Why Johnny B. Goode is Out of This World

Chuck Berry's Classic: Rolling Stones' 7th Greatest Song

Join PJ Pat as he delves into the iconic 'Johnny B. Goode' by Chuck Berry, ranked number 7 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest songs. Discover the personal anecdotes, historical significance, and fun facts surrounding this timeless rock and roll hit. From its autobiographical roots to its influence on pop culture, and even its space voyage aboard the Voyager Golden Record, this episode celebrates Chuck Berry's unparalleled contribution to music and his legacy as the true king of rock and roll.

00:00 Guess the Iconic Song
00:13 Personal Connection to Johnny B. Goode
00:31 Rolling Stone's Take on Johnny B. Goode
01:41 Chuck Berry's Journey to Stardom
02:27 The Legacy of Johnny B. Goode
03:11 Johnny B. Goode in Space
03:48 The Famous Guitar Riff

Transcript

[00:00:00] Can you guess what song number 7 is from the Rolling Stones top 500 greatest songs of all time? You may have guessed it, it is none other than Johnny B. Goode by the legend himself, Chuck Berry. Barry, the real king of rock and roll this song has a very special significance for me. My dad used to play the song all the time as a kid. And that very famous scene in back to the future when Michael J.

[00:00:23] Fox was just rocking out to this song. I tell you that just solidified this and tattooed this in my brain going forward. But let me read you what the Rolling Stone says about this song. And we'll go from there. All right. Putting my granddaddy glasses on here. Okay, number seven of five hundred, Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry, writer Chuck Berry, producers Leonard and Phil Chess, released April 1958 on Chess Records. Johnny B. Goode was the first rock and roll hit about rock and roll stardom. It is still the greatest rock'n'roll song about the democracy of fame in pop music. And Johnny B. Goode is based in fact. The title character is Chuck Berry, more or less, as he told Rolling Stone in 1972. The original words were, of course, that little colored boy could play. I changed it to country boy, or else it wouldn't get on the radio. Berry took other narrative liberties. Johnny came from deep down in Louisiana, close to New Orleans, rather than Barry St.

[00:01:28] Louis. And Johnny never, ever learned to read or write so well, while Barry graduated from beauty school with a degree in hairdressing and cosmetology. Wow, I did not know that. But the essence of Barry's tale, a guitar player with nothing to his name but chops, goes to the big city and gets his name in lights, is autobiographical.

[00:01:50] In 1955, Barry was working as a beautician in St. Louis when he met Chess Records biggest star Muddy Waters, who sent him to the label's co founder Leonard Chess. By 1958, Barry was rock and roll's most consistent hit maker after Elvis Presley. Unlike Presley, Barry wrote his own classics. 

[00:02:10] Much respect to Chuck Berry for writing his own songs and generating hit after hit. It's one thing to write your own songs, but to actually generate hits? Woo! I'm telling you, that's like a Another next level talent right there. I wish I could express my feelings the way Chuck Berry does, Presley once confessed. Johnny B. Goode is the supreme example of Berry's poetry in motion. The rhythm section rolls with freight train momentum, while Berry's stabbing single note lick in the chorus sounds, as he puts it, like a ringing a bell. A perfect description of how rock and roll guitar can make you feel on top of the world. Not only did Barry have the chops, and the sound, and the music, he also had the moves.

[00:02:52] If you've ever seen Barry play live he has that move where he he struts across the stage with his guitar. Poof! No one does it better. And he just had the whole package. You know what I mean? From the look, the songs, the moves, the life.

[00:03:09] Chuck Berry, man. No one compares. A fun and kind of geeky fact is that Johnny B. Goode was actually selected for inclusion on the Voyager Golden Record. It says here, a collection of music sent into space aboard the Voyager spacecraft in 1977, intended to represent the diversity of life and culture on Earth.

[00:03:28] So to this day, there's a Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry record up there in space just twirling around. Hopefully Some alien civilization get their hands on it and be completely blown away and realize that, you know, humans aren't that bad of a species and that they'll spare our lives and not come and destroy our planet.

[00:03:47] We can only hope. Now the opening guitar riff that starts off the song has got to be one of the most recognizable rock and roll riffs in history. Now a fun fact, Chuck Berry actually drew inspiration for this riff from the 1946 song Ain't That Just Like a Woman by Louis Jordan.

[00:04:04] Believe it or not. Specifically the guitar work of Carl Hogan. I have no idea who these people are, but I'm gonna check out the song right now.