Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1961, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and trained as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division; he was granted an honorable discharge the following year. Soon afterward, he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the Chitlin' Circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers' backing band and later with Little Richard, with whom he continued to work through mid-1965. He then played with Curtis Knight and the Squires before moving to England in late 1966 after being discovered by Linda Keith, who in turn interested bassist Chas Chandler of the Animals in becoming his first manager. Within months, Hendrix had earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", and "The Wind Cries Mary". He achieved fame in the U.S. after his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and in 1968 his third and final studio album, Electric Ladyland, reached number one in the U.S.; it was Hendrix's most commercially successful release and his first and only number one album. The world's highest-paid performer, he headlined the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970, before his accidental death from barbiturate-related asphyxia on September 18, 1970, at the age of 27.
Hendrix was inspired musically by American rock and roll and electric blues. He favored overdriven amplifiers with high volume and gain, and was instrumental in utilizing the previously undesirable sounds caused by guitar amplifier feedback. He helped to popularize the use of a wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock, and was the first artist to use stereophonic phasing effects in music recordings. Holly George-Warren of Rolling Stone commented: "Hendrix pioneered the use of the instrument as an electronic sound source. Players before him had experimented with feedback and distortion, but Hendrix turned those effects and others into a controlled, fluid vocabulary every bit as personal as the blues with which he began."
Hendrix was the recipient of several music awards during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1967, readers of Melody Maker voted him the Pop Musician of the Year, and in 1968, Rolling Stone declared him the Performer of the Year. Disc and Music Echo honored him with the World Top Musician of 1969 and in 1970, Guitar Player named him the Rock Guitarist of the Year. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Rolling Stone ranked the band's three studio albums, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, among the 100 greatest albums of all time, and they ranked Hendrix as the greatest guitarist and the sixth greatest artist of all time.
Johnny B.Goode
Jimi Hendrix Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
Livin' in a cottage made of earth and wood,
Lived a country boy name of Johnny B. Goode
He never ever learned to read or write so well,
But he could play the guitar just like ringing a bell.
Go, go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Johnny B. Goode
He use to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
And sit beneath the trees by the railroad track.
Oh, strummin' his guitar in the gentle shade,
Playing to the music that the drivers made.
People passing by they'd 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 mama told him ?someday you will be a man,
And you will be the leader of a big old band.
All kinds a people coming from miles around
To hear ya play ya guitar 'till the sun go 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, Johnny go , go
Go, Johnny go , go
Johnny B. Goode
The lyrics of Jimi Hendrix's rendition of "Johnny B. Goode" tells the story of a talented young man named Johnny B. Goode, who grew up in the woods near New Orleans. Although he never learned how to read or write, Johnny was a gifted musician who could play the guitar like nobody's business. He would often sit under the trees by the railroad tracks and play his guitar, drawing an audience of passersby who were amazed by his talent.
Johnny's mother encouraged him, telling him that one day he would lead a big band and people would come from miles around to hear him play. The lyrics of the song express the hope that Johnny's name would one day be in lights, with his skills as a musician being celebrated everywhere. The song is essentially a tribute to Johnny's talent and perseverance, and to the idea that anyone can achieve great things if they have enough passion and drive.
Overall, the lyrics of "Johnny B. Goode" celebrate the power of music as a unifying force that brings people together and inspires them to greatness. The song is a timeless classic that has resonated with audiences for decades, and remains a beloved staple of rock and roll to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Way down Louisiana close to New Orleans,
In a rural area near New Orleans
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
In a house made of natural materials, surrounded by trees
Livin' in a cottage made of earth and wood,
Residing in a small house built from natural materials
Lived a country boy name of Johnny B. Goode
A boy from the country whose name was Johnny B. Goode
He never ever learned to read or write so well,
He struggled with academic skills, but excelled in guitar playing
But he could play the guitar just like ringing a bell.
His guitar playing was exceptional and enjoyable to hear
Go, go
Encouragement to keep going
Go, Johnny go , go
Encouragement specifically to Johnny
He use to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
He often carried his guitar in a makeshift bag
And sit beneath the trees by the railroad track.
He would often play his guitar under the trees near the railroad
Oh, strummin' his guitar in the gentle shade,
Casually playing his guitar in peaceful surroundings
Playing to the music that the drivers made.
Playing music in response to sounds of passing cars/trains
People passing by they'd stop and say
Curious listeners would pause to watch/join Johnny's playing
Oh my that little country boy could play
Remarks of praise for Johnny's guitar playing
His mama told him ?someday you will be a man,
His mother encouraged him, telling him he would grow into an adult
And you will be the leader of a big old band.
She envisioned him as a leader of a musical group
All kinds a people coming from miles around
People from all over would come to see him play
To hear ya play ya guitar 'till the sun go down
To enjoy his guitar playing throughout the day and into the night
Maybe someday your name will be in lights
Possible future fame for Johnny
Saying Johnny B. Goode tonight.
His name on a light-up sign, announcing his performance tonight
Go, go
Continued encouragement
Go, Johnny go , go
Encouragement for Johnny to keep playing
Go, Johnny go , go
More encouragement for Johnny
Go, Johnny go , go
Even more encouragement for Johnny
Go, Johnny go , go
Final encouragement for Johnny to keep playing
Johnny B. Goode
Johnny's name, signifying his skill in guitar playing
Lyrics © OLE MEDIA MANAGEMENT LP
Written by: Chuck Berry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Devin Kennedy
on Spanish Castle Magic (alternate take)
Is this really the alternete take