Chuck Berry remains an influential figure and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music who first began performing in 1953. Cub Koda wrote, "Of all the early breakthrough rock & roll artists, none is more important to the development of the music than Chuck Berry. He is its greatest songwriter, the main shaper of its instrumental voice, one of its greatest guitarists, and one of its greatest performers." John Lennon was more succinct: "If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'."
Berry was among the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on its opening in 1986. He received Kennedy Center Honors in 2000 in a "class" with Mikhail Baryshnikov, Plácido Domingo, Angela Lansbury, and Clint Eastwood. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Chuck Berry #5 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. He was also ranked 6th on Rolling Stone's Rolling Stone's 100 greatest guitarists of All Time.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included three of Chuck Berry's songs (Johnny B. Goode, Maybellene, Rock & Roll Music), of the 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll.
Chuck Berry held a special place, in terms of sound development, in the formation of, Mersey-Beat at Liverpool.
The finest exponent of Chuck Berry, guitar, sound at Liverpool during 1959 to 1963, was Vincent Tow/Ismail, who in turn passed on many of the learned skills to Lennon & McCartney, his friends and colleagues during that period--1959 to 1962/3.
Chuck Berry also influenced many of the great rock 'n' roll bands that we know today including The Rolling Stones and The Beatles.
Johny B. Good
Chuck Berry Lyrics
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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
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 engineer would see him sitting in the shade
Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made
The people passing by, they would stop and say
Oh my, but 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 ol' band
Many people coming from miles around
To hear you play your music when the sun go down
Maybe someday your name'll 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
"Johnny B. Goode" is a song that's all about a young man from the countryside who can play the guitar like nobody else. He never had a formal education, but he could play the guitar perfectly. The singer describes how Johnny played his guitar, and it's clear that he was truly talented. Johnny carried his guitar in a gunnysack as he sat beneath a tree by the railroad tracks, where he strummed along with the train's rhythm. Johnny's music was so good that people passing by would stop and listen. The song also talks about Johnny's mother and her encouragement for Johnny to become a famous musician. She urged him to keep playing, saying that someday his name would be in lights.
The song's opening lines describe a log cabin where Johnny lived. It's deep down in Louisiana and close to New Orleans. The world being described in the song is one that's clearly rural and backwoods, but where there's a lot of talent that's just waiting to be discovered. The song's melody is bouncy and upbeat, which helps convey the idea of Johnny playing his guitar with joy and enthusiasm. The lyrics tell the story of a young man with a love for music and a talent that's impossible to ignore.
Line by Line Meaning
Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans
This story takes place in Louisiana near New Orleans
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
In these woods where the air is clear and the nature is abundant
There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
There was a simple house made entirely of logs
Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode
A boy named Johnny B. Goode lived there
Who never ever learned to read or write so well
Johnny wasn't good at reading or writing
But he could play a guitar just like a ringing a bell
He could play the guitar exceptionally well, like the sound of a bell
Go go
Let's go
Go Johnny go!
Go, Johnny!
Go
Keep going
He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
He carried his guitar in a sack made of gunny material
Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track
He would sit down under a tree near the train tracks
Oh, the engineer would see him sitting in the shade
The train's conductor saw him sitting in the shadow
Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made
Playing the guitar following the rhythm of the train's sound
The people passing by, they would stop and say
People passing by and listening would say
Oh my, but that little country boy could play
That young country boy was an extremely skilled musician
His mother told him "Someday you will be a man,
Johnny's mother informed him that he would become an adult one day
And you will be the leader of a big ol' band
He would become the leader of a large musical group
Many people coming from miles around
Many people will come from far away
To hear you play your music when the sun go down
To see him play his music at sunset
Maybe someday your name'll be in lights
Perhaps one day he will become famous
Saying Johnny B. Goode tonight"
Announcing the performance of Johnny B. Goode for the night
Contributed by Gavin A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jack
on Little Marie (Alternate)
Yes, oh yes, Long Distance, I'll accept the charge, I'll pay
Which love one is calling me, I did not hear you say.
Both are deep within my hearth, her Mom and my Marie
It so good to hear your voice from Memphis, Tennessee
Oh, you mean so much to me, more than you'll ever know,
Surely, you have not forgot how much I love you so
If you would remember, Dear, and sometimes talk to me
Maybe that would reunite our home in Tennessee.
Last time I saw you, just before I had to leave
You did not want to see me off and promised not to grieve,
My hearth was tore apart as I looked back at my Marie
And there the peace is still remain with you in Tennessee.
I guess I should stop talking, after all you placed the call
But anyway that I can help, you know I'll help you all
Then she spoke and asked me to come back and see Marie
And live together in our home in Memphis, Tennessee.