Rooted in blues and early rock and roll, the Rolling Stones started out playing covers and were at the forefront of the British Invasion in 1964, becoming identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. They then found greater success with their own material, as "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (1965), "Get Off of My Cloud" (1965), and "Paint It Black" (1966) became international number-one hits. Aftermath (1966) – their first entirely original album – is considered by The Daily Telegraph to be the most important of their formative records. In 1967, they had the double-sided hit "Ruby Tuesday"/"Let's Spend the Night Together" and experimented with psychedelic rock on Their Satanic Majesties Request. They returned to their rhythm and blues roots with hit songs such as "Jumpin' Jack Flash" (1968) and "Honky Tonk Women" (1969), and albums such as Beggars Banquet (1968), featuring "Sympathy for the Devil", and Let It Bleed (1969), featuring "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Gimme Shelter". Let It Bleed was the first of five consecutive number-one albums in the UK.
Jones left the band shortly before his death in 1969, having been replaced by guitarist Mick Taylor. That year they were first introduced on stage as "The Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World". Sticky Fingers (1971), which yielded "Brown Sugar" and included the first usage of their tongue and lips logo, was their first of eight consecutive number-one studio albums in the US. Exile on Main St. (1972), featuring "Tumbling Dice", and Goats Head Soup (1973), yielding the hit ballad "Angie", were also best sellers. Taylor was replaced by Ron Wood in 1974. The band continued to release successful albums, including their two largest sellers: Some Girls (1978), featuring "Miss You", and Tattoo You (1981), featuring "Start Me Up". Steel Wheels (1989) was widely considered a comeback album and was followed by Voodoo Lounge (1994), a worldwide number-one album. Both releases were promoted by large stadium and arena tours, as the Stones continued to be a huge concert attraction; by 2007 they had recorded the all-time highest-grossing concert tour three times, and as recently as 2021 they were the highest-earning live act of the year. From Wyman's departure in 1993 to Watts' death in 2021, the band continued as a four-piece core, with Darryl Jones playing bass on tour and on most studio recordings, while Steve Jordan became their touring drummer following Watts' death. Their 2016 album, Blue & Lonesome, became their twelfth UK number-one album.
The Rolling Stones' estimated record sales of 200 million make them one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The band has won three Grammy Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. Billboard magazine and Rolling Stone have ranked the band as one of the greatest of all time.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rolling_Stones
Studio albums
The Rolling Stones / England's Newest Hit Makers (1964)
12 X 5 (1964)
The Rolling Stones No. 2 / The Rolling Stones, Now! (1965)
Out of Our Heads (1965)
December's Children (And Everybody's) (1965)
Aftermath (1966)
Between the Buttons (1967)
Their Satanic Majesties Request (1967)
Beggars Banquet (1968)
Let It Bleed (1969)
Sticky Fingers (1971)
Exile on Main St. (1972)
Goats Head Soup (1973)
It's Only Rock 'n Roll (1974)
Black and Blue (1976)
Some Girls (1978)
Emotional Rescue (1980)
Tattoo You (1981)
Undercover (1983)
Dirty Work (1986)
Steel Wheels (1989)
Voodoo Lounge (1994)
Bridges to Babylon (1997)
A Bigger Bang (2005)
Blue & Lonesome (2016)
Hackney Diamonds (2023)
Bye Bye Johnny
The Rolling Stones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And put a little boy aboard a Greyhound bus
Leaving Louisiana for the golden west
Down came her tears from her happiness
Her own little son named Johnny B Goode
Was gonna make some motion pictures out in Hollywood
Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye
Bye-bye, Johnny
Bye-bye, Johnny B Goode
Well she remember taking money out from gathering crops
And buying Johnny's guitar at a broker shop
As long as he could play it by the railroad side
And wouldn't get in trouble she'd be satisfied
Never thought there'd ever come a day like this
When she would gladly give her son a goodbye kiss
Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye
Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye
Bye-bye, Johnny
Bye-bye, Johnny B Goode
Well she finally got the letter she was dreaming of
Well, Johnny wrote and told her he done fell in love
As soon as he was married he would bring her back
And build a mansion for her by the railroad tracks
And every time they heard the locomotive roar
They'd be a-standing, waving in the kitchen door
Howling bye-bye, bye-bye
Howling bye-bye, bye-bye
Bye-bye, Johnny
Bye-bye, Johnny B Goode
The Rolling Stones’ song “Bye Bye Johnny” tells the story of a mother from Louisiana who spends all her money to send her son Johnny B Goode to Hollywood to make motion pictures. The lyrics reflect the sacrifice, hard work, and love of a mother for her son, showing her willingness to give up everything for his happiness and success. She withdraws all her funds from Southern Trust to buy Johnny a guitar, and as long as he could play by the railroad side without getting into trouble, she was satisfied. The mother never thought she would see the day that she would gladly give her son a goodbye kiss, but she was proud of him and his opportunity.
