Dont’ forget Johnny Bye Bye from Springsteen.
I think this is all a realization of the influence that Chuck Berry had on a specific form of guitar based rock and roll songwriting. Even more than Elvis or Buddy Holly Chuck demonstrated that having a guitar and playing could be fun. Hell, he still does (when he’s not in jail…which seems to be concommitant with the ‘fun’ aspect).
God bless Chuck Berry.
Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) by John/ Taupin refers to a specific Johnny.
There’s Blue Öyster’s Cult’s The Marshall Plan from their album Cultosaurus Erectus, which had Don Kirshner announcing “with over a million albums to his name in just 2 short years, my friends, here’s Johnny!”
Then there’s “Johnny, Angry Johnny, this is Jezebel in Hell
I wanna kill you, I wanna blow you…away” by Poe. I doubt if there’s any Johnny B Goode reference there, though.
The Kinks sung about Johnny Thunder (fictional) and Johnny and the Hurricanes (real) in “One of the Survivors”
George Harrison did “It’s Johnny’s Birthday” on “All Things Must Pass.” I assume it refers to John Lennon (and his song “Birthday”).
The phenomenon was the basis for the story “The Public Loves a Johnny” by William F. Nolan.
A local singer, Vendetta Cream, covers an old song called, “Johnny, tu n’est pas un ange,” in her act. But since the song is in French, I don’t know whether Johnny’s a musician. I only know he’s not an angel.
Daniel
In the case of “I Walk the Line (Revisited)”, the answer is yes. Recorded by Rodney Crowell (ex-husband of Johnny Cash’s daughter Rosanne), the song recalls the first time Crowell “heard Johnnny Cash sing ‘I Walk the Line’”. By clicking the link below, you can read about an amusing anecdote about Rodney’s attempt to suggest that the “Man in Black” sing the classic tune to a new melody:
When Johnny comes marching home again, hurrah hurrah…
When Johnny comes marching home again, hurrah hurrah…
The ___ will sing, the boys will shout, the ladies they will all turn out…
And we’ll all be happy when Johnny comes marching home.
Only a lad by Oingo Boingo
The “lad” is named Johnny
Bouncing Souls, The Ballad Of Johnny X.
Johnny Are You Queer? by Josie Cotton.
“The Late Great Johnny Ace” by Paul Simon.
Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares’ hit made it to #1 in the early 60s
Johnny Yuma - Theme song to TV western, The Rebel. Johnny was played by Nick Adams. (Also early 60s)
“One was Johnny, who lived by himself. And liked it like that.”
Yes, of course Johnny Angel. I mean, obviously. But also there’s:
Johnny Get Angry – Joanie Summers
Johnny Get Your Gun – George M. Cohan
Johnny Freedom – Johnny Horton
Johnny Reb – Johnny Horton
Johnny, Johnny, Johnny – Kay Cee Jones
Oh, Johnny – Ella Fitzgerald (among others)
Frankie and Johnny – Traditional
Johnny One-Note – Ella Fitzgerald
Many other songs mention a Johnny:
The White Cliffs of Dover – Traditional
I Know Where I’m Going – The Weavers
It’s My Party – Leslie Gore
It’s not the only generic male name, but it seems to have a strong resonance in all kinds of contexts.