I'm sitting in with a band next week for charity. They've given me 24 bars of Johnny B Goode in Bb.
Given it's a squeaky key in 2nd position (Eb harp) I thought I'd have a look around on YouTube for a cool version to cop off.
To my shock, there isn't a single decent version!
I found a version with Howard Levy thinking it had to be good, as it's Howard. Some of his licks are nice, but the song just doesn't lend itself to harp at all.
Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom, or know of a good version?
Try looking up "Nix & Daniel" youtube, just a couple of dudes jamming but something i listen to from time to time, he's using a D harp. Sorry i cant embed the link as i'm a computor untech savvy guy. ;)
Mike Stevens does this song on his album "Old Time Mojo" (along with Raymond McLain)... its in Bb and Mike uses an Eb harp... Mike plays it pretty fast as expected... good stuff !
ick. I've never been able to "hear" harmonica in this song and have never done a good job when "forced" to play along with a band doing a version of this one.
Glad there are others with better harmonica imagination than me that can really go for it.
Chuck Berry tunes are great for guitar and piano, though. ---------- The Iceman
through all the years i've played this song .. band plays it in A (usually) on the harp 1st position and/or cross harp fits easily ......
Bb may be the orig key .. don't know ...
in A (standard club key ) it's a good tune for harp , never had any problem finding the right chops , melody and improv parts ... but .. never played it in Bb & wouldn't want to .... though 1st position would work out fine if you absolutely had too ...
Both the Howard & Erwin vid's above ... Band is playing in A ....
Last Edited by mastercaster on Jul 20, 2013 9:45 PM
Adam told that this is not a harp song. Can't never did a damn thing try always did. I admit it is not a harp song but "not harp" songs are around to try and make them harp songs somehow and it can be fun attempting to do so.
This was a great night in Klingenthal. Real fun and very wild!!! Thanks Sam for posting. I forgot that this vid existed.
I am playing 2nd position here. It gets a little schrill after a while but none the less a fun song to play.
I wish some of you folks could make it over for Mundharmonika Live in Klingenthal. It is a real fantastic festival and people love it so much they just keep coming back for more.
Here is the link: http://www.mundharmonika-live.de/newpage/index.htm There is a translator in the lower right side of the web page. Please put this on your "things to do before I croak list". You will not be disappointed.
I dunno, I have never had an issue playing JBG. Granted, it is a song that showcases guitar, but I guess you got them rip sometime! It is probably the only song I play that I try to mimic guitar lines, most the other times I am striving for horn/organ lines. But hey, that's me
@ sandbagger I find that Bruce's solo is lots of high energy but he is stepping all over the vocals. As I said, its a guitar song, let Mr. Strat get his yayays out and get all tuckered out and you can pick up the slack on the next tune!
Last Edited by 6SN7 on Jul 21, 2013 5:16 AM
There were many very accomplished players on stage that night but Bruce's performance stood out, with a few simple riffs he got the audience going crazy (you can hear the crowd at the end). For me it was a lesson in how much you can achieve by keeping it simple, and if I had a week to put something together for JBG like the original poster, Bruce's video is certainly "a cool version to cop off".
6SN7.. agreed Great playing but let the guitar put his amp on 11 and and go to town ---------- Greg Jones 16:23 Custom Harmonicas greg@1623customharmonicas.com 1623customharmonicas.com
Did it Wednesday night and the crowd went crazy, or so my stack of friends said cause I don't usually notice. When someone calls it I always feel like "here goes". It is a song to lean on the guitar lines and it's really not hard. The rhythm part works really well, the breaks work too. Ce6
@6SN7: You are so right. I cringe when watching this but it was an unrehearsed session, late at night and the adrenaline was punping - still no excuse. Actually the guitarist said he did not know this song or the lyrics but pulled it off great! I do not play with a band (I am just a session player) and I seldom get to jam with a real good band and I forget my stage etiquette. I try to watch this now a days and the songs come out a lot better.
@1847: Excellent take. Love the Chenier sound. I've got some of that Chenier sound in a version I've worked on but your single note riffs are far better than mine. I may have to steal some of yours.
----------Johnny B. Goode is one of the most butchered songs in the history of rock and roll.
Johnny B. Goode is arguably the most often played bar band favorite of all time.
Most guitar players tend to play it a 1/2 step off from its original key and lots of them never get the two string lead chops that Chuck Berry, and his biggest fan, Keith Richards play so beautifully.
One can play harp on any American music. I can play it but i'd rather not. It is THE guitar song when done right. MP affordable reed replacement and repairs.
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