"Johnny Guitar" is a song written by

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalis ...

(lyrics) and

Victor Young Albert Victor Young (August 8, 1899– November 10, 1956)"Victor Young, Composer, Dies of Heart Attack", ''Oakland Tribune'', November 12, 1956. was an American composer, arranger, violinist and conductor. Biography Young is commonly said to ...

(music) and was the title track of the 1954 film of the same name, directed by

Nicholas Ray Nicholas Ray (born Raymond Nicholas Kienzle Jr., August 7, 1911 – June 16, 1979) was an American film director, screenwriter, and actor best known for the 1955 film ''Rebel Without a Cause.'' He is appreciated for many narrative features pr ...

and starring

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pict ...

. The music loosely echoes several themes from Spanish Dance No. 5: Andaluza by

Enrique Granados Pantaleón Enrique Joaquín Granados y Campiña (27 July 1867 – 24 March 1916), commonly known as Enric Granados in Catalan or Enrique Granados in Spanish, was a composer of classical music, and concert pianist from Catalonia, Spain. ...

, which was written for piano, but is often played on classical guitar. The instrumental for the song is used over the opening credits and throughout the film. The song is played on the piano by Joan Crawford (dubbed) and sung partially at the end by

. The song appears on all of the radio stations in the 2010 videogame '' Fallout: New Vegas.''

Covers

Instrumental covers were made by The Leemen,

The Spotnicks The Spotnicks were an instrumental rock group from Sweden that formed in 1961. They were known for wearing "space suit" costumes on stage and for their innovative electronic guitar sound. They released 43 albums and sold more than 18 million recor ...

Group Seven A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic ide ...

and

Crveni Koralji Crveni Koralji (trans. ''The Red Corals'') were a Croatian and Yugoslav rock band formed in Zagreb in 1962. They were one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. Crveni Koralji were initially inspired by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, but so ...

in the 1960s. Later versions include

James Last James Last (, ; born Hans Last; 17 April 1929 – 9 June 2015), also known as Hansi, was a German composer and big band leader of the James Last Orchestra. Initially a jazz bassist (Last won the award for "best bassist" in Germany in each of ...

, Kristi Rose, David Vanian and the Phantom Chords,

Die Haut Die Haut (German for ''the skin'') were an experimental German post-punk and post-rock band in Berlin during the 1980s and 1990s, with such records as the Nick Cave collaboration ''Burnin' the Ice''. The only constant member was Christoph Dreher ...

feat.

Blixa Bargeld Blixa Bargeld (born Christian Emmerich, 12 January 1959) is a German musician who has been the lead singer of the band Einstürzende Neubauten since its formation in 1980. Bargeld was also a founding member of the Australian rock band Nick Cave a ...

and was sung in

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

Jeanne Balibar Jeanne Balibar (born 13 April 1968) is a French actress and singer. Life and career Balibar was born in Paris, the daughter of Marxist philosopher Étienne Balibar and physicist Françoise Balibar. She started her career as a student in the ...

in 2003.

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

released an instrumental version on CD single in 2001. Language covers were done, amongst others : *in

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

Reino Helismaa Reino Vihtori "Repe" Helismaa (12 July 1913, Helsinki – 21 January 1965) was a Finnish singer-songwriter, musician and scriptwriter, mainly known for his humorous, yet homely songs. One of his best-known interpreters was Tapio Rautavaara. He a ...

(lyricist) as "Surujen kitara".Second Hand Songs: "Johnny Guitar" song page
/ref> *in

Frida Boccara Danielle Frida Hélène Boccara (29 October 1940 – 1 August 1996) was a Moroccan-born French singer of Italian descent, who performed and recorded in a number of languages, including French, Spanish, English, Italian, German, Dutch and Russia ...

(1963),

Luis Mariano Luis Mariano Eusebio González García (13 August 1914 – 14 July 1970), also known as Luis Mariano, was a popular tenor of Spanish origin who achieved celebrity in 1946 with "La belle de Cadix" ("The Beautiful Lady of Cadix") an operetta by ...

