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

Notable recordings

• The Supremes- "The Supremes Sing Rodgers and Hart" (1967)
• 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
• Ted Heath and his Music - (1968) an instrumental version, the first eight bars of which were used for many years as the opening theme to BBC One's children's news programme John Craven's Newsround.