Johnny B. Goode
Beatles · Live at the BBC
Deep down in Louisianna
close to New Orleans,
way back up in the woods
among the evergreens,
there stand a country cabin
made of clay and wood,
where lives a young country boy
named Johnny B.Goode,
he never ever learned
to read or write a book so well,
but he could play his guitar
just like a-ringing a bell.
Go go, go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
aah Johnny B.Goode!
He used to carry his guitar
in a gunny sack,
sit beneath the trees
by the railroad track.
Oh sitting and a-playing
in the shade,
drumming to the rhythm
that the drivers made.
People passing by
used to stop and say:
my oh my,
that country boy can play.
Go go, go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Aah Johnny B.Goode!
Well his mama 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
till the sun goes down.
Maybe some day
your name will be in light,
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 go!
aah Johnny B.Goode!
close to New Orleans,
way back up in the woods
among the evergreens,
there stand a country cabin
made of clay and wood,
where lives a young country boy
named Johnny B.Goode,
he never ever learned
to read or write a book so well,
but he could play his guitar
just like a-ringing a bell.
Go go, go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
aah Johnny B.Goode!
He used to carry his guitar
in a gunny sack,
sit beneath the trees
by the railroad track.
Oh sitting and a-playing
in the shade,
drumming to the rhythm
that the drivers made.
People passing by
used to stop and say:
my oh my,
that country boy can play.
Go go, go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Go Johnny go go go!
Aah Johnny B.Goode!
Well his mama 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
till the sun goes down.
Maybe some day
your name will be in light,
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 go!
aah Johnny B.Goode!
Johnny B. Goode
Released on the Beatles' 1963 BBC Live album, 'Johnny B. Goode' stands as a rare example of the group covering a rock and roll classic. While the song is famously associated with Chuck Berry, the Beatles' rendition captures the raw energy of their early live performances, showcasing their ability to adapt American rock standards into their own distinct sound. The track appears on the 'Live at the BBC' collection, highlighting the band's dynamic stage presence during their television appearances in the early 1960s. This recording serves as a testament to the Beatles' deep engagement with the origins of rock music, blending their signature harmonies with the gritty, driving rhythm that defined the genre's golden age.