🔘 Johnny B. Goode – Single: Nov. 1979

Label: The Rocket Record Company

Catalogue Number: XPRES 24

Format: 7" Vinyl Single

Released: November 23, 1979 (UK)

A high‑energy disco‑rock Chuck Berry cover — backed with the pulsing Thunder in the Night.

Issued on Rocket, the single showcased Elton’s bold late‑’70s detour under Pete Bellotte’s production.

🔘 Overview

Johnny B. Goode was released on November 23, 1979 as a UK 7" single on The Rocket Record Company. Taken from Elton John’s disco‑leaning album Victim of Love, the track reimagined Chuck Berry’s rock ’n’ roll classic as a driving, club‑ready production shaped by producer Pete Bellotte.

The B‑side, Thunder in the Night, also from Victim of Love, continued the album’s sleek Euro‑disco aesthetic. XPRES 24 was lacquer‑cut at Utopia Studios and issued in both standard A/B‑designated labels and variants without A/B markings. A 12" companion release was also issued.

🔘 Track List (Common Configurations)

7" Vinyl — XPRES 24

A. Johnny B. Goode

B. Thunder in the Night

Written by: Chuck Berry (A) / Pete Bellotte, Geoff Bastow (B)

Produced by: Pete Bellotte

🔘 Release Details

Label: The Rocket Record Company

Formats: 7" Vinyl

Country: UK

Year: 1979

Notes:

- From the album Victim of Love

- Disco‑rock reinterpretation of Chuck Berry’s classic

- Lacquer cut at Utopia Studios

- Issued in A/B and no‑A/B label variants

- 12" version also released

- Did not chart in the UK

🔘 Variants (Discogs‑Verified)

Variant 1

UK – Rocket – XPRES 24 (1979)

Format: 7" Vinyl (Paper Label, A/B designated)

Variant 2

UK – Rocket – XPRES 24 (1979)

Format: 7" Vinyl (Paper Label, no A/B designation)

Variant 3

UK – Rocket – XPRES 24 (1979)

Format: 7" Vinyl (Injection‑moulded label)

🔘 Chart Data (BBC / Official Charts Company)

Peak Position: UK — No Chart Entry

Weeks on Chart: —

Chart Run (Official Charts):

No UK chart position recorded.

🔘 Context & Notes

Recording Notes

A glossy, Euro‑disco production — Bellotte’s signature style blending with Elton’s vocal power in an unexpected stylistic shift.

Collector Notes

Utopia‑cut copies and no‑A/B label variants are of particular interest. The 12" companion is sought after for its extended mix.

Legacy

A bold late‑’70s Elton experiment — divisive, daring, and now a cult favourite among completists.

🔘 Related Material

Previous Single

Are You Ready for Love (1979)

Next Single

Little Jeannie (1980)

🔘 Discography (Selected, Chronological)

Johnny B. Goode — 1979

Thunder in the Night — 1979

🔘 Mini‑Timeline

Nov. 23, 1979 — UK single released

🔘 Glam Flashback

Elton goes disco‑rock — unexpected, flamboyant, and defiantly off‑road.

🔘 Sources

The Rocket Record Company

Discogs

Official Charts Company

Elton John archival documentation