Johnny doesn't half get about

[Barking Spiders]

Ever since 'Johnny' made his first appearance in the Chuck Berry song (or mebbe even before JBG), he's cropped up time and again in a zillion rock and country songs over the following decades. It must be the same Johnny as he's this badass dude from the wrong side of the tracks, who don't care for nobody. He lives fast and eventually dies young (usually in an RTA) , only to be reborn to appear in another song about some crazy renegade who don't give a s***. His girl loves him but he's one moody mutha who thinks nothing of robbing the local liquor store  etc. Meanwhile in the history of the rock song where are the Phils, the Daves, the Chrisses, the Dereks.? Maybe someone here has a written a song about this fella called Clive.

As well as 'Johnny', another popular rock song character is the 'workin man'  a poor blue collar geezer who toils hard and sweats blood to do right by his family but in the end he's beaten down by the Man / done wrong by his woman. Of course, the working man never works in a call centre or  Carphone Warehouse and has a comfortable PAYE income.

Are there any other characters that crop up time and again in song?

[Steve Browning]

Some chap called Jayzus (based on the usual pronunciation) seems to inhabit a fair few songs. Seems a decent sort from the lyrics surrounding his name.

[stingrayPete1977]

My wife is called Caroline, lots of songs to choose from including variations of the regional spelling. 

[Japhet]

Not all plain sailing though. I remember when he was jilted.

[Fozza]

That's nothing compared to the time "The Boy" looked at him.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited February 27, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Vinny]

See that nun? she's his sister...

[Count Bassy]

And he always so long at the fair.

[project_c]

57 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

I hope he hasn't been shoehorned into any jazz songs. He hates that stuff!

‘Fraid so.

https://youtu.be/ot0TKg_C7EQ

But at least he gets called ‘sir’ there.

Edited May 31, 2018 by project_c

[discreet]

2 hours ago, Japhet said:

Not all plain sailing though. I remember when he was jilted.

He didn't have much fun on Patti Smith's debut either, if I remember rightly.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 1, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[ead]

He had a pretty hard time on the docks iirc.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 1, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[ead]

Easily confused, it's my age 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

46 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

Are you thinking of Tommy? He did find it tough... so tough.

Understandable with that level of sensory impairment. Thank God for pinball.

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 1, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[TrevorR]

2 hours ago, Vinny said:

See that nun? she's his sister...

Such a shame, she doesn’t know that he’s gone bad. Had seriously bad effects on his dad’s mental health when he found out.

[TrevorR]

12 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

It's all he had left to do with his six-string in hock, although that promotion to Major from Nasa and the ensuing space mission was a big turn-around for him.

But like so many astronauts he found the return to Earth difficult to process. Ended up on heroin, I heard. We know  that.

[lowdown]

58 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

It's all he had left to do with his six-string in hock, although that promotion to Major from Nasa and the ensuing space mission was a big turn-around for him.

I thought some of the Rock Star six stringers prefered it in A Minor ?

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 1, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Steve Browning]

28 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

I know of some who do prefer it in a minor, but rightly enough their careers dive-bombed as soon as people heard...

Unless you're a Jimmy. That said, you get your name endlessly repeated by the most annoying voice ever so there's some justice.

[Donnyboy]

Why was Johnny always running around with that gal Mary?

[Dad3353]

5 minutes ago, Donnyboy said:

Why was Johnny always running around with that gal Mary?

A major reason for his marching home..? 

[phil.c60]

26 minutes ago, Donnyboy said:

Why was Johnny always running around with that gal Mary?

I'm not certain.

 

[Mykesbass]

Changed sex in the 80's and has never looked back!