Johnny B. Goode What key do you play in?

[Kittoon]

Chuck Berry’s classic Johnny B. Goode was done in the key of Bflat. (Many of his songs were created in somewhat non-friendly “guitar” keys to accommodate horns and/his vocal range (as I understand it)

Many covers of the song utilize the key of A, E, even Em and G!

Many of the lessons/demonstrations on YouTube and such, do however teach Johnny B. Goode in Bflat.

Just curious as to what key you play the song in and perhaps why?

For authenticity? You DO play with others and horns are involved?

I love the Bflat chord. But not especially as a key!

[Gordon Currie]

I've done it in A and B. Probably because we were all new players and playing in flat keys was a bridge too far at that point.

Plus, I think I learned the tune off a Jimi Hendrix record (Hendrix in the West) and he definitely played it in A.

Never played it with anything but standard garage band lineup (guitars, bass, drums).

[_Mike_]

We play it in Bb, because someone said “This song is in Bb.”

Capo 1 for me, rest of band is drums bass and ‘lectric.

[Mooh]

Told the singer it was Bb but actually did it in A so the rest of us could handle the back-up vocals more easily. Singer didn't know the difference.

[JonPR]

We do it usually in A because (1) it's easier on guitar than Bb and (2) the singer can handle it in A.
I have done it in other keys with other singers (it's a little high for most men in the original key, and a little low for many women).

Chuck Berry's key is totally irrelevant.

[Nymuso]

I’ve only played it electric with rock bands, always in A. Our acoustic group doesn’t do it but we do I Know a Little, also in A. Maybe we could hook Johnny B to the end of it. Hmmm . . . .

[Kittoon]

Interesting. 4 of 5 play do not play the song in the original key. The 1 in 5 who does play in Bb uses a capo.

I wonder if, in his later years (or when Chuck Berry had no horns/piano in the backing band) he ever switched keys?

[reeve21]

Originally Posted by Kittoon

Interesting. 4 of 5 play do not play the song in the original key. The 1 in 5 who does play in Bb uses a capo.

I wonder if, in his later years (or when Chuck Berry had no horns/piano in the backing band) he ever switched keys?

Here ya go!

[mr. beaumont]

Marty McFly played it in B.

[Kittoon]

Chuck Berry. Quite the showman!

[nightchef]

I think moving a song a whole step up from the original key to sing it at age 68 is a pretty good working definition of badass.

[nightchef]

I'm also not sure why you'd need to capo the song if you're playing it more or less faithfully, since there are no cowboy chords involved--it's just a matter of which fret you're hanging out at to play those signature licks and chunka-chunka rhythms.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by reeve21

Here ya go!

Yup, he's in C there.

I fact it seems C was his favourite live key:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ROwVrF0Ceg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6PryLdLZXY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EorVF9v_33A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YcPtitpLkk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHHZM4ecO98

I only found one in Bb - maybe for the sax player?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQGCWf6azHY

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by nightchef

I think moving a song a whole step up from the original key to sing it at age 68 is a pretty good working definition of badass.

Yes...

And I think we can forgive him for lowering the melody and half-speaking it when he sang it, still in C, 20 years later:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHHZM4ecO98

[_Mike_]

Originally Posted by nightchef

I'm also not sure why you'd need to capo the song if you're playing it more or less faithfully, since there are no cowboy chords involved--it's just a matter of which fret you're hanging out at to play those signature licks and chunka-chunka rhythms.

I’m rhythm on this one. A D and E over Bb Eb and F.