Johnny B. Goode Introduction
In a Nutshell
John Lennon once said, "If you were going to give rock n' roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry'" (source). Well, if you were going to give Chuck Berry another name, you might call him "Johnny B Goode."The most recognizable song from one of the people who brought us rock and roll is all about a small-town boy dreaming of big-city fame. It wasn't really Chuck Berry's story—he was from a middle-class part of St. Louis—but the American Dream ideals are all there. So, in a sense, it is Berry's story.
In his autobiography, Berry writes, "I guess my mother has the right to be 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" (source).
Well, Berry, you sure got the fame.
About the Song
| Artist | Chuck Berry | Musician(s) | Chuck Berry (vocals, guitar), Lafayette Leake (piano), Willie Dixon (bass), Fred Below (drums) |
| Album | Johnny B. Goode (Single) | ||
| Year | 1958 | ||
| Label | Chess Records | ||
| Writer(s) | Chuck Berry | ||
| Producer(s) | Little "Bongo" Kraus | ||
| Buy this song: Amazon iTunes | Try Listen and Learn (BETA) | ||
Shmoop Connections
Even though Chuck Berry's story deviates from Johnny's, it could be argued that the history of rock and roll really did start "deep down in Louisiana," with the origins of the blues. And Berry—who may have been more influential in the rise of rock and roll than Elvis—was just as moved by country music and the cultural doldrums of the 1950s as he was by the blues.It's not an exaggeration to say that "Johnny B. Goode" brings together blues and country, north and south, and, of course, Black and white to create a sound and style that changed the course of American popular music.
On the Charts
"Johnny B. Goode" peaked at #8 on the Billboard Pop charts and was ranked #7 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.Chuck Berry is also #7 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Players of All Time.
Berry received a Grammy award for lifetime achievement in 1984, and in 1986 he became one of the early inductees to the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame.