Johnny One Note

"Johnny One Note" is a 1937 show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes in Arms, where it was introduced by Wynn Murrary. Judy Garland sang it in the film version, released in 1939.

The lyrics for Johnny One Note tells a story that Johnny sang with a band and could only sing one note. Here is the first stanza and chorus:

Johnny could only sing one note And the note he sings was this Ah!

Poor Johnny one-note sang out with "gusto" And just overlorded the place Poor Johnny one-note yelled willy nilly Until he was blue in the face For holding one note was his ace

Couldn't hear the brass Couldn't hear the drum He was in a class By himself, by gum!

Full Lyrics found here: http://www.lorenzhart.org/onenote.htm

In business terms, 'Johnny One Note' has been used to represent a town that is dominated by a single industry, as noted in this article by NBC news: Most of the 35 metro areas that have largely avoided recent recessions, and most of the 14 metro areas that still haven't fallen into the current recession, are Johnny One Notes, dominated by a single industry. source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30216797/

Notable recordings

• Judy Garland - single release b/ "I Wish I Were in Love Again" (1948)
• Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers & Hart Songbook (1956)
• Carol Burnett - Let Me Entertain You