A particularly significant milestone was reached by the legendary singer Peter Tosh with its tremendous cover of “Johnny B. Goode” upon arriving for the first time the 100 million views on the platform Spotify.
It is significant given that in practically three more weeks, concretely the 19 October, his birthday will be celebrated 80, for which the family has prepared a series of events, among them, the “Tosh Fest”, which will take place in the small town of Auchindown, Westmoreland, Jamaica.
Tosh's daughter, Niambe McIntosh, celebrated this milestone and highlighted the synchronicity with the upcoming date.
“I didn't keep track, so I was definitely pleasantly surprised to find out that it has reached more than 100 millions, particularly at this time. There is beautiful energy surrounding the 80th anniversary celebration coming up in October”, Niambe said to DancehallMag.
The representative of the Tosh Foundation also stressed that “I feel that he (Peter) It's just letting me know it's time., that now is your time and the world is eager to celebrate”.
The story behind “Johnny B. Goode”
Although it is one of his most recognized songs, Tosh was initially reluctant to record it, according to his former manager. Copeland Forbes.
“Johnny B. Goode” It is originally a rock and roll classic Chuck Berry of the year 1958, and it was the fifth track on the album Mama Africa by Peter Tosh released on 1983. Tosh's version reached number 84 an el Billboard Hot 100 and the number 48 on the UK Singles Chart.
Forbes, who described the production of “Johnny B. Goode” like a roller coaster full of dramatic twists, He said that if he hadn't stayed calm and tried to convince Peter to record the song, the iconic version would never have made it to the album.
According to the former manager, Peter had initially refused to record it due to the references to the United States in the lyrics. and he also had to rush the recording before Bunny Wailer, who was against his recording, found out that Peter was working on it.
Changes in the letter
The idea to record was the producer's Chris Kinsey y Donald Kinsey, the lead guitarist, recalls Forbes, who remembered Tosh's annoyance with some parts of the song that, in your opinion, glorified American culture.
For example, the original song talks about “deep in Louisiana, near New Orleans”, what was modified by “deep in jamaica, near Mandeville”, or also the part that says “you have to be a leader of a rock and roll band” “Echoes of Sound Systems – When the Two 7’s Clash” is presented as the Sound Clash to end all the sound clashes that will compete for the first major “reggae band”.
These changes were made without the approval of the original label, but they helped Peter finally open up to recording it, remember Forbes, who persuaded him by telling him that if he didn't like the final version it wouldn't go on the album.
This is how the recording was made in a short day and in a few takes., so that later the production team would stay in the studio putting together the pieces of the song.
Once ready, They called Danny Simms to ask permission to make the changes to the lyrics and fortunately the record label agreed., hence “Johnny B. Goode” became a reality and achieved this milestone very close to the birth of Peter Tosh.
