After Take That split, Owen became the third of the band's ex-members to release a solo record. He reached number three in the UK Singles Chart with his debut single, Child. His second single, Clementine, also went to number three. In 1997 his album Green Man was released, charting at a number 33. After another single, I Am What I Am, charted at number 29, Owen was dropped by BMG Records in late 1997.
In 2002 Mark won the second series of Celebrity Big Brother. After being invited to perform on stage with Robbie Williams at Knebworth, he returned to the spotlight and signed a deal with Island/Universal Records. In August 2003, Owen returned to the charts with the Top 5 hit, Four Minute Warning, which remained in the Top 40 for eight weeks. His second album, In Your Own Time, was released in November 2003, entering the charts at number 59. After a second single, Alone Without You, charted at number 26, Owen was dropped by Island/Universal Records.
In April 2004 he established his own record company, Sedna Records. He released his third solo album, How the Mighty Fall in 2005, which was recorded at Sunset Studios, Los Angeles in 2004. In February 2006 he released Hail Mary as a single from the album.
In 2005 Mark rejoined the newly reformed Take That and has been enjoying chart success with them ever since. He still plans, however, to continue working on solo projects.
Johnny
Mark Owen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
was top of the class before he was even born
Johnny was hard, he was nails, we were not
and when he opened his mouth, then out came the foghorn
Gimme your money or I'll have ya
Gimme some food or your dead
Gimme the answers to your homework
Stuck in such a funny place
has no name, no time, no space
heading for the pavement once again
been here many times before
between the ceiling and the floor
heading for the pavement once again
Oh dear I'm back here again (now I'm back again)
Oh dear I'm back here again (now I'm back again, now I'm back again)
Johnny [repeatedly]
Johnny was mean
captain of the rugby team
six feet tall with a fist like a bowling ball
Johnny was mad, mad, Johnny was bad
he was hungry for blood and he screamed down my earhole
Gimme your money or I'll have ya gimme some food or your dead
gimme the answers to your homework
gimme gimme gimme gimme
stuck in such a funny place
has no name, no time, no space
heading for the pavement once again
been here many times before
between the ceiling and the floor
heading for the pavement once again
Oh dear I'm back here again (now I'm back again) [x3]
Johnny [repeatedly]
Gimme your money or I'll have ya
gimme some food or your dead
gimme the answers to your homework
gimme gimme gimme gimme
I'm falling [x2]
Stuck in such a funny place
has no name, no time, no space
heading for the pavement once again
been here many times before
between the ceiling and the floor
heading for the pavement once again
Oh dear I'm back here again (now I'm back again) [x4]
Johnny [repeatedly to fade]
The song "Johnny" is a story about a boy named Johnny who appears to be a troubled child with a menacing presence. He was top of his class before he was even born and was known for being hard and tough. When he opened his mouth, it was like a foghorn. Johnny is the captain of the rugby team and has a fist like a bowling ball. He was hungry for blood and would scream down people's earholes. The song describes him demanding things like money or food and constantly asking for answers to homework. The lyrics also talk about how Johnny is stuck between the ceiling and the floor, heading for the pavement once again. This implies that he is going in circles or caught in a cycle he can't escape, which is also evident from the phrase "been here many times before." The chorus repeats that Johnny is back again, suggesting that whatever troubles he faces are cyclical, and he might never be able to break free.
The song appears to be a commentary on how society often ignores troubled children, which could lead to more significant problems as they grow up. The lyrics imply that Johnny's environment might have a role in his troubling behaviors. The songwriters are using Johnny to represent other children going through similar situations. When the lyrics say, "Johnny's a child, we better watch out," it is a call to action for people to pay attention to and help troubled children before they become a more significant problem.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny [x16]
The song is about a troubled person named Johnny.
Johnny's a child, we better watch out
Johnny is a child who is in a troubled state and requires attention from others.
was top of the class before he was even born
Johnny used to be a bright student, but something may have led him down a different path.
Johnny was hard, he was nails, we were not
Johnny was a tough individual, while people around him were not.
and when he opened his mouth, then out came the foghorn
When Johnny spoke, he was often loud and aggressive.
Gimme your money or I'll have ya
Johnny is portrayed as a bully who extorts money from others.
Gimme some food or your dead
Johnny threatens to harm others if they do not comply with his demands for food.
Gimme the answers to your homework
Johnny would often cheat in school by asking for answers to homework and tests.
Gimme gimme gimme gimme
Johnny is portrayed as selfish and needy.
Stuck in such a funny place
Johnny is in a difficult situation.
has no name, no time, no space
Johnny feels lost and disconnected from reality.
heading for the pavement once again
Johnny is walking down a familiar road to his troubles.
been here many times before
Johnny has faced this problem multiple times in his life.
between the ceiling and the floor
Johnny is most likely trapped in his own thoughts and surroundings.
Oh dear I'm back here again (now I'm back again)
Johnny repeats a phrase to signify his struggle with recurring problems.
Johnny [repeatedly]
The song title is repeated throughout the song, signifying its central theme.
Johnny was mean
Johnny is portrayed as a mean and aggressive individual.
captain of the rugby team
Johnny had a leadership position in sports.
six feet tall with a fist like a bowling ball
Johnny is physically intimidating.
Johnny was mad, mad, Johnny was bad
Johnny was mentally unstable and aggressive.
he was hungry for blood and he screamed down my earhole
Johnny is violent and finds pleasure in hurting others.
I'm falling [x2]
The singer expresses a sense of falling further into Johnny's world.
Oh dear I'm back here again (now I'm back again) [x4]
The song ends with a repetition of the phrase from earlier, signifying Johnny's recurring struggles and the singer's awareness of them.
Contributed by Aiden J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Lorelai H.
Great song!
Maikel Timmerman
Great
Moody Blues
Does anyone have a recording of his song - Johnny from this Green Man album?
Ken Pudsey
Apparently it's on the re-issue of 'Green Man'...I wondered why I couldn't find it on my copy!