Norman My Love

Centuries ago, when the word Norman turned up in a song or poem, it usually referred to the great warriors descended from the Norse Vikings who settled in France and gave their name to the region still known as Normandy.

 
But Norman was already being used as a given name in England, meaning “man from the North” even before the Norman conquest in 1066. It remained a popular boy’s name until some time in the late 20th century when old-fashioned names began to be replaced with names that were a lot cooler.

Norman still isn’t exactly a name you’d expect to find in a song, is it? But in 1961, “Norman” was a No. 3 hit for Sue Thompson. You can just imagine how thrilled all the girls with boyfriends named Norman were, and the teens in the video look like they were having a great time even if their boyfriend’s name was something else, like Walter or Edwin.

“Norman” Lyrics (by John D. Loudermilk)

Norman , ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Norman, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Norman, Norman, my love

Jimmy called me on the phone but I was gone, not at home
’cause I was out parked all alone with darlin’ Norman
Bill invited me to a show but I said no, cannot go
There’s a dress that I’ve got to sew and wear for Norman

Norman holds me close to him, Norman kisses me and then
Norman knows my heart belongs to him and him and only him, oh

Norman, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Norman, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Norman, Norman, my love

Joey asked me for a date, he wanted to take me out to skate
But I told Joey he would have to make arrangements with Norman

Norman is my only love, Norman’s all I’m thinking of
Norman gives me all his lovin’, kissin’, huggin’, lovey-dovin’

Norman , ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Norman, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Norman, Norman, my love

More Normans:
Norman Jewison, producer and director of such notable films as
“Fiddler on the Roof,” “Agnes of God” and “Jesus Christ Superstar”
Norman Reedus, who plays Judas to Lady Gaga’s Mary Magdalene
Norman Bates from Psycho
Norman from the Pokémon universe
Norman Osborn, the arch-enemy of Spider-Man
Norman, The Guardian of Mighty Max