Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Johnny B Goode


Weststarx
 Share

Recommended Posts

We played this last night at band practice.


When it was suggested that we play it I did think 'typical cover band song'. Then when we came to play it I've never found playing a song so much fun! The Bluesy bassline [i](at least I think it is)[/i] was awesome to play with a band and I couldnt stop smiling!

This then got me wondering what Blues I'm missing out on - I've never really listened to any Blues ever.

Any of you guys and gals know of any Blues artists I can check out?


Thanks

Edited by Weststarx
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Technically, at the time, Chuck Berry was considered to be R&B.

Chuck, with the likes of Jimmy Reed, kick started the musical careers of most of the bands that went on to create the British Invasion of the US in the early 60's which in turn gave birth to Rock and everything that came after.

There will be a lot of Blues suggestions along later, so I'd say check out Lightning Slim, Slim Harpo, Elmore James, Etta James and

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc5x-KM5Dmg[/media]

for R&B.



PS

How could I have forgotten Bo Diddley!!

Edited by chris_b
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Who to check out? Here's the collected wisdom of BC over the years. The following threads cover Blues songs and artists:[/font][/color]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/47821-blues-playlist-for-beginners/"]Blues playlist for beginners[/url]
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/142487-which-blues-songs/"]Which Blues Songs?[/url][/font][/color]
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/122227-good-blues-songs/"]Good Blues Songs[/url]
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/87900-blues-band-standards/"]Blues band standards[/url]
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/244092-blues-jam-standards/"]Blues jam standards[/url]

As ChrisB points out, Chuck comes from the R&B end of blues though he was viewed by many at the time as a rock'n'roller. Hence you may wish to slip some early Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Big Joe Turner and Fats Domino onto your playlist alongside the first three Stones albums which are mostly comprised of R&B covers.

Either way, you'll discover there are at least 99 different flavours of blues ranging from almost unlistenable 1920's rarities to the contemporary gloss of Mr John Mayer. It's an almost limitless treasure trove; if you like what you hear you'll be finding good stuff for the rest of your life. :)

Edited by skankdelvar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='andybass87' timestamp='1412857803' post='2572707']
I kind of tire of playing 12 bar blues after a while
[/quote]

Quite so. The old 1,4,1,5,4,1,5 can grate after a while, as can the mandatory use of the classic turnaround.

Hence the attraction of 8- and 16-bars, 12 bars with chord substitutions and the ever-popular John Lee Hooker 10 and a half bar blues. Also wigging the f**k out on one chord.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1412849583' post='2572603']
Chuck, with the likes of Jimmy Reed, kick started the musical careers of most of the bands that went on to create the British Invasion of the US in the early 60's which in turn gave birth to Rock and everything that came after.
[/quote]

It could be argued that Lonnie Donegan snuck in before them..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are standards like Johnny B Goode that are a template for so many other songs so apart from the gtr riff...
it doesn't matter what you are playing as long as you give it something.

It isn't a song you learn, you busk it at Jam gigs and you go from there....
I don't think anyone puts it in a set unless you have a pretty special gtr ( and band )
as it is such a filler song...along the line of Mustang Sally etc etc ..
You might play it ( Johnny B ) at a Social club if you have Rock n roll dancers needing a song..??

You need to be careful including such songs as it is so easy to play, bass-wise, that everyone cuts their teeth on it
and the assumption is you are struggling to play/learn anything else.. This also does the song a dis-service but that is the way it
tends to be.......... IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1412849583' post='2572603']How could I have forgotten Bo Diddley!![/quote]

Indeed, without the Bo Diddley beat & Chuck Berry there'd be no RnR...

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_AhO9fcJpQ"]https://www.youtube....h?v=z_AhO9fcJpQ[/url]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1412865728' post='2572805']
Just a shame that so many other chuck Berry songs are pretty well the same tune (though not all by any means).
[/quote]

Fair point. When he does do something different, he does it in style.

This must have sounded like it was from the future listening to it in 1957...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAAT9UfI0rw

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm about 99% certain that my desire to play guitar stems from [i]that [/i]scene in Back To The Future.

[i]Uhh...all right guys, listen, this is a blues riff in B. Watch me for the changes and, uhh, try and keep up, okay?[/i]

[i]Chuck! Chuck, it's Marvin. Your cousin, Marvin Berry. You know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this![/i]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1412848517' post='2572585']
Any of you guys and gals know of any Blues artists I can check out?


Thanks
[/quote]
As listed, there are loads. For me on the list of 'must haves' are:

The first two Fabulous Thunderbirds albums - 'Girls Go Wild' and 'What's the Word'. b=Keith Ferguson
John Mayall's 'Bluesbreakers' and 'A Hard Road'. b= John McVie
Rory Gallager 'Live in Europe' b= Gerry McAvoy
SRV's 'Texas Flood' and 'Couldn't Stand The Weather'
Any of ZZ Top's first six albums, but 'Fandango' & 'Tres Hombres' stand out for me
Dr Feelgood - 'Down by the Jetty', 'Stupidity' and 'As it Happens'

& loads of others.

A 'best of' Chuck Berry will get you hours of pain if you choose to attempt Willie Dixon's bass lines. JBG is a good example as is this dose of WD having fun:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_rVjPPS09g[/media]

P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1412860294' post='2572742']
You need to be careful including such songs as it is so easy to play, bass-wise, that everyone cuts their teeth on it
and the assumption is you are struggling to play/learn anything else.
[/quote]

I'd hate to think that what someone else assumed, was to be the criteria for what songs were played. It does not stop
U2 from playing some of their songs !!! :lol:[size=4] [/size]


[size=4] [/size]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No-one ever plays the bass properly, like Willie Dixon did on original
Listen to what he plays over the 5... and his 8th notes that drive the pace now and then.
And of course the thump of an upright... ;o)

That's what makes it NOT a substandard 12bar blues rock song, like what most of us churn out.

Edited by PaulKing
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...