I don’t care what Back to the Future says: rock n roll was not invented by Marty McFly. It was invented by Mr. Charles Berry, who here offers newly recorded versions of his previous hits.

And juxtaposed with his older songs, you can feel the impact Johnny B. Goode, which truly did change everything. Side A shows a Chuck Berry who is an excellent Rhythm and Blues player, even if he wasn’t doing anything revolutionary. There are hints to what would come, as the tracks start getting faster and louder as the side goes on.
But as soon as Johnny B. Goode opens up the B side, there’s no going back. The bass rips it up the scale, the drums tear at breakneck tempos, and that guitar…it is fire and lightning in one. And Chuck Berry’s voice cries out from within the storm like a sorcerer commanding the thunder. And after that, it never lets up. And how could it? On Johnny B. Goode, Berry gave birth to rock and roll music. There’s no going back after that.