This prototype character shared several key traits with the eventual Johnny Bravo, most notably the deep, rhythmic Elvis-esque voice and a relentless, often unsuccessful, desire to impress women. Production and a Near-Disaster
To capture the Johnny Bravo vibe, play with a "swing" feel. The notes shouldn't be straight eighths; they should have that long-short, long-short "shuffle" rhythm. Keep it loud, proud, and just a little bit desperate mess o blues johnny bravo
E|---------------------------------| B|---------------------------------| G|---------------------------------| D|--2--2--4--2-----2--2--4--2------| A|--2--2--4--2-----2--2--4--2------| E|--0--0--0--0-----0--0--0--0------| *Chunk-a...* *Chunk-a...* This prototype character shared several key traits with
"Hey there, pretty mama." (Guitar Slide: Whaaa-oooh) Johnny: "Yeah." Keep it loud, proud, and just a little
: While the short itself is a piece of animation history , it was the foundation for one of the first "Cartoon Cartoons" that helped define the network's identity in the late 90s. If you're interested, I can:
Performed in the style of a classic 12-bar blues shuffle—think B.B. King meets Elvis in a roadside diner—the song finds Johnny alone, nursing his ego over a girl who finally shot him down for good. The lyrics are simple but effective: "I got a mess o' blues / walkin' in my shoes" — delivered not with his usual cartoonish yell, but with a low, gravelly croon that reveals genuine ache.
: Van Partible's college professor showed the film to a friend at Hanna-Barbera, which led to the creator being hired and the short being reworked into the "Johnny Bravo" pilot for the What a Cartoon! show.