Easy Johnny B Goode TABS and chords

Ranked #523 in Music, #12,064 overall

Johnny B Goode by Chuck Berry

Remember that amazing guitar solo from Back to the Future? Yes? That was Johnny Be Goode! Can you play Johnny B Goode? Would you like me to show you how to play Johnny B Goode perhaps? Johnny B Goode is easy to play and possibly the "most played" guitar song in rock and roll after Stairway to Heaven and Smoke on the Water. I am asked so many times how to play Johnny B Goode by Chuck Berry. Usually I am asked for Johnny B Goode by children whose grandparents might only just remember it. Johnny B Good is an "evergreen" in the annals of rock and roll and Chuck Berry remains a legend! Here I will show you how to play an easy version of Johnny B Goode and lead you to TABS and sheet music for harder versions. You can also compare versions by different artists - Johnny B Good has been recorded by so many great artists and groups.

If this is your first attempt at rock and roll guitar, do not despair, my version of Johnny B Goode is very easy even for beginners!

Photo of Chuck Berry from Wikimedia, Creative Commons, colour added:
( {{Information |Description= Le chanteur américain Chuck Berry en concert à Deauville (Normandie, France) en 1987. |Source= photo personnelle |Date= 1987 |Author= Roland Godefroy |Permission= |other_versions= }})

Graphics used in this lens are all my own work. Please do not copy!




"Johnny B. Goode" Vintage Sheet Music by Chuck Berry

Johnny B Goode Lyrics

Video of Johnny B Goode Chuck Berry Lyrics Added

So, to begin with, here is a video still of Chuck Berry Johnny B Goode with lyrics superimposed. Join in, enjoy, remind your self how it sounds!
Chuck Berry - Johnny B Good Lyrics
by radiointernetsite | video info

7,948 ratings | 2,262,039 views
curated content from YouTube

Johnny B Goode TAB

In as much as TABs can ever be accurate, these are not too bad. I have the sheet music for Johnny B which gives a little more insight into how to play Johnny B Goode properly than TAB can. The original key of Johnny B Good is B flat, not A. This is not a good beginner guitar key to say the least! My simple version is in A to avoid the huge stretches you see in Chuck Berry's playing, but more experienced players like myself could easily play these TABs. There are many TABs out there remember, I simply chose these because they are featured high on Google.

Johnny B Goode TAB by Tommy Ronningsveen

Johnny B Goode Bass TAB

Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode - Guitar Guru File

Downloadable Guitar Guru File Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode

As performed by: Chuck Berry:
This is a Johnny B. Goode Guitar Guru File, it will teach you how to play Johnny B Goode - Guitar Guru is instantly downloadable interactive sheet music, scoring of Johnny B Goode for Guitar Tab; Guitar/Vocal, instruments: Voice;Guitar;
6 pages



Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode - Guitar Guru File

Jerry Lee Lewis and Friends Play Johnny Be Goode

Another Roll and Roll Great!

powered by Youtube

Easy Johnny B Goode Chords in A

Johnny Be Good is a 12 Bar Blues

Here is the chord progression you need for Johnny B Goods. If you don't know any chords, just click on the letter to be taken to see photos of the chord. You will see it follows the 12 Bar Blues pattern, which is not surprising as Chuck Berry was a genuine R n' B musician (in the real meaning of R n' B, not the modern pop definition!)



A / / / / / / / A / / / / / / /

D / / / / / / / A / / / / / / /

E / / / / / / / A / / / / / / /



Now that was easy wasn't it? Perhaps you would like to try this free simple rock and roll style 12 Bar blues in notename noteheads instead?

Simple Rock and Roll Intro in Chuck Berry style

Simple intro for Johnny B Goode

This intro is in Chuck Berry style and will fit nicely with the easy version in A.

Johnny Be Goode Photo Chords

Easy Rock And Roll 12 Bar Chords

This is the easy version and is not the same as Chuck berry plays!

