Johnny B. Goode
許冠傑 Lyrics


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Deep down in 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-ringin' a bell

Go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny 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 Johnny go go
Go Johnny 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 hear you play your music when the sun go down
Maybe someday your name will be in lights
Saying "Johnny B. Goode tonight"

Go go
Go Johnny go
Go go go Johnny go
Go go go Johnny go
Go go go Johnny go




Go
Johnny B. Goode

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Johnny B. Goode" tell the story of a talented guitarist named Johnny who hails from a rural area near New Orleans. Despite his lack of education, Johnny is a skilled musician who can "play a guitar just like a-ringin' a bell." He carries his guitar in a gunny sack and often sits beneath a tree by a railroad track to play, drawing the attention of passersby who are impressed by his skills. His mother encourages him to pursue his music, telling him that one day he will be a successful performer, perhaps even having his name in lights.


The song is an ode to the power of music to transcend socioeconomic barriers, and to the importance of natural talent as opposed to formal education. It also acknowledges the influence of black musicians on rock and roll, with the mention of the rhythm made by the train drivers.


Overall, "Johnny B. Goode" is an infectious celebration of music, talent, and hard work, encapsulating the spirit of rock and roll.


Line by Line Meaning

Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans
The story takes place in a small town in Louisiana, just outside of New Orleans.


Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
The setting of the story is in a cabin located deep in the woods, surrounded by evergreen trees.


There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
This is the description of Johnny's house, which was made of logs and earth.


Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode
This is the introduction of the story's main character, a boy named Johnny B. Goode who lived in the log cabin.


Who never ever learned to read or write so well
Johnny was not very good at reading or writing, but he was skilled at playing the guitar.


But he could play a guitar just like a-ringin' a bell
Johnny was a talented guitar player who was able to make his guitar sound like a bell ringing.


Go go
This is the chorus of the song.


Go Johnny go go
This is the chorus of the song. Johnny is being encouraged to perform and play his guitar.


He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Johnny would carry his guitar around in a burlap sack.


Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track
Johnny would sit under a tree near the railroad tracks and play his guitar.


Oh, the engineers would see him sitting in the shade
The engineers driving the trains would see Johnny playing his guitar in the shade of the tree.


Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made
Johnny would play his guitar to the beat of the trains passing by.


People passing by, they would stop and say
Passersby would stop and compliment Johnny on his guitar playing.


"Oh my that little country boy could play"
This is the compliment that people would give Johnny when they heard him play his guitar.


His mother told him "Someday you will be a man
Johnny's mother told him that one day he would grow up and become a man.


And you will be the leader of a big old band
His mother imagined him becoming the leader of a musical group.


Many people coming from miles around
Johnny's mother thought that many people would come from miles around to see him perform and hear his music.


To hear you play your music when the sun go down
She imagined people coming to listen to Johnny play his guitar at sunset.


Maybe someday your name will be in lights
Johnny's mother imagined him becoming famous, with his name appearing on a billboard.


Saying "Johnny B. Goode tonight"
People would come to see Johnny's performances, with his name in lights billing his performances.


Go
This is the end of the chorus.


Johnny B. Goode
This is the title of the song and the name of the main character, Johnny B. Goode.




Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP
Written by: Chuck Berry

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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