Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh! Explained
"Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!" is a song composed by Abe Olman (1887–1984), lyricized by Ed Rose (pseudonym for Edward Smackels Jr.; 1875–1935),[3] and published by Forster Music Publisher, Inc. The music was copyrighted 7 February 1917 and the copyright was renewed 29 December 1944.[4] [5] Under the Copyright Term Extension Act (1998), the sheet music is in the public domain, as is all music published in the U.S. prior to 1923. Its melody and structure form the basis of a self-calling circle dance, using square dance steps and popular in summer camps.
Lyrics
- Original lyrics, 1917, by Ed Rose
1st verse (16 bars,, E♭ Major)
All the girls are crazy about a certain little lad,
Al-tho he's very, very bad,
He could be, oh, so good when he wanted to
Bad or good he understood 'bout love and other things,
For every girl in town followed him around,
Just to hold his hand and sing:
- Chorus (32 bars)
Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny!
How you can love!
Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny!
Heavens above!
You make my sad heart jump with joy,
And when you're near I just
Can't sit still a minute. I'm so,
Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny!
Please tell me dear.
What makes me love you so?
You're not handsome, it's true,
But when I look at you,
I just, Oh, Johnny!
Oh, Johnny! Oh!
- 2nd verse
Johnny tried his best to hide from every girl he knew,
But even this he couldn't do,
For they would follow him most everywhere,
Then his friends got him to spend a week or two at home
It's worse now than before, 'cause the girl next door hollers thru the telephone:(chorus)----
- World War I patriotic version, 1917, lyrics added by Raymond A. Sherwood
Verse
Uncle Sam is calling now for ev'ry mother's son
To go get behind a gun and keep Old Glory waving on the sea
Now prepare to be right there to help the cause along
To every chap you meet when you're on the street
You can sing this little song:
- Chorus
Oh, Johnny, oh Johnny, why do you lag?
Oh, Johnny, oh Johnny, run to your flag
You're county's calling can't you hear?
Don't stay behind while others do all the fighting, Start to
Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny! Get right in line,
And help to crush to foe.
You're a big husky chap,
Uncle Sam's in a scrap, You must!
Go, Johnny! Go, Johnny! Go!----
- Self-Calling circle dance version, date unknown
(To the chorus melody)
Well, you all join hands as you circle the ring
Stop where you are, give your honey a swing
Swing that little gal behind you
Swing your own, if you have time when you get home
Allamain left with the corner gal
Do-saw-do with your own
Then you all promenade
With the sweet corner maid
Singing "Oh, Johnny! Oh, Johnny! Oh!"Inspiration for the song
According to an August 1945 United Press article, Ed Rose wrote the song when his friends, Mr. and Mrs. John Hansen of Akron, Ohio, began dating while attending college in Indiana. They were so conspicuously in love that Rose, also their classmate, wrote the song about them and presented them with the original manuscript.[6]
Notable recordings
Blue Amberol Records, wax cylinder (1917)
2840 Decca, 78 rpm; 10 inch (1939)
Recorded November 9, 1939, New York City
Side A matrix 66498[7] [8]
[//www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuactAjlacM Audio sample]
Columbia, 78 rpm; 10 inch (1939)
Recorded August 20, 1939, Los Angeles
Side A — vocal version by Bonnie Baker
Side B — instrumental version by Orin Tucker and His Orchestra
[//www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dD1wXNhJco Audio sample]
Pop hit on the Billboard Charts for 14 weeks, quickly became the top-selling record for the Columbia Recording Corporation, with 1.5 million records by the end of 1940[9] [10]
Album: I Like Men!
Capitol Records, 33 1/3 rpm, 12 inch (April 1959) stereo mono
Recorded 1959
[//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONovrmvcLG4 Audio sample]
NBC broadcasts
Recorded January 25, 1940, at the Savoy, New York
- Kathy Linden released a version of the song as a single in 1958 entitled "Oh Johnny, Oh!".[11]
Filmography
Starring Billy Gilbert, Bonnie Baker, Harry Langdon
Sung as "Oh, Wolfy" by Red (voiced by Imogene Lynn) as Cinderella
During the scene when the children are playing hide and seek — when Lucy goes through the wardrobe
Original publications
- Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh,
Sheet music (public domain)
See sheet music collections:
Notes and References
- Book: Library of Congress. Copyright Office. . Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1917 Music First Half of 1917 New Series Vol 12 Part 1 . 1917 . U.S. Govt. Print. Off. . United States Copyright Office . English.
- Web site: Columbia 78rpm numerical listing discography: 35200–35500 . 2022-07-01 . www.78discography.com.
- ASCAP Biographical Dictionary — Listed under "Ed Rose"
1st Edition, 1948, pg. 312
2nd Edition, 1952, pg. 421
3rd Edition, 1966, pg. 621
4th Edition, 1980, pg. 429
- https://archive.org/stream/catalogofcopyri121libr/catalogofcopyri121libr_djvu.txt Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 1, Musical Compositions, New Series, Vol. 12, First Half of 1917
- https://books.google.com/books?id=GBNhAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA127&lpg=PA127&dq Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 3, Musical Compositions, New Series, Vol. 40, For the Year 1945
- [United Press]
- The Decca labels: A Discography — Vol.2, The Eastern & Southern Sessions (1934–1942), by Michel Ruppli, Greenwood Press (1996)
- Swing It! The Andrews Sisters Story, by John Sforza, University Press of Kentucky (2000), pg. 34
- 'Wee' Bonnie Baker Gailey, 73, Band Singer of 'Oh Johnny' Hit, by Seth Borenstein Sun-Sentinel, August 14, 1990
- Bonnie Baker and Baby Face Make New Hits Out of Old Songs, Life, March 4, 1940, pg. 88
- http://www.45cat.com/record/458533 Kathy Linden, "Oh Johnny, Oh!" single release
