When Chuck Berry first walked into Chess Records’ studio in Chicago on January 6, 1958, he had no way of knowing the record he was about to cut would become a cornerstone in rock ‘n’ roll history. In under three minutes, Berry managed to define a new musical era built on R&B, country, and his distinct lyrical flow. Indeed, “Johnny B. Goode” might have originally been a pseudo-autobiographical story about Berry’s rise to fame. But soon, that track would be far bigger than Berry alone.
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Countless artists and bands have covered “Johnny B. Goode” in the decades since its March 1958 release, and the song itself inspired just as many aspiring players to pick up a guitar and start strumming. And who wouldn’t? The song itself tells the exciting story of a “country boy named Johnny B. Goode” who “plays the guitar just like ringin’ a bell.” This kind of Cinderella transformation story became a trope in rock music that remains universally popular today. Who wouldn’t love the chance to be a rock star?
From his pioneering musical style to the conviction with which he performed, Berry really was the embodiment of Johnny B. Goode. But there were some elements of the story Berry changed for creative purposes—and, in some cases, to make sure that his song had a chance at radio play.
The Origins (And Edits) of the Iconic Chuck Berry Song, “Johnny B. Goode”
The first instance of Chuck Berry stretching the truth for narrative purposes comes in the opening line of “Johnny B. Goode”. “Deep down in Louisiana, close to New Orleans, way back up in the woods among the evergreens,” Berry begins. It sets the scene instantly, and although it would be reasonable to assume the blues-heavy musician came from the Deep South, he was actually born into a middle-class family in St. Louis. Still, Berry was technically in the South when he wrote it.
In his eponymous autobiography, Berry explains that “Johnny B. Goode” was born “when the tour first brought me to New Orleans, a place I’d longed to visit ever since hearing Muddy Waters’ lyrics, ‘Going down in Louisiana, way down behind the sun.’ That inspiration, combined with little bits of Dad’s stories and the thrill of seeing my Black name posted all over town in one of the cities they brought the slaves through, turned into the song ‘Johnny B. Goode’.”
The third verse can be traced back to Berry’s mom. “I’d guess my mother has as much right to be declared the source of ‘Johnny B. Goode’ as any other contender in that she was the one who repeatedly commented that I would be a millionaire someday. She constantly proclaimed she knew I would become lucky in my life and urged me on to get an education.”
Elsewhere, Berry changed lyrics to ensure radio play. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 1972, Berry said the lines in the song’s first verse were “Of course, ‘that little colored boy could play.’ I changed it to ‘country boy,’ or else it wouldn’t get on the radio.”
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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