Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!

"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), and published by Forster Music Publisher, Inc. The music was copyrighted 7 February 1917 and the copyright was renewed 29 December 1944. 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 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.

Notable recordings

 * Premier Quartet
 * Blue Amberol Records, wax cylinder (1917)


 * The Andrews Sisters with the Vic Schoen Orchestra
 * 2840 Decca, 78 rpm; 10 inch (1939)
 * Recorded November 9, 1939, New York City
 * Side A matrix 66498
 * [//www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuactAjlacM Audio sample]


 * Bonnie Baker with Orrin Tucker and His Orchestra
 * 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


 * Peggy Lee with orchestra conducted by Jack Marshall
 * 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]


 * Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra
 * 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!".

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


 * Swing Shift Cinderella (1945), directed by Tex Avery
 * Sung as "Oh, Wolfy" by Red (voiced by Imogene Lynn) as Cinderella


 * 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,

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