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How did Chuck Berry know the lyrics to Johnny B. Goode?

John Dunbar

John Dunbar

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
6,229
It's well known that Chuck Berry got the idea for the song Johnny B. Goode when Chuck's cousin Marvin called him so he could hear some crazy white boy shredding it. But that phone call took place after the kid had stopped singing and Chuck could only hear him playing the guitar, so how did Chuck's version end up having the same lyrics?

The only answer I can think of is that Chuck Berry contacted Marvin again and Marvin remembered the lyrics, but this seems problematic. If Chuck Berry had gotten the lyrics from Marvin, surely Chuck would not be the only credited songwriter for the song? Unless he ripped off his cousin, which would seem rather cold.

Anyone know the story behind this mysterious instance in music history?
 
Keldroc

Keldroc

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,976
Chuck Berry thought them up the first time around, so presumably he just thought them up in the new timeline, as well.
 
Imperial Bishop

Imperial Bishop

Member
Oct 26, 2017
35,556
tenor.gif
 
St. Alphonzo

St. Alphonzo

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
851
He heard McFly singing it in the toilet via a hidden camera he installed to watch people having a shit.
 
Akira86

Akira86

Member
Oct 25, 2017
19,585
he locked into the quantum vibration that all musicians tap into, and the instructions went into his inner ear from a different but similar reality that exists just a few vibrational spaces beyond this one.
 
Birdie

Birdie

Banned
Oct 26, 2017
26,289
Did Vanilla Ice have a song about ninja turtles ready in case they crashed a concert?
 
DeathPeak

DeathPeak

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,987
I was always under the impression that Marvin actually ended up killing the real Chuck Berry after realizing the potential of rock 'n' roll, and went through life impersonating his cousin. In this case, Marvin learned all the lyrics and the chords.
 
Cryptosporidium

Cryptosporidium

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,624
canada
I could see Chuck stealing others work

lucky for him, no one was better than him at the time in doing what he do so he had no one to steal from
 
Soapbox Killer

Soapbox Killer

Member
Oct 28, 2017
27,065
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the posthumous live album by Jimi Hendrix, see Johnny B. Goode (album).


"Johnny B. Goode" is a 1955 rock-and-roll song first performed by Martin "Marty" McFly and later covered in 1958 byChuck Berry. The song was a major hit among both black and white audiences, peaking at number two on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and number eight on its Hot 100 chart.[1]

"Johnny B. Goode" is considered one of the most recognizable songs in the history of popular music. Credited as "the first rock & roll hit about rock & roll stardom",[2] it has been recorded by many other artists and has received several honors and accolades. The song is also ranked seventh on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[3]
 
Last_colossi

Last_colossi

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
4,249
Australia
Red Cadet 015 said:
He obviously already had the lyrics, it was "the sound" he was looking for.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

This...

Keldroc said:
Chuck Berry thought them up the first time around, so presumably he just thought them up in the new timeline, as well.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

And this.

He specifically says "Hey you know that new sound you're looking for? Well listen to this!", Which implies he's looking for a new sound for a song he has probably already written the lyrics for.
 
Pop-O-Matic

Pop-O-Matic

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
12,861
The real answer is that Chuck had already written the song at that point and Marvin just didn't know about it yet.
 
affeinvasion

affeinvasion

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,946
He wrote the lyrics himself after being inspired by the song being played. Or he had already written the lyrics as a blues song before being taught by whitey how to rock and roll (lol). As a musicologist it's one of my least favorite gags in the movie.
 

Jiggy

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
9,270
wherever
I never considered it but I guess Chuck did kinda steal the song from Marty.

Although it's not like they could have credited him for it since he wasn't born yet.

And technically Marty did hear it from Chuck in the first place.

Hmm.
 
Qasiel

Qasiel

â–˛ Legend â–˛
Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,330
In order to restore order to the timeline Doc Brown went back to provide Chuck with the lyrics, courtesy of "Calvin Klein" who wished to remain uncredited.
 
Brakke

Brakke

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
3,798
John Dunbar said:
But that phone call took place after the kid had stopped singing and Chuck could only hear him playing the guitar, so how did Chuck's version end up having the same lyrics?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

As we all know, when that phone was hung up, all phones in the world exploded forever and the guy that heard the lyrics the guy that made the call in the first place was killed.
 
Dali

Dali

Member
Oct 27, 2017
6,184
Tell me, future boy, who is president in 2017?

Donald Trump.

*scoffs* donald trump? the reality tv douche?! Who's vice president? Simon Cowell?
 
Meg Cherry

Meg Cherry

Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,255
Seattle, WA
It's entirely possible he had already written the lyrics for the song, but was still looking for "that new sound" to bring it together.
 
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