Mid-Week Music #16 - Johnny B. Goode

Today, I had two prominent ideas for this week's MWM. But, since a recent MWM was Flying Colors, one of the ideas was not really a working option. I also thought about Kansas, but it's also prog-rock, so I guess that wasn't going to fly either. Then I had another idea.

Next weekend, my family is having their Halloween party at my grandparents' house. I could have used this song then, but I think I'm going to do a more spooky sort of thing then. Anyway, the party has a theme of the 1950s. So, what better song to do than one from the 1950s? And according to somebody or other, it was the very song that started the whole rock 'n' roll movement. But I got that from a movie, so who knows?

Anyway, a final note: I decided to put up two versions. I like the newer one better for some reasons, but I feel like I should put up the original version as well. So, without further ado, allow me to introduce you to Johnny B. Goode!

There's the original version. Now, here is the version heard by his cousin, Marvin Berry, at a high school dance in 1955. Let me know which version you like better in the comments below!

***

Way down in Lousiana, down in 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, name o' Johnny B. Goode
Who never ever learned to read or write so well
But he could play the guitar just like he's ringing a bell

(chorus)
Go, go
Go, Johnny, go, go
Go, Johnny, go, go, go
Go, Johnny, go, go
Go, Johnny, go, go, go
Johnny B. Goode

He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Go sit beneath the tree beside the railroad track
The engineer would see him sitting in the shade
Strumming to the rhythm that the driver made
The people passing by, they would stop and say
"Oh my, that little country boy sure can play!"

(chorus)

***


His mother told him "Someday you will be a man
"And you will be the leader of a big ol' band
"Many people comin' from miles around
"To hear you play your music 'til the sun go down
"And maybe someday your name'll be in lights
"Saying 'Johnny B. Goode Tonight!'"

(chorus)
Go, go, go, Johnny, go
Go, go, go, Johnny, go
Oh, go, go, Johnny, go
Oh, go, go, Johnny, go
Go, Johnny B. Goode


(PS: my apologies for any differences in the lyrics written here and the videos. They are two different versions, after all, so I put in parts of each one. Again, sorry about that. I think my lyrics are closest to the original, though, if that helps at all.)