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. 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, ​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)
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 (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
2840 Decca, 78 rpm; 10 inch (1939) OCLC 166342298
Recorded November 9, 1939, New York City
Side A matrix 66498[5][6]
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
Audio sample
Pop hit on the Billboard Charts for 14 weeks and sold 1.5 million records in 1940[8][9]
Album: I Like Men!
Capitol Records, 33 1/3 rpm, 12 inch (April 1959) OCLC 26592062 stereo OCLC 10894054 mono
Recorded 1959
Audio sample
NBC broadcasts OCLC 811140658
Recorded January 25, 1940, at the Savoy, New York[10]
  • 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 as Cinderella
During the scene when the children are playing hide and seek — when Lucy goes through the wardrobe

Original publications

Sheet music (public domain)

See sheet music collections:

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References
  1. 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
  2. Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 1, Musical Compositions, New Series, Vol. 12, First Half of 1917
  3. Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 3, Musical Compositions, New Series, Vol. 40, For the Year 1945
  4. United Press, August 14, 1945: Classmates Inspiration for Song, 'Oh Johnny, Oh'," Tonawanda News, August 14, 1945, pg. 6, col. 6
  5. The Decca labels: A Discography — Vol.2, The Eastern & Southern Sessions (1934–1942), by Michel Ruppli, Greenwood Press (1996) OCLC 59655056
  6. Swing It! The Andrews Sisters Story, by John Sforza, University Press of Kentucky (2000), pg. 34 OCLC 40755241
  7. Gilliland, John (1994). Pop Chronicles the 40s: The Lively Story of Pop Music in the 40s (audiobook). ISBN 978-1-55935-147-8. OCLC 31611854. Tape 2, side A.
  8. 'Wee' Bonnie Baker Gailey, 73, Band Singer of 'Oh Johnny' Hit, by Seth Borenstein Sun-Sentinel, August 14, 1990
  9. Bonnie Baker and Baby Face Make New Hits Out of Old Songs, Life, March 4, 1940, pg. 88
  10. Tom Lord, The Jazz Discography Online, Lord Music, (accessed 4 May 2017; OCLC 690104143 (subscription fee required; accessible at many libraries)
  11. Kathy Linden, "Oh Johnny, Oh!" single release Retrieved January 22, 2016.
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