(1956),

Magali Noël Magali Noëlle Guiffray (27 June 1931 – 23 June 2015), better known as Magali Noël, was a French actress and singer. Biography Actress career Born in İzmir to French parents in the diplomatic service, she left Turkey for France in 1951, a ...

(1955) and

Tino Rossi Constantin "Tino" Rossi (29 April 1907 – 26 September 1983) was a French singer and film actor of Corsican origin. Born in Ajaccio, Corsica, Rossi was gifted with a voice well suited for opera. He became a tenor in the French cabaret style. ...

(1955), either as "Johnny guitar" or "Johnny guitare", w/ lyrics adapted by

Pierre Delanoë Pierre Delanoë (16 December 1918 – 27 December 2006), born Pierre Charles Marcel Napoléon Leroyer in Paris, France, was a French lyricist who wrote thousands of songs for dozens of singers, including Dalida, Edith Piaf, Charles Aznavour, Pet ...

. *in

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

Daliah Lavi Daliah Lavi (born Daliah Lewinbuk or Levenbuch, he, דליה לביא ; 12 October 1942 – 3 May 2017) was an Israeli actress, singer, and model. Biography Daliah Lewinbuk (or Levenbuch) was born in Shavei Tzion, British Mandate of Palestine ...

as "Johnny Guitar". *in English by Italian crooner

Renato Carosone Renato Carosone (; born Renato Carusone; 3 January 1920 – 20 May 2001) was an Italian musician. He was a prominent figure of the Italian music scene in the second half of the 20th century. He was also a modern performer of the so-called ' ...

, and pop singers Giuni Russo and Mina, in

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

by Italian singer Gigliola Cinquetti *in Persian by Iranian singer/ songwriter,

Fereydoon Forooghi Fereydoon Foroughi ( fa, فریدون فروغی; 29 January 1951 – 5 October 2001) was an Iranian singer, musician and composer. He contributed greatly to Iranian music and arts and his unique voice and style soon caught on with the people. I ...

(1980) as "Bloody Dawn". *in Japanese by Atsuko Niina, as the second track on her 1983 covers album "Play Room", where the song appears with the secondary title マッチ売りの少女. *in

by Spanish singer,

Paloma San Basilio Paloma Cecilia San Basilio Martínez (born November 22, 1950), known as Paloma San Basilio (), is a Spanish singer, songwriter, producer and actress. She was awarded with a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to Latin musi ...

(1992) as "No Pidas Más". *in Arabic by Lebanese singer/songwriter

Fairuz Nouhad Wadie' Haddad ( ar, نهاد وديع حداد, ; born November 21, 1934), known as Fairuz ( ar, فيروز, ; also spelled Fairouz, Feyrouz or Fayrouz), is a Lebanese singer. She is considered by many as one of the leading vocalists a ...

& Rahbani Brother (1960) *in Italian by Flow Sandon's (1954),

Nico Fidenco Nico Fidenco (artistic name Domenico Colarossi; 24 January 1933 – 19 November 2022) was an Italian singer and film soundtrack composer who gained considerable popularity in 1960 with the release of the song "What a Sky" (Italian: "''Su nel cie ...

(1965) and Carla Boni (1954) as "Johnny Guitar", lyrics adapted by Alberto Curci (Devilli) *in Hebrew by

Miri Aloni Miri Aloni ( he, מירי אלוני; born December 25, 1949) is an Israeli singer and actress. Biography Aloni was born in Givatayim. Aloni enlisted into the army in 1968, serving in the Nahal band. In the seventies and eighties she played ...

(1974) as "Johnny Guitar" (ג'וני גיטאר), lyrics adapted by Avi Koren

Sources

*Young, Victor. ''Cinema Rhapsodies: The Musical Genius of Victor Young'' Ontario: (Hit Parade Records, 2006).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnny guitar Film theme songs Songs about guitars Songs about musicians Songs about fictional male characters 1954 songs Peggy Lee songs Songs written by Peggy Lee Songs with music by Victor Young