Johnny B. Goode
The Scorpions Lyrics

Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans
The story is set in Louisiana, close to New Orleans.

Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
Johnny B. Goode lived in a log cabin located in a wooded area surrounded by tall trees.

There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
The place where Johnny B. Goode lived was a log cabin constructed of wood and earth.

Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode
The log cabin was the residence of Johnny B. Goode, a country boy.

Who never ever learned to read or write so well
Johnny B. Goode never learned how to read or write proficiently.

But he could play the guitar just like ringing a bell
Despite his limited education, Johnny B. Goode had an exceptional skill for playing the guitar.

Go, go, go Johnny, go
The refrain is a call to action, urging Johnny B. Goode to keep playing his music and achieving success.

He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Johnny B. Goode would carry his guitar in a sack made of coarse woven material called gunny sack.

Or sit beneath the trees by the railroad track
Sometimes, instead of carrying his guitar, Johnny B. Goode would sit under the trees close to the railroad track.

Oh, the engineers would see him sitting in the shade
The people driving the trains that passed by would see Johnny B. Goode sitting in the shade.

Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made
As he played his guitar, Johnny B. Goode would keep the beat with the rhythm of the trains' sounds made by the drivers.

People passing by, they would stop and say
People who were passing by would stop and admire Johnny B. Goode's talent and skills in playing the guitar.

"Oh my that little country boy can play"
People who witnessed Johnny B. Goode playing his music would express their admiration with this phrase.

His mother told him someday you will be a man
Johnny B. Goode's mother had a vision that someday her son would grow up to be a man and achieve success.

And you will be the leader of a big old band
Johnny B. Goode's mother had a vision that her son would become a leader of a large and successful music band.

Many people coming from miles around
Johnny B. Goode's mother believed that many people would come from far and wide to hear her son play his music.

To hear you play your music when the sun go down
These people would come to hear Johnny B. Goode play his music when the sun went down.

Maybe someday your name will be in lights
Johnny B. Goode's mother had a vision that her son would become famous and his name would be in bright lights.

Saying "Johnny B. Goode tonight"
People would read his name in bright lights, announcing that Johnny B. Goode would perform that night.