On July 3, 2025, Robert Zemeckis’ cult film Back to the Future (1985) turned 40 years old. Back To The Future has become a landmark event in pop culture and inspired many other feature and animated films and TV series. For many, these are childhood memories and one of the first films on videotape in the 90s or on cable TV. According to the story from 1985, Marty McFly is transported to 1955 and plays rock and roll at a school ball there. The music from the film also became iconic, in particular reviving interest in the work of rock and roll legend Chuck Berry. However, the audience joked that rock and roll was actually invented by Marty McFly.
Thanks to Back To The Future, the songs Johnny Be Goode and Earth Angel have become famous and popular not only in our country, but all over the world. Marvin Berry was played by Harry Waters Jr., in the film, after hearing guitar passages from Marty (who introduced himself as Calvin Klein), he calls his cousin Chuck and lets him listen to “the sound he was looking for.” In fact, the Johnny B. Goode song would not be released until 3 years later in 1958 (in 1955 Chuck Berry first appeared on the charts with Maybelline). And the Gibson ES-345 guitar itself is “from the future”, it’s a 1958 model. However, the guitar’s overloaded sound (distortion) was invented in 1951.
Who plays guitar in the Johnny Be Goode song?
In the recording, played on behalf of Marty McFly & the Starlighters, session musician Tim May plays guitar for Michael J. Fox. No, he’s not a relative of that Brian May, just a namesake.
Tim played a custom 1979 Fender Stratocaster with EMG pickups.
In addition to the song “Johnny B. Goode”, this guitar is also heard in the songs: Blondie “Call Me”, Lionel Richie “All Night Long”, Whitney Houston “Saving All My Love”, as well as in recordings by The Carpenters, Donna Summer, etc. This guitar has also played music for “Dukes of Hazzard”, “Beverly Hills 90210”, “Melrose Place” and many other TV and feature films.
Tim demonstrated that he was playing:
Like Michael J. Fox. Did Fox manage to play a musician in this scene?
He had a good teacher and studied a lot. Michael’s guitar playing was taught by Paul Hanson.
Paul specializes in guitar, teaches both actors and anyone who wants to play it, produces manuals, and has his own online school, Shred Guitar Online.
Fox had to copy Chuck Berry’s playing style, as well as take a bit from Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townshed with his “windmill,“ and even from Eddie Van Halen. In addition, he had to move authentically, giving out the “duck gait” and all these signature movements of famous guitarists.
Michael Jay and a choreographer who had previously worked with Madonna had been preparing for about a month to shoot this scene. And everything really turned out, this episode was remembered by everyone as the most vivid in the film. But what would Michael Jay’s guitar sound like when connected to a combo? Look, it’s going to be fun.
Who sings in the Johnny Be Goode song in the movie?
A non-original recording of the song with guitar and vocals by Chuck Berry was used for the film. The vocals in Johnny B Goode obviously belong to a white guy, but it’s definitely not Michael J. Fox, who is primarily an actor but not a singer. In the studio recording, the vocal part was performed by Mark Campbell, a musician of the soul-rock band Jack Mack. & The Heart Attack from Los Angeles.
The day after the recording, Mark got a call saying that he shouldn’t tell anyone that he was singing and his name wouldn’t be mentioned in the credits, and in general, his involvement should remain a secret, because it was necessary for everyone to think that Michael J. Fox was singing. Fox/Marty McFly is a musician.
The original soundtrack to the movie “Back to the Future” had 2 big hits by Hugh Lewis: Back In Time and The Power Of Love. And because of them, it was necessary to buy the entire soundtrack. There were 10 songs in total and Johnny B Goode was the last one. The producer gave Mark a contract for 1.5% of the soundtrack’s sales, and he is very grateful to him, as he receives royalties to this day.
Who is the author of the Johnny Be Goode song?
“Johnny Be Goode” wasn’t really Chuck Berry’s biggest hit, it reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958. Chuck had a number 1 hit only once, with the filthy song “My Ding-A-Ling.” And the main riff of the song about Johnny was borrowed by Chuck from Louis Jordan’s jump blues “Ain’t That Just Like A Woman” in 1946, it was played by guitarist Carl Hogan. Besides “Johhny Be,” Chuck used this move again in “Roll Over Beethoven.”
Louis Jordan – Ain’t That Just Like A Woman
Chuck Berry himself did not hide that he had borrowed the melody.:
“I first heard it in one of Carl Hogan’s riffs in Louis Jordan’s band. Then there’s T-Bone Walker; I like his legato, he’s bluesy. So mix a little Carl Hogan, a little T-Bone Walker, and a little Charlie Christian, and see how many people you can please! And simplicity is another important factor… the opportunity to play my music. If you can call her mine. Nothing is new under the sun.”
He also talked about the influence of Rosetta Tharp, who played the guitar much cooler than him. Well, the lyrics are really by Chuck, who knew how to write simple and understandable songs, not without black humor, let’s recall Promised Land, his sarcastic reaction to his imprisonment. So Johnny B. Goode is really a Chuck Berry song.
What about Earth Angel?
As actor Harry Waters Jr. recalled, he used to sing in a musical and was in good shape as a vocalist. He was lucky and instead of filming in a TV series, he was given the role of Marvin Berry in the new Spielberg film. They weren’t allowed to read the entire script, he only knew his role and had no idea what the whole movie was about. All they knew was that one guy was going back to dancing in 1955, and he and the band were playing at those dances.
It was January-February 1985, and the gym scene was the first new episode to be filmed after Eric Stoltz was replaced by Michael J. Fox. Filming took place in a hall inside the church (which still exists). Harry was on stage with a live band, real musicians. In those moments when they weren’t being filmed, they and the guys were improvising, they had a party all the time: the extras were dancing, and the crew was having fun.
The last shot of the first day was a phone call to Chuck Berry’s “cousin” backstage at the gym. After the command “Motor!” Harry said his line:
“Chuck! Chuck, this is Marvin. Your cousin Marvin Berry. Weren’t you looking for a new sound? Listen to me!”
and they shot everything from the first take. The film crew was jubilant. Everyone was able to go home early!
Filming lasted about two weeks. After all, there were still inserts to be made, such as a fight on the dance floor, and the disappearance of Marty McFly’s hand – the last scene was called “shots for 10,000 dollars.” Everyone was hanging out at Michael’s trailer. We drank beer and smoked cigarettes. He was very friendly.
Alan Silvestri, the film’s composer, asked Harry if he wanted to record the song “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)” – although he thought they would hire someone else. They went to a studio in Hollywood and recorded it, taking 14 takes, but they still didn’t know if the song would be used in the film. At the premiere of the film, Harry Waters Jr., fortunately heard that the song was sung by himself.
Marvin Berry & The Starlighters – Earth Angel
And the administration did not have permission for “Johnny B. Goode” literally until the very shooting of the scene, because Chuck Berry had not yet given consent. Until the last moment, they didn’t know if they could use it. And Chuck Berry didn’t really have a brother named Marvin.
