Origin of Jenkins Stage Name--------- Jenkins felt that his real name wasn't marketable, and he changed his show business name in 1957. (Harold Lloyd Jenkins would always remain his legal name, however). Looking at a road map, he spotted Conway, Arkansas and Twitty, Texas. Thus, he went with the professional name of "Conway Twitty".[citation needed]
Alternatively, Jenkins met a Richmond, VA, man named W. Conway Twitty Jr. through Jenkins' manager in a New York City restaurant. The manager served in the army with the real Conway Twitty. Later, the manager suggested to Jenkins that he take the name as his stage name because it had a ring to it. The Richmond Conway Twitty subsequently recorded the song, "What's in a Name But Trouble," in the mid-1960s, lamenting the loss of his name to Jenkins. The flip side of the 45 RPM record was "The Purple, Purple People Eater, Eater." (The more well known version of Purple People Eater, however, now having sold over 100,000,000 copies, was recorded by Sheb Wooley.)
Johnny B. Goode
Conway Twitty Lyrics
Jump to: Line by Line Meaning ↴
Way back up in the woods neath the evergreens
There stands a log cabin made of earth and wood
Where lived a little country boy named Johnny be Goode
He never ever learned to read or write so well
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 be Goode
He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track
The engineer would see him sittin' in the shade
Strummin' through the rhythm that the drivers made
The people passin' by they would stop and say
My how that little country boy can play
Go go go Johnny go go...
[ guitar ]
Well his mama told him someday you will be a man
You will be the leader of a country band
The people gonna come from miles around
To hear you play your music when the sun goes down
Maybe someday your name will be at lights sayin' Johnny be Goode tonight
Yeah go go go Johnny go go...
Well down in Lousiana close to New Orleans
In the southern state of Louisiana, not far from the vibrant city of New Orleans
Way back up in the woods neath the evergreens
Deep within the forest, underneath the towering evergreen trees
There stands a log cabin made of earth and wood
Sturdy and rustic, a log cabin built with natural materials
Where lived a little country boy named Johnny be Goode
Inhabited by a young boy from the countryside, known as Johnny be Goode
He never ever learned to read or write so well
Despite not having much formal education or literary skills
He could play a guitar just like a ringin' a bell
He possessed a remarkable ability to play the guitar with a sound as clear and captivating as a ringing bell
Go go go Johnny go go go Johnny go go
Encouraging and urging Johnny to keep playing with enthusiasm and energy
Go Johnny go go go Johnny go go Johnny be Goode
Motivating Johnny to continue his musical journey and be great at it
He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
He would transport his guitar in a rough sack made of coarse fabric
Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track
Finding solace and inspiration, sitting beneath a tree near the train tracks
The engineer would see him sittin' in the shade
The train.engineer would notice him relaxing in the coolness of the shade
Strummin' through the rhythm that the drivers made
Strumming his guitar along with the rhythmic sounds created by passing train drivers
The people passin' by they would stop and say
As people walked by, they couldn't help but pause and comment
My how that little country boy can play
Expressing admiration for the skill and talent displayed by the young rural boy
Well his mama told him someday you will be a man
His mother would often remind him that one day he would grow into adulthood
You will be the leader of a country band
She had high hopes that he would become the frontman or lead singer of a country music group
The people gonna come from miles around
Anticipating a large crowd of people traveling great distances just to see him perform
To hear you play your music when the sun goes down
Eager to listen to his music once the sun sets and the night begins
Maybe someday your name will be at lights sayin' Johnny be Goode tonight
Dreaming of a future where his name will be illuminated on the marquee, announcing his performance as Johnny be Goode for the night
Yeah go go go Johnny go go...
Continuing to cheer on and encourage Johnny's musical journey with excitement
Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: Chuck Berry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind