Bye Bye Johnny

Album: Rockin' At The Hops (1960)
Play Video
  • She drew out all her money out of the Southern Trust
    And put her little boy aboard a Greyhound bus
    Leaving Louisiana for the Golden West
    Down came the tears from her happiness
    Her own little son name 'o Johnny B. Goode
    Was gonna make some motion pictures out in Hollywood

    Bye, bye, bye, bye
    Bye, bye, bye, bye
    Bye bye Johnny
    Good bye Johnny B. Goode

    She remembered taking money out from gathering crop
    And buying Johnny's guitar at a broker shop
    As long as he would play it by the railroad side
    And wouldn't get in trouble he was satisfied
    But never thought that there would come a day like this
    When she would have to give her son a goodbye kiss

    Going, bye, bye, bye, bye
    Bye, bye, bye, bye
    Bye bye Johnny
    Bye bye Johnny B. Goode

    She finally got the letter she was dreaming of
    Johnny wrote and told 'er he had fell in love
    As soon as he was married he would bring her back
    And build a mansion for 'em by the railroad track
    So every time they heard the locomotive roar
    They'd be a' standin', a' wavin' in the kitchen door

    Howling, bye, bye, bye, bye
    Bye, bye, bye, bye
    Bye bye Johnny
    Good bye Johnny B. Goode Writer/s: Chuck Berry
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Puntilla Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 3

  • Bianca Sanchez from Alburquerque, NmI love this song, It's like the biography of Johnny B Goode in two songs
  • Dave from Northridge, CaSpringsteen recorded a song called "Johnny Bye Bye" and, obviously, credited this song as the inspiration. It is an amazing song: the first lines are the same: "She drew out all her money out of the Southern Trust, And put her little boy aboard a Greyhound Bus." But the rest of the song is about the death of Elvis Presley. If you haven't heard it, give it a try. It can be found as a b-side and on the 4-disc set "Tracks".
  • Bertrand from Paris, FranceThe Rolling Stones covered this in 1963.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys

Mike Scott of The WaterboysSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Whole Of The Moon" and "Red Army Blues," and why rock music has "outlived its era of innovation."

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

Dwight Twilley

Dwight TwilleySongwriter Interviews

Since his debut single "I'm On Fire" in 1975, Dwight has been providing Spinal-Tap moments and misadventure.

Leslie West of Mountain

Leslie West of MountainSongwriter Interviews

From the cowbell on "Mississippi Queen" to recording with The Who when they got the wrong Felix, stories from one of rock's master craftsmen.