The lyrics also reveal Johnny's love for his mother as he promises to bring her back to a mansion by the railroad tracks once he is married. The song speaks of the brokenhearted mother’s joy as she receives a letter from her son telling her about his love and that he will bring her back home. The mother and son will stand in the kitchen door waving every time they hear the locomotive roar. The song comes to an end as the Stones sing “howling bye-bye” repeatedly, with appreciative howls of goodbye to Johnny.
Overall, “Bye Bye Johnny” is a heartwarming song that speaks of the love and bond between a mother and her son. It also depicts the sacrifices that parents make for their children and the hope and dreams that they carry in their hearts for their children’s futures.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, she drew out all her money out from Southern Trust
She withdrew all the money from her Southern Trust bank account.
And put a little boy aboard a Greyhound bus
She put her young son on a Greyhound bus.
Leaving Louisiana for the golden west
She left Louisiana and headed west for a better life.
Down came her tears from her happiness
She cried tears of happiness for her son's opportunity.
Her own little son named Johnny B Goode
Her son's name was Johnny B Goode.
Was gonna make some motion pictures out in Hollywood
He was going to make movies in Hollywood.
Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye
Farewell, farewell, goodbye.
Well she remember taking money out from gathering crops
She remembered taking money from harvesting crops.
And buying Johnny's guitar at a broker shop
She bought Johnny's guitar at a broker shop.
As long as he could play it by the railroad side
She was satisfied as long as he played it safely by the railroad.
And wouldn't get in trouble she'd be satisfied
She was happy as long as Johnny stayed out of trouble.
Never thought there'd ever come a day like this
She never thought the day would come when she would say goodbye to Johnny.
When she would gladly give her son a goodbye kiss
She kissed Johnny goodbye with joy in her heart.
Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye
Farewell, farewell, goodbye.
Well she finally got the letter she was dreaming of
She finally received the letter she had been dreaming of.
Well, Johnny wrote and told her he done fell in love
Johnny wrote and said he had fallen in love.
As soon as he was married he would bring her back
He promised to bring her back once he was married.
And build a mansion for her by the railroad tracks
He planned to build a mansion for her by the railroad tracks.
And every time they heard the locomotive roar
Every time they heard the sound of a train.
They'd be a-standing, waving in the kitchen door
They would stand at the door and wave at the trains.
Howling bye-bye, bye-bye
Yelling farewell, farewell.
Bye-bye, Johnny
Farewell, Johnny.
Bye-bye, Johnny B Goode
Farewell, Johnny B Goode.
Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: Chuck Berry
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ritchie Cross
The Stones playing Chuck Berry live is the highest form of Rock & Roll that has EVER been achieved !!
GergelAni
@Dave Pett The Beatles were fans of Chuck, so were all the Merseybeat groups. But The Stones took it on another level. The Stones even started their "official" career with a Chuck's tune - "Come On". This was their first single in 1963, which went to No.21 in the UK charts. Their first EP "The Rolling Stones" went UK No.1 in February 1964 with "Bye Bye Johnny" as its leading song. Their next EP (UK No.1 again) from 1964 had "Around And Around", and "Confessing The Blues" as well (I know Chuck did it, but I'm not sure if he did composed it). Their first LP "The Rolling Stones" had "Carol" which is one of their biggest hits in France; the "No.2" album had "Down The Road Apiece" and "You Can't Catch Me"; the 1965 "Out Of Our Heads" had "Talkin' Bout You". And the 1971 "Brown Sugar" single had "Let It Rock" as its B-side. A truly great composer - Chuck Berry, but without The Stones, The Beatles, or The Animals his songs would have never got the respect they did. Which proves that it is of great importance to compose a song, but its almost of same importance how the song would be performed.
Dave Pett
@GergelAni John Lennon and Keith Richards were both huge fans of Chucks along with many others but the stones did so many of his songs
Dave Pett
@GergelAni some people think I’m slamming them when I say this but I’m not I love their versions of these songs
GergelAni
@Dave Pett Especially "Around And Around"!
GergelAni
In a way I prefer The Beatles "Live At The Star Club" as a highest form of raw and even brutal rock'n'roll. The atmosphere there is unreal. But the covers The Stones did are phenomenal - live and in the studio!
jbstonesfan
The Stones were and remain truly the best pure rock and roll band ever..While heavy metal and country are more popular, if you just look at what they have done for 50 yrs it's amazing. It is sad they will be gone in a few years, and rock in general, is a dying genre. So glad I grew up in the late 60's and 70's..
Woody81
jbstonesfan Keith will outlive us all and they do say that if there was an apocalypse then all that would be left are the cockroaches and keef and his telecaster lol
blooze mon
This is Keith Richards FINEST period of rock n roll guitar playing
Im Zerphy
@Dan Rease I think Ronnie was born to be a Stone. He certainly had the attitude and fits the image quite well, but you’re right he ain’t no Mick T. Gotta give it to Woody though he’s had his moments, I recommend you watch the 78’ Some Girls Live Tour in Texas where they play ‘Love in Vain’, Ronnie’s slide work on that song is utterly masterful.