![]() "Johnny One-Note" is introduced in Babes in Arms by Wynn Murray aided by Douglas Parry, Alfred Drake, Elenore Tennis, The Nicholas Brothers, Bobby Lane, Mitzi Green, and Duke McHale. ( Musical Stages, p, 181, hard-bound Ed.). Richard Rodgers has noted that because he and Hart were so interested in writing songs that helped to develop the story, they went so far as to change the name of one of their characters to Valentine to make the song fit the story. The only exception is " My Funny Valentine." It is integrated into the main story, Billie, played by Mitzi Green, singing it about her new love "Val," short for "Valentine," played by Ray Heatherton. The show within the show that the kids put on is a revue, and all but one of the Rodgers and Hart songs are the focal points for its skits. The cast was restricted to youngsters, many of whom eventually became stars, including Mitzi Green, Alex Courtney, Alfred Drake, Ray Heatherton, The Nicholas Brothers, Dan Dailey, Robert Rounseville, Grace MacDonald, and Wynn Murray. Rodgers and Hart had decided they wanted this show to be all their own so they wrote the book as well as the words and music and they brought in ballet genius George Balanchine for the choreography. Despite its lack of the de rigueur line of semi-nude show girls to stir up ticket sales, it ran for the better part of a year (289 performances), closing December 18, 1937. Nothing much comes of it until a deus ex machina in the form of a French transatlantic aviator crash-landing his plane in their midst generates enough publicity to make the kids' show a hit.īabes in Arms tried out in Boston and then opened in New York at the Shubert Theater April 14, 1937. The youngsters resist being sent to a work farm by putting on a show of their own to raise money for a local youth center. The story begins when a troupe of Depression era vaudevillians are unable to get work and so decide to light out for the territories in an attempt to make some kind of living-leaving behind their kids to fend for themselves. It's plot was slight and far fetched but the Rodgers and Hart score produced more American standard songs than any other show by the songwriting team. The idea for it emerged while Rodgers and Hart were walking in Central Park and noticed some creative children making up their own games. Songs from Babes in Arms other than "Johnny One-Note" included in the Cafe Songbook Catalog of The Great American Songbook:įor a complete listing of songs used in the original production of the Broadway show Babes in Arms, see IBDB song list.įor a complete listing of songs used in the movie Babes in Arms, see IMDB soundtrack.īabes in Arms was not only a typical "Come on kids, let's put on a show" musical, but perhaps the first of its kind. ![]() More Performances of "Johnny One-Note" in the Cafe Songbook Record/Video CabinetĬafe Songbook Reading Room "Johnny One-Note" Shirley Bassey "Johnny One-Note" recordings: Amazon Shirley first recorded and released this song on her 1966 LP Shirley Bassey - I've Got A Song For You.It has been a staple in her reservoir ever since. Nicole Henry writes on YouTube, ""I learned this from versions by Shirley Bassey and Ella Fitzgerald." Two "Divas," Two Renditions of "Johnny One Note" ![]() ![]() Main Stage || Record/Video Cabinet || Reading Room || Posted Comments || Credits (Portions of this page have not yet been completed. 3) When searching for a song title on the catalog page, omit an initial "The" or "A". Search Tips: 1) Click "Find on This Page" button to activate page search box. Home || Songs || Songwriters || Performers || Articles and Blogs || Glossary || About Cafe Songbook || Contact/Submit Comment Welcome to Cafe Songbook Internet Home of the "Johnny One-Note": Song history, Commentary, Discography, Performances on Video ![]()
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