# 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
    Allemande left with the corner gal
    Do-si-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) 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
    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
    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) OCLC 26592062 stereo OCLC 10894054 mono
    Recorded 1959
    Audio sample
* Ella Fitzgerald and Her Famous Orchestra
    NBC broadcasts OCLC 811140658
    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
* "Blitz" (2024 film)

## 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