Johnny, Johnny Come Home

"Johnny, Johnny Come Home"
Single by Avalanche
B-side Dance mix
Released 1989
Format 7" single, 12" maxi
Genre Synthpop, dance
Length 4:18
Label Warner Music, Wea
Writer(s) Kjetil Rosnes, Vinton Hoover
Producer(s) Vinton Hoover
Avalanche singles chronology
"Johnny Johnny Come Home"
(1989)		 "I Will Wait"
(1989)

"Johnny, Johnny Come Home" is a 1989 song recorded by Norwegian band Avalanche. It was their debut single and can be considered as its signature song. Released in March 1989 it helped launch the band's career achieving a smash success in France where it topped the chart and also in Norway was a top three hit, but its sales remained minimal in other countries.[1]

Song information

Written by Vinton Hoover and Avalanche's member Kjetil Rosnes, "Johnny Johnny Come Home" was published twice : first in late 1988, with a red cover single, then in March 1989 with a blue one containing a new remix. The refrain is composed of the title repeated eight times and many onomatopoeias ("Na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na"). The song is available on many compilations such as Boulevard des hits volume 8, La Discothèque du XXè siècle - 1988, Nostalgie Classiques 80 and Summer klub80 Volume 2. Two songs with almost the same title, "Johnny Come Home", by Fine Young Cannibals in 1985, then by The Men They Couldn't Hang in 1987, are not related to Avalanche's one.

Chart performances

In France, the single debuted at number 43 on 1 April 1989, and climbed regularly until reaching the top ten in its sixth week. It topped the chart from it tenth week and remained there for eight consecutive weeks. Then it almost did not stop to drop and totaled 17 weeks in the top ten and 26 weeks in the top 50.[2] The song is the 662nd best-selling single of all time in France.[3] In Norway, the song was ranked in the top for eleven weeks from the 27th week of 1989, including a peak at number three in its sixth week.[4] The song was also released in Germany, but failed to reach the chart.

Track listings

  • 7" single
  1. "Johnny, Johnny Come Home" — 4:14
  2. "Johnny, Johnny Come Home" (dance mix) — 4:03
  • 12" maxi
  1. "Johnny, Johnny Come Home" — 8:38
  2. "Johnny, Johnny Come Home" (dub, instrumental version) — 3:35
  3. "Johnny, Johnny Come Home" (dance mix) — 4:03
  • 12" maxi (new mix - 1989 summer)
  1. "Johnny, Johnny Come Home" (special version) — 9:20
  2. "Johnny, Johnny Come Home" (special radio edit) — 4:14
  3. "Return of Johnny" (instrumental) — 4:04

Versions

  • Radio Edit
  • Dance mix
  • Dub instrumental version
  • Special version
  • Special radio edit
  • New mix

Credits

  • Arranged by Kjetil Rosnes
  • Programmed and engineered by Joey Wild
  • Mixed by Frankie Rynke
  • Producerd by Vinton Hoover
  • Cover : F.Gaillard

Charts and sales

Peak positions

Chart (1989) Peak
position
Eurochart Hot 100 23
French SNEP Singles Chart[2] 1
Norwegian Singles Chart[4] 3

Certifications

Country Certification Date Sales certified Physical sales
France[5] Gold 1989 400,000 468,000[6]

Chart successions

Preceded by
"Megamix" by Boney M		 French SNEP
number-one single
June 3, 1989 - July 22, 1989 (8 weeks) 		Succeeded by
"Lambada" by Kaoma

See also

References

  1. ↑ Elia Habib, Muz hit. tubes, p. 160 (ISBN 2-9518832-0-X)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Johnny Johnny Come Home", French singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved October 1, 2008)
  3. ↑ Best-selling singles of all time in France Infodisc.fr (Retrieved October 1, 2008)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Johnny Johnny Come Home", Norwegian singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved October 1, 2008)
  5. ↑ French certifications Chartsinfrance.net (Retrieved October 1, 2008)
  6. ↑ Les certifications depuis 1973, database Infodisc.fr (Retrieved October 1, 2008)