“Johnny go right, and Johnny go wrong, two little Johnny’s marching along. Johnny go right he stays to right, and never gets into trouble, Johnny go wrong he sticks to the wrong and seems to double trouble…SOOOOO, stick to the right like Johnny go right and follow this merry song, and you; never you’ll never get stepped on bumped on jumped on like little Johnny go wrong.” (Johnny Go Right/Unknown)
Miss Marie Cyphers music teacher at Linden Elementary School, teaches the ‘Johnny Go Right’ song to her first-grade music class. I was 6 years old, and to this day, I still remember the lyrics to this song, some 66 years later. When I was in undergrad school in the School of Education, prior to student teaching, we all had to learn how to play the piano (both hands, let me add, using chords), and teach an actual song to children while at the piano (I was no Elton John). My voice was bad enough but add the gnawing effect of fingers on a chain saw, and how the hell I was able to play and sing and teach Johnny Go Right, was among the miracles on Earth! Shabbat Concert at Emma Farm, my group of Second Grade boys, presents a version of Johnny Go Right,’ receiving a standing ovation, (actually, this was camp in the ’70s, and everyone received standing ovations). At the age of four, at the Columbus JCC, my now 44-year-old son, decides, to stand in front of the entire Pre School and sing he and his dad’s (ME) favorite song, ‘Johnny Go Right’ (so many infinite ways to love being a parent, and this is among the eons of memories for me). Simple versed song written in the 1950’s Johnny Go Right’, because back then we all walked to the right in straight lines, the same lines we were told to keep our crayons placed as we drew. Go left and you will inherit trouble, stay right and your life will be good as gold.
It was a sunny day outside, an early morning chill of 22, but the sun pretended that the temperature did not matter, as in I am in the sky, be happy and wear shorts, (kind of like the February’s in Pittsburgh as I was growing up.) Reluctantly I read the News of the Day, like the itch of a mosquito bite, once you begin scratching it, until the damn thing bleeds you cannot stop. At first, I muttered to no one but myself WTF, is being wrong the new being right for the RIGHT WING! Is it only possible to be a proud Republican, is to hate Democracy, hate People of Color, hate any American who is not you, hate so much that even if that hate hurts you, YOU STILL MUST HATE? And then, out of the blue the song ‘Johnny Go Right, blasted inside my head. The pain of the News was still aching in my gut, but my lips created a smile, and the hurt in my gut avoided pain in my heart for about 15 minutes as I reminisced… Why has the GOP even ruined the whole idea of remaining right!
