Johnny the Horse

"Johnny the Horse" is a single by British band Madness from their 1999 album Wonderful. The song struggled to make an impact in the charts after the success of "Lovestruck", and peaked at #44 in the UK Singles Chart.

Carl Smyth explained that "The song Johnny the Horse was inspired by a couple of tramps who I used to see often sitting and drinking cheap booze on a wall locally. One day one of them was crying and, after asking him what was the problem, he told me that his friend had been beaten and killed whilst trying to sleep in an empty building. The name is the kind of tag that Scots or Irish might give to a strong drinking hard man type." Another quote states that "...it's funny how people's lives can unravel y'know. So that's what it's about. Who remembers them, they've had a life and then sort of fall between the cracks."

Although bonus track "You're Wonderful" is listed as a remix, this is the only version of the song to be released.

There is also a 'radio edit' of the single, where the line "Johnny the Horse was kicked to death, he died for entertainment" is replaced by the line "Johnny the Horse, who passed this way, he died for entertainment ". This radio edit also appeared on the 2010 reissue of "Wonderful".

Track listing

Two versions of the single were released on CD.

CD1

"Johnny the Horse" (Smyth) - 3:19
"You're Wonderful (Remix)" (Smyth) - 3:40
"Johnny the Horse (Enhanced Video)"

CD2

"Johnny the Horse" (Smyth) - 3:19
"I Was the One" (Barson) - 3:07
"Dreaming Man" (Smyth/Foreman) - 3:07

Chart performance

Chart (1999)	Peak position	Total weeks
UK Singles Chart^[1]	44	2

Notes

↑ Madness at Official Charts Company Retrieved 21 June 2013

External links

Johnny the Horse at Discogs (list of releases)

Madness

Chris Foreman Mike Barson Lee Thompson Suggs Dan Woodgate Mark Bedford Chas Smash

Studio albums	One Step Beyond... Absolutely 7 The Rise & Fall Keep Moving Mad Not Mad The Madness Wonderful The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1 The Liberty of Norton Folgate Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da Can't Touch Us Now

Compilation albums	Complete Madness Madness Utter Madness It's... Madness It's... Madness Too Divine Madness The Business Total Madness (1997) Our House Total Madness (2009) Ultimate Madness A Guided Tour of Madness Forever Young: The Ska Collection

Live albums	Madstock! Universal Madness Madness Live: To the Edge of the Universe and Beyond

Box sets	The Business The Lot The Singles Box: Vol. 1 A Guided Tour of Madness

Singles	"The Prince" "One Step Beyond" "My Girl" "Work Rest and Play EP" "Baggy Trousers" "Embarrassment" "The Return of the Los Palmas 7" "Grey Day" "Shut Up" "It Must Be Love" "Cardiac Arrest" "House of Fun" "Driving in My Car" "Our House" "Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)" / "Madness (Is All in the Mind)" "Wings of a Dove" "The Sun and the Rain" "Michael Caine" "One Better Day" "Yesterday's Men" "Uncle Sam" "Sweetest Girl" "(Waiting For) The Ghost Train" "Night Boat to Cairo" "The Harder They Come" "Lovestruck" "Johnny the Horse" "Drip Fed Fred" "Shame & Scandal" "Girl Why Don't You" "Sorry" "NW5" "Dust Devil" "Sugar and Spice" "Forever Young" "My Girl 2" "Never Knew Your Name"

Related articles	Discography Lucky 7 Records Dikran Tulaine Our House the Musical 2 Tone Zarjazz Records Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie The Madness Take It or Leave It The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra Boring (The Young Ones) Sick (The Young Ones)

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