Click here for Easy Guitar and Bass version in music and TAB

Here you are playing only two notes:
(These simple power chords are called diads)

A5 and A6 pick only string 5 and 4
D5 and D6 pick only strings 4 and 3
E5 and E6 pick only strings6 and 5
Use firm downstrokes with your pick



A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 /

A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 /

D5 / D6 / D5 / D6 / D5 / D6 / D5 / D6 /

A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 /

E5 / E6 / E5 / E6 / E5 / E6 / E5 / E6 /

A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 / A5 / A6 /



Now that probably looks worse than it is? Perhaps you would like to try this simple rock and roll style 12 Bar blues TAB instead?

Chuck Berry Plays Johnny Be Good!

Live performances from the master

John Lennon even makes a cameo appearance here...
Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode (Live 1958)
by yagami90 | video info

12,149 ratings | 4,875,193 views
curated content from YouTube

Chuck Berry Johnny B Goode Style TAB

Bass and Guitar notes and TAB for 12 Bar Blues in Bb

As Johnny B Goode follows this simple and traditional 12 Bar Blues pattern, this makes a good band version of Johnny B Goode

Click here for Free 12 Bar Blues in Bb for Guitar and Bass

Your Favorite Cover of Johnny B

Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, AC/DC, Jimi Hendrix, Green Day, Peter Tosh Johnny Be Good?

Here you can see a few of the many thousdands of cover versions of Johnny B Goode. Have a listen, see what you think. They are all VERY different!

1 point

1 point

1 point

1 point

1 point

Johnny B Goode CDs

Links to Recorded Versions and Karaoke Johnny B Goode

Do you play guitar like ringing a bell?

Which version did you like best?

The videos went through from the classic rock n' roll, to the hard rock, the modern and even the reggae version of Johnny B Goode. Which did you like best? Can you play the song? Thanks for visiting!

  • alexbricker May 31, 2012 @ 12:50 am | delete
    I play guitar and this is a good step in learning something new from my other stuff I normally practice. Thanks for the tips! I like Chuck Berry a lot.
  • Edutopia Jan 30, 2012 @ 8:54 pm | delete
    Great song for every one to know. And most importantly, you're kids are going to love it.
  • termit_bronx Oct 1, 2011 @ 1:00 pm | delete
    I don't know how to play a guitar, but I would really like to! ...Chuck Berry rocks! He is one of the best guitar players and I really enjoy listening to his songs!
  • Oosquid May 28, 2011 @ 11:56 am | delete
    Nope can't play a note. I'm tempted to say the Hendrix version which is out of this world. But the vote has got to go to Mr Rock 'n Roll himself. Chuck Berry. After all he is the master and without him where would rock be?
  • sorana May 14, 2011 @ 7:37 am | delete
    I don't play the guitar at all but I have really enjoyed the videos. Go Johnny go! Or should I say Go Photahsiamirabel go! :)

More Music Lenses from Photahsiamirabel

Loading

by

Photahsiamirabel

I am a musician, educator and writer. I like to smile, so I keep my lenses light hearted when I can. When I am not at work as a full-time employed... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Chuck Berry Guitar Transcriptions 

Johnny B Goode from Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry (Guitar Recorded Versions)

Amazon Price: $12.40 (as of 05/30/2012)Buy Now

If you hanker after an accurate version of the original Johnny B Goode by Chuck Berry, I can recommend this book!

Learn to play Rock and Roll Piano 

VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Rock and Roll (Easy Piano)

Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 05/30/2012)Buy Now

If you enjoyed Jerry Lee Lewis, this could be the book for you. Easy piano versions of the great rock and roll songs....

Descendants of Chuck Berry? 

Rock and roll guitar heroes

Guitar Hero Songbook - Guitar TAB (Guitar Songbook)

Amazon Price: $18.50 (as of 05/30/2012)Buy Now

Bark at the Moon * Carry On Wayward Son * Cherry Pie * Crazy on You * Frankenstein * Free Bird * Godzilla * Higher Ground * Iron Man * Jessica * More Than a Feeling * Monkey Wrench * Rock This Town * Sharp Dressed Man * Smoke on the Water * Strutter * Sweet Child o' Mine * Texas Flood * Ziggy Stardust *