Written and first recorded by Chuck Berry The song was a major hit, peaking at number two on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and number eight on its Hot 100 chart. "Johnny B. Goode" is considered one of the most recognizable songs in the history of popular music

The song is about an illiterate "country boy" from the New Orleans area, who plays a guitar "just like ringing a bell", and who might one day have his "name in lights". Berry acknowledged that the song is partly autobiographical and that the original lyrics referred to Johnny as a "colored boy", but he changed it to "country boy" to ensure radio play. As well as suggesting that the guitar player is good, the title hints at autobiographic elements, because Berry was born at 2520 Goode Avenue, in St. Louis.

The song was initially inspired by Johnnie Johnson, the regular piano player in Berry's band, but developed into a song mainly about Berry himself. Johnson played on many other recordings by Berry, but Lafayette Leake played the piano on this song.

Lyrics

Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans

Way back up in the woods among the evergreens

There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood

Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode

Who never ever learned to read or write so well

But 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 B. Goode

He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack

Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track

Oh, the engineers would see him sitting in the shade

Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made

People passing by they would stop and say

"Oh my what 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 mother told him "someday you will be a man

And you will be the leader of a big old band

Many people coming from miles around

To hear you play your music when the sun go down

Maybe someday your name will be in lights

Saying "Johnny B. Goode tonight"

Go go

Go Johnny go

Go go go Johnny go

Go go go Johnny go

Go go go Johnny go

Go

Johnny B. Goode

Songwriters: Chuck Berry

Johnny B. Goode lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Ole Media Management Lp