Johnny Can't Read
| "Johnny Can't Read" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Don Henley | ||||
| from the album I Can't Stand Still | ||||
| B-side | "Long Way Home" | |||
| Released | August 3, 1982 | |||
| Recorded | 1982 | |||
| Genre | New wave, rock | |||
| Length | 3:24 | |||
| Label | Asylum | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar | |||
| Producer(s) | Danny Kortchmar | |||
| Don Henley singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Johnny Can't Read" is the first solo single released by Don Henley, included in his debut solo album I Can't Stand Still (1982). His then partner, former actress Maren Jensen, performs backing vocals.
It reached #33 in Cash Box magazine but stopped just short of Billboard's Top 40.[citation needed] The accompanying music video was very popular on MTV.[citation needed]
Meaning[]
The song focuses upon reading illiteracy and raises several thought-provoking questions. This song also reflects Henley’s respect for reading and his reading background. As he stated in the book Heaven Is Under Our Feet,
"I began to read when I was five. My dad sometimes read me the ‘Funny Papers’ to me on Sundays and my mother, a college graduate and former schoolteacher, read to me almost every day from books. As I grew, she made sure that there was always reading material in the house that was suited to my age and ability."
As for his respect for reading, he stated, "American Literature, like the air we breathe, belongs--or should belong--to everybody." His pioneering project to raise money to preserve Walden Woods emphasized his respect for the written word.
Near the conclusion of this song, Henley sings the line "there's a new kid in town", which was the chorus to the song of the same name he recorded with the Eagles.
Personnel[]
- Don Henley – lead vocals
- Andrew Gold – keyboards
- Danny Kortchmar – baritone guitar
- Kenny Edwards – electric guitar
- Bob Glaub – bass
- Mark Towner Williams – drums
- Louise Goffin – harmony vocals
- Maren Jensen – harmony vocals
Chart performance[]
| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian (Kent Music Report) | 49[1] |
| US Billboard Hot 100[2] | 42 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[3] | 29 |
References[]
- ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 137. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
- ^ "Don Henley Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
- ^ "Don Henley Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
External links[]
- 1982 songs
- Don Henley songs
- Songs written by Danny Kortchmar
- Songs written by Don Henley
- 1982 debut singles