Johnny B. Goode
Marty McFly/The Starlighters Lyrics

Way down Louisiana close to New Orleans,
Johnny B. Goode hailed from the state of Louisiana, near the city of New Orleans.

Way back up in the woods among the evergreen
Johnny grew up in a log cabin deep in the woods surrounded by evergreen trees.

There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood,
Johnny's humble abode was a log cabin built from wood and earth.

Where lived a country boy name of Johnny B. Goode
Johnny B. Goode was the name of the young, talented country boy who lived there.

He never ever learned to read or write so well,
Though Johnny struggled with reading and writing, he was a master on the guitar.

But he could play the guitar like ringing a bell.
Johnny was a natural guitar player, and his music rang out with clarity and precision.

Go Go
The energy and excitement of the song picks up, urging Johnny to do his best.

Go Johnny Go
The chorus encourages Johnny to keep playing his guitar and pushing himself to greater heights.

Go Go
Again, the energy of the song increases, compelling Johnny to go further.

Johnny B. Goode
The title of the song, and the nickname given to Johnny due to his guitar playing talents.

He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Johnny carried his guitar with him everywhere he went, in a simple gunny sack.

And sit beneath the trees by the railroad track.
He would often find a spot under the trees by the railroad tracks where he could play music and enjoy the scenery.

Oh, the engineers used to see him sitting in the shade,
The train engineers passing by would often see Johnny sitting in the shade, playing his guitar.

Playing to the rhythm that the drivers made.
He would play along with the rhythm of the passing train, incorporating the sounds of the engine into his music.

People passing by would stop and say
As Johnny played, people walking by would pause to listen and admire his extraordinary talent.

Oh my that little country boy could play
They would marvel at the skill of this young, small-town country boy who could play the guitar so well.

His mama told him someday he would be a man,
Johnny's mother would tell him that one day, he would mature and become a grown man.

And he would be the leader of a big old band.
She encouraged him, telling him he had the potential to be a band leader and inspire others with his music.

Many people coming from miles around
As word of his talent spread, fans came from far and wide to hear Johnny play.

To hear him play his music when the sun go down
They would gather to listen to his music as the sun set over the horizon.

Maybe someday his name would be in lights
Perhaps one day, Johnny's name would be up in lights, symbolizing his success as a musical artist.

Saying Johnny B. Goode tonight.
The audience would be cheering on, calling for Johnny to play at every show, night after night, as he received acclaim for his exceptional talent on guitar.