Live at Berkeley is a posthumous live album by American rock musician Jimi Hendrix. It documents his second performance at the Berkeley Community Theatre on May 30, 1970, and was released by MCA Records on September 16, 2003.
After drummer Buddy Miles and Hendrix parted ways, Hendrix's manager, Michael Jeffery, wanted to reunite the original Experience. He announced their re-formation, and set up an interview with Rolling Stone magazine (with John Burks) on March 19, 1970. However, two weeks later Hendrix decided against Experience bassist Noel Redding. Instead, bassist Billy Cox along with Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell became his backing musicians for The Cry of Love Tour.
At Berkeley, Hendrix pushed the boundaries with works-in-progress including embryonic versions of what would become "Straight Ahead" and "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)". He did not tune his guitar down a half step as he usually did at all other shows and on most of his albums. Instead, he stayed in standard tuning.
Lyrics
Deep down in Louisiana close to New Orleans
Way back up in the woods among the evergreens
There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood
Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode
Who never ever learned to read or write so well
But he could play a guitar just like a-ringin' a bell
Go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Johnny B. Goode
He used to carry his guitar in a gunny sack
Go sit beneath the tree by the railroad track
Oh, the engineers would see him sitting in the shade
Strumming with the rhythm that the drivers made
People passing by they would stop and say
"Oh my what that little country boy could play"
Go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Go Johnny go go
Johnny B. Goode
His mother told him "someday you will be a man
And you will be the leader of a big old band
Many people coming from miles around
To hear you play your music when the sun go down
Maybe someday your name will be in lights
Saying "Johnny B. Goode tonight"
Go go Go Johnny go Go go go Johnny go Go go go Johnny go Go go go Johnny go Go Johnny B. Goode
Songwriters: Chuck Berry Johnny B. Goode lyrics © Ole Media Management Lp
