"Johnny Get Angry" is a song written by
Hal David
Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick.
Early life
David ...
and
Sherman Edwards
Sherman Edwards (April 3, 1919 – March 30, 1981) was an American composer, jazz pianist, and songwriter, best known for his songs from the 1969 Broadway musical '' 1776'' and the 1972 film adaptation.
Early life
Edwards was born in the East ...
and performed by
Joanie Sommers
Joanie Sommers (born Joan Drost, February 24, 1941) is an American singer and actress with a career concentrating on jazz, standards and popular material and show-business credits. Once billed as "The Voice of the Sixties", and associated with to ...
. It reached #7 on the
U.S. pop chart in 1962. It was featured on her 1962 album ''Johnny Get Angry''.
The song was arranged and produced by
Stan Applebaum. This version featured a bass guitar, rhythm guitar, drums, horns, jazz piano, strings, a wordless female chorus, plus an ensemble of kazoos, that are heard during the instrumental section of the song.
In the song, the girl challenges Johnny by saying that they were through, wanting to see how Johnny would react by wanting him to get angry, by having him give her a big lecture, and to act like a brave caveman, to show that he cared for her. She references that when a guy cut into her dancing with Johnny, that he took no action against this.
The song ranked #56 on
''Billboard'' magazine's
Top 100 singles of 1962.
Other charting versions
*
Carol Deene
Carol Deene (born Carole Carver; 3 August 1944) is an English pop singer and radio host who achieved success in the early 1960s.
Biography Early career
After appearing on Joan Regan's BBC TV programme ''Be My Guest'' in 1961,Larkin C., ''Virg ...
released a version of the song in 1962 which reached #32 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
Other versions
*
Shelley Fabares
Michele Ann Marie "Shelley" Fabares (; born January 19, 1944) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her television roles as Mary Stone on the sitcom ''The Donna Reed Show'' (1958–1963) and as Christine Armstrong on the sitcom ...
released a version of the song on her 1962 album ''
The Things We Did Last Summer
"The Things We Did Last Summer" is a popular song about nostalgia from 1946. The words were written by Sammy Cahn, with the composition by Jule Styne. The most well known version is the 1946 Top ten hit by Jo Stafford. Versions by Frank Sinatra an ...
''.
*
Motor Totemist Guild
Motor Totemist Guild is an American rock band, formed in 1980 in Orange County, California by band leader James Grigsby. Described as an avant-prog, avant-rock and chamber rock band, Motor Totemist Guild was noted for its songs that worked into ep ...
released a version of the song entitled "Get Angry" on their 1984 album ''Infra Dig''.
In popular culture
*Vinnie Monte released an
answer song An answer song, response song or answer record, is a song (usually a recorded track) made in answer to a previous song, normally by another artist. The concept became widespread in blues and R&B recorded music in the 1930s to the 1950s. Answer son ...
entitled "Joanie Don't Be Angry" in October 1962.
*Sommers' version was included in the 1991 film ''
Flirting
Flirting or coquetry is a social and sexual behavior involving spoken or written communication, as well as body language. It is either to suggest interest in a deeper relationship with the other person or, if done playfully, for amusement.
It ...
''.
*
K.d. lang and The Reclines
Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop (music), pop and country music, country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical perfor ...
performed the song on ''
Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serves a ...
'' on December 2, 1989.
*Anne Bobby's character Lori Winston performs the song in a deleted scene from 1990's Nightbreed.
See also
*
List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States
A one-hit wonder is a musical artist who is successful with one hit song, but without a comparable subsequent hit. The term may also be applied to an artist who is remembered for only one hit despite other successes (such as " Take on Me" by A-ha ...
References
1962 songs
1962 singles
Songs with lyrics by Hal David
Songs written by Sherman Edwards
Shelley Fabares songs
Warner Records singles
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