Johnny 99

Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late last month

Ralph went out looking for a job but, Lord, he couldn't find none

He came home too drunk from mixing Tanqueray and wine

He got a gun and shot a night clerk, now they call him Johnny 99

Down in the part of town when you hit a red light and don't stop

Johnny's waving his gun and threatening to blow his top

When an off-duty cop snuck up on him from behind

Out in front of the club Tip Top, they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99

The city supplied a public defender, but the judge was mean John Brown

When he came into the courtroom and he stared young Johnny down

Well, the evidence is clear, gonna let the sentence fit the crime

Prison for 98 and a year, we'll call it even, Johnny 99

Well, a fist fight broke out in the courtroom, they had to drag Johnny's girl away

His mama stood up and shouted, "Judge, don't take my boy this way"

Well, son, you got a statement that you'd like to make

Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away?

Now judge, oh judge, I got debts no honest man can pay

The bank was holding my mortgage, they was taking my house away

Now, I ain't saying that make me no innocent man

God knows it was more than all this that put that gun in my hand

Well, Your Honor, I do believe I'd be better off dead

And if you can take a man's life for the thoughts running through his head

Then won't you sit back in that chair and think it over, judge, one more time

And let them shave off my hair and put me on the execution line