Johnny Can't Read

Album: I Can't Stand Still (1982)
Charted: 42
Play Video
  • Football, baseball, basket ball games
    Drinkin bear, kickin ass and takin down names
    With the top down, get-a-round, shootin the line
    Summer is here and johnnys feelin fine

    But johnny can't read
    Summer is over and he's gone to seed
    Johnny can't read
    He never learned nothin' that he'll ever need

    Well, johnny can dance and johnny can love
    Johnny can push and johnny can shove
    Johnny can hang out; johnny can talk tough
    Johnny can get down and johnny can throw up

    But johnny can't read
    Summer is over and he's gone to seed
    (you know that), johnny can't read
    He never learned nothin that he'll ever need
    Well, is it teacher's fault oh no!
    Is it mommy's fault oh no!
    Is it society's fault oh no!
    Well is it johnny's fault ohhhhh nooooo!

    Couple years later, johnny's on the run
    Johnny got confused and he bought himself a gun
    Well, he went and did something that he shouldn't
    Oughta done
    F.b.i. on his tail
    Use a gun-go to jail
    But johnny can't read
    Summer is over and he's gone to seed
    (you know that), johnny can't read
    He never learned nothin that he'll ever need
    Well is is teacher's fault oh no
    Is it mommie's fault oh no
    Is it the president's fault oh no
    Well is it johnny's fault ohhhhh nooooo!

    Johnny can dance and johnny can love
    Johnny can push and johnny can shove
    Johnny can pinball; johnny can talk tough
    Johnny can get down and johnny can throw up

    Well, recess is over
    Recess is over!

    Sitcoms, t.&a.
    Johnny's mind is blown away
    Cop shows, horror flicks
    Johnny's brain is full of bricks
    Rock show, video
    Boob tube, rubik's cube
    Game fools, Sunday school
    Gain fans(? ), gobble gangs(? )
    Wonka wonka wonka
    There's a new kid in town... Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 3

  • Mike from Menomonee Falls, WisconsinIt appears, he wanted the video to have a classroom setting instead of what happens to Johnny. Watching the girls lip sync, I easily thought they were the singers. Who was in the cast of the video for "Johnny Can't Read"? Were Maren Jeffen or Louise Goffin in the video lip synching their voices?
  • Robert from NycThis came out a year after Oingo Boingo's "Only A Lad". Not saying he ripped it off but...
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 15th 1982, "Johnny Can't Read" by Don Henley entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart on position #80; and on September 26th, 1982 it peaked at #42 {for 2 weeks} and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
    And on its 11th and last week on the Top 100 it was at #98; and on the same week his next release, "Dirty Laundry", debut on the chart at position #73, and 10 weeks later on January 2nd, 1983 it would peak at #3 {for 3 weeks}...
    On the day that “Johnny Can’t Read” entered the Top 100 at #80, his fellow ex-Eagle Glenn Frey was also entering the chart with "The One You Love" at #87...
    Donald Hugh Henley celebrated his 67th birthday last month on July 22nd, 2014.
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