Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!

"Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!" is a popular American song composed by Abe Olman (1887–1984), lyricized by Ed Rose (pseudonym for Edward Smackels, Jr.; 1875–1935),^[1] and published by Forster Music Publisher, Inc. The music was copyrighted 7 February 1917 and the copyright was renewed 29 December 1944.^[2][3] 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.

Lyrics

<div= style="-moz-column-width:100em; column-width:100em; font-size:90%;"> Original lyrics, 1917, by Ed Rose

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1st verse (16 bars, ²⁄₄, 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)

<div= style="-moz-column-width:100em; column-width:100em; font-size:90%;">

World War I patriotic version, 1917, lyrics added by Raymond A. Sherwood

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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!

Inspiration for the song

According to an August 1945 United Press article, Ed Rose (lyricist) 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.^[4]

Notable recordings

• Premier Quartet

Blue Amberol Records, wax cylinder (1917) OCLC 39869865

• The Andrews Sisters with the Vic Schoen Orchestra

2840 Decca, 78 rpm; 10 inch (1939) OCLC 166342298

Recorded November 9, 1939, New York City

Side A matrix 66498^[5][6]

Audio sample

• Bonnie Baker with Orrin Tucker and His Orchestra^[7]

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

Audio sample

Pop hit on the Billboard Charts for 14 weeks and sold 1.5 million records in 1940^[8][9]

• Peggy Lee with orchestra conducted by Jack Marshall

Album: I Like Men!

Capitol Records, 33 1/3 rpm, 12 inch (April 1959) OCLC 26592062 stereo OCLC 10894054 mono

Recorded 1959

Audio sample

• Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra

NBC broadcasts OCLC 811140658

Recorded Late March 1940 (date unknown), Roseland, New York City

Filmography

• Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love (1940 film), directed by Charles Lamont, Universal Pictures
• Spotlight Scandals (1943 musical film), directed by William Beaudine

Starring Billy Gilbert, Bonnie Baker, Harry Langdon

• The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005 film)

During the scene when the children are playing hide and seek — when Lucy goes through the wardrobe

Original publications

• Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh, OCLC 741366211

Sheet music (public domain)

See sheet music collections:

• Indiana University Bloomington — IN Harmony: Sheet Music from Indiana
• University of Southern California — USC Music Library: Sheet Music Catalog

References