The 1950s have been hailed as the “Golden Age of America” and for good reason. The ‘50s were a decade filled with prosperity and unburdened growth. A Republican congress set on expanding economic opportunities and loosening unnecessary regulations rather than attacking the “New Deal liberalism” helped further the state of our nation. The divorce rate was 2% in 1959, 80% of homes had a television, wash machine, and a refrigerator by the end of the decade, a vaccination had just been found for polio, and GDP & family income went up by 25% in just those ten years. The 1950s were a time of sparse worry. As such, Americans looked to the ever-changing music for entertainment.
In the previous post, I spoke briefly to the ever-changing nature of music and more specifically that of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” had on the music industry. In particular, I mentioned the increasing presence of artistic expression and, among other famous musicians, the name Chuck Berry was mentioned. Embodying and exemplifying artistic expression, the spirit of rock and roll, and superb songwriting, Chuck Berry’s song “Johnny B Goode” has made it as the best song of the 1950s.
Now, before I continue, it is important to explain why I used the word “best” rather than “most popular” as has been the precedent. As has been the unfortunate history of both America and society, as a whole, different races have not always been on an equal footing. Chuck Berry, being of African descent, did not experience as much fame during the 1950s as some other notable stars (e.g. Elvis Presley). While Presley may have had more fame, music critics have retroactively named “Johnny B Goode” as the best song of the decade. Rolling Stone recognizes the masterpiece as the 7th greatest song of all time (the 6 in higher standing are from different decade), New Musical Express ranks it as the best song of the decade, and “Johnny B Goode” is one of the four musical pieces from the United States that made it onto the Voyager Golden Record (the other pieces being from different decades and even centuries). The fact that this song is on the Voyager Golden Record is truly exemplary. To give context, the Voyager Golden Record is a record that was sent out into space to try and explain our culture to an extraterrestrial being that might find it. The United States was allotted room for four musical pieces and “Johnny B Goode” was selected among millions of other pieces. This truly is an accomplishment, especially for an African-American musician.
Unlike the songs of the previous decades, Chuck Berry wrote and recorded this song. In fact, he drew inspiration from his life for the lyrics. Johnny B Goode is Chuck Berry. The name Johnny was taken from his pianist and Goode was the name of the street Berry grew up on. The other details fall in line aside from a few changes for the purposes of increasing the popularity of the song. For instance, Chuck Berry knew that the song would not go over very well if he used the line “That little colored boy can play.” As such, he changed the lyrics to “That little country boy can play.” He made a few other minor changes to the original lyrics in order to avoid creating tension among his white fan base. However, being the first rock and roll song to be about rock and roll is not what makes this the best song of the 1950s.
This song’s greatness comes from Chuck Berry’s performance on both the guitar and the stage. Berry was a master at the guitar, and this song showcases his skills. His guitar riffs were impeccable, complete with twangy solos and extremely fast paced strumming in a difficult key. The key for this song is B flat major, which is a very difficult key to play in for the guitar. Keys of E and A are much easier because there is less precision involved. B flat chords have to fit three fingers into a single fret, which requires extreme dexterity to perform properly. Aside from the masterful work with the guitar, Berry brought the performance to life as an entertainer. During his guitar solos, he would be dancing from side to side on the stage, constantly hopping on one leg, and every now and then getting within inches of a split, all while performing a perfect guitar solo. Chuck Berry’s talent is unrivaled and earns “Johnny B Goode” its place as the best song of the 1950s.