1942

    rock on

    25 days ago

  • gdcman

    Angus Youngs hero

    last month

  • davidgeorgea

    Well its lively.../( *V* )\

    last month

  • moses2201

    +++super+++

    last month

  • AlterJohn

    Yeah, go Johonny go !

    last month

  • Ariues

    Looziana

    March 2012

  • oldiesfanjohn

    F`n A..one of the best songs ever recorded!!!

    March 2012

  • acvicente

    *-*

    March 2012

  • arturpawel82

    johnny is gooood

    March 2012

  • edwardeckel

    Definitely the archetype for all the rock and roll that came after it!

    March 2012

  • granpubah

    Hey Scott, I got lead vocal.

    March 2012

  • laiewfelipe

    back to the future *-*

    February 2012

  • BatonRouge21

    Probably is, 382.

    February 2012

  • username382

    This could well be THE best rock and roll song...

    February 2012

  • silvasonicsurfa

    .....as an 11yo I bought 'My Ding A Ling' , but little did I realise at that time how important Chuck Berry was in the scheme of early rock n roll.......

    February 2012

  • rockabillyfan

    Go, Johnny Go........................................super !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    February 2012
See all 620 shouts

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