"Handsome Johnny" is an anti-war song that is known mostly for its performance by Richie Havens and the Woodstock Rock Festival in 1969. The single registered in the charts in 1970.
Background "Handsome Johnny" was written by Louis Gossett Jr and Richie Havens when Gossett was appearing at Broadway show, My Sweet Charlie in 1966. Havens recorded the composition sometime later that year. The song has been described as a "ringing protest of the War in Vietnam" and also said to have "clearly captured the nation’s mood at the time".Late Nighter, March 29, 2024 - News, Louis Gossett Jr’s Little-Known Role in Late-Night TV History By Jed Rosenzweig Dave Gott calls the song "a classic anti-war ballad" which is "stoked by the singers unmistakable thumb-chorded guitar strumming".Dave Gott - Album Details: Richie Havens, Mixed Bag : Allmusic album Review
Amongst the lyrics, Handsome Johnny, the man who the song is about is reduced to an assembly line object who is sent to die for his country. It's also an illustration of Richie Havens' frustration and the lack of understanding by the government.ArcGIS StoryMaps, December 12, 2019 - A Battle for American Minds The role of the Vietnam War in increasing conservatism in 1970s America Anna Lisa Lowenstein
"Handsome Johnny" backed with "Sandy" was released as a single on MGM 14141 in June 1970.45Cat - Richie Havens - Handsome JohnnyCash Box, June 13, 1970 - Page 26 cash box / singles reviews, choice programming, RICHIE HAVENS (MGM 14141) Handsome Johnny (3:52)
Some decades after Havens' release, Peter Tosh recorded a version of the song which was released on a posthumous album I Am That I Am in 2001. A version was recorded by The Flaming Lips which ended up on their 2002 compilation album, Finally the Punk Rockers Are Taking Acid.American Songwriter, March 29, 2024 - Songs You Didn't Know, The Song You Didn’t Know Louis Gossett Jr. Co-Wrote with Richie Havens in the Late ’60s By Tina Benitez-Eves
At the memorial service for Richie Havens which was held at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on 15 August 2013, Louis Gossett told of the time when he was a struggling actor and was about to be evicted from his apartment. A letter arrived and inside was a check from Richie Havens for royalties earned from "Handsome Johnny".Woodstock Whisperer, 9 Jan 2021 - Richie Havens Woodstock Handsome Johnny
Reception "Handsome Johnny" was in the Billboard Label's Disk Action Report list for the week of 13 June 1970.Billboard, June 13, 1970 - Page 77 General News, Labels' Disk Action Report, MGM, HANDSOME JOHNNY -Richie Havens, MGM K 14141 It was also one of the Top 60 Spotlight records that week. The reviewer wrote that it was one of Havens' finest performances and timely with a biting message with a strong beat that could easily become a left field smash hit.Billboard, June 13, 1970 - Page 88 Spotlight Singles, TOP 60 POP SPOTLIGHT, RICHIE HAVENS -HANDSOME JOHNNY (3:52) Also that week, the single was one of the Cash Box Choice Programming picks. The reviewer wrote that the song from his Mixed Bag album was old material to Havens fans, but it was timelier now and the material that it could turn up on AM and FM.Cash Box, June 13, 1970 - Page 26 cash box / singles reviews, choice programming, RICHIE HAVENS (MGM 14141) Handsome Johnny (3:52)
Airplay "Handsome Johnny" was added to the playlist of WAVZ in New Haven for the week of 6 June.Cash Box, June 13, 1970 - Page 35 New Additions To Radio Playlists- Secondary Markets, WAVZ — New Haven, Conn., Handsome Johnny—Richie Havens—Verve
It was shown in the 20 June issue of Cash Box that "Handsome Johnny" had been added to the playlist of WIFE in Indiana the previous week.Cash Box, June 20, 1970 - Page 30 New Additions To Radio Playlists -Secondary Markets, WIFE - Indianapolis, Ind., Handsome Johnny-Richie Havens-MGM
As reported by Warren Carter in the 24 October 1970 issue of Billboard, "Handsome Johnny" was added to the playlist of WBCR at Bluffton College in Bluffton, Ohio.Billboard, October 24, 1970 - Page 40 Radio-TV programming, Campus News, • Continued from page 36 College Programming Aids WBCR, Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio, Warren Carter reporting: "Handsome Johnny," Ritchie Havens, MGM;
Charts "Handsome Johnny" debuted at No. in the Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart for the week of 20 June 1970.Billboard, June 13, 1970 - Page 84 BUBBLING UNDER THE HOT 100Billboard, June 20, 1970 - Page 60 BUBBLING UNDER THE HOT 100, 117. HANDSOME JOHNNY Richie Havens MGM 14141 It peaked at No. 115 for the week of 11 July.Billboard, July 4, 1970 - Page 79 BUBBLING UNDER THE HOT 100, 116. HANDSOME JOHNNY Richie Havens MGM 14141Billboard, July 11, 1970 - Page 78 BUBBLING INDER THE HOT 100, BUBBLING INDER THE HOT 100, 115. HANDSOME JOHNNY Richie Havens MGM 14141Billboard, July 18, 1970 - Page 62 BUBBLING UNDER THE HOT 100 Performances According to the article, "Mariposa: A battle between electric and acoustic guitar" by Brian Cruchley, while Havens was performing the song, he was strumming so hard that he broke the bottom string on his guitar. He was to shout into the microphone, "some of you are not even listening... why don't you do something about it... I can almost hear the H-bombs whistling."Joni Mitchell website - Toronto Star, August 14, 1967 - Mariposa: A battle between electric and acoustic guitar by Brian Cruchley, WELL-KNOWN
"Handsome Johnny" was performed by Havens on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show in 1967. When Havens finished the song, the audience was said to have risen to their feet to give him a standing ovation that lasted through least one commercial break.Late Nighter, March 29, 2024 - News, Louis Gossett Jr’s Little-Known Role in Late-Night TV History By Jed Rosenzweig
Album inclusion "Handsome Johnny" appears on the various artists compilation,Core of Rock, Vol. 2 that was released on MGM SE 4710 in November 1970.Cash Box, November 14, 1970 - Page 34 Album Reviews, SPECIAL MERIT PICKS, VARIOUS ARTISTS -Core of Rock, Vol. 2. MGM SE-4710 (S)
Another version of "Handsome Johnny" appears on Richie Havens' On Stage album that was released on Stormy Forest 2 SFS 6012 in 1972.Cash Box, September 16, 1972 - Page 29 cash box / album reviews, POP PICKS, ON STAGE-Richie Havens-Stormy Forest 2 SFS 6012
References
External links Discogs - Handsome Johnny Richie Havens - Topic channel, Jul 30, 2018 - Handsome Johnny (audio) Michael Böhnke channel, Nov 4, 2018 - Richie Havens - Handsome Johnny "Live" (Woodstock video) John T channel, Dec 12, 2018 - Richie Havens & Louis Gossett Jr. - Handsome Johnny (Live 1987 Welcome Home concert) (video) Robert Morgan Fisher channel, Jun 4, 2024 - "Handsome Johnny" sung at Louis Gossett Jr. Memorial 5/31/24 (video)