Lyrics to
Johnny 99

This version of Johnny 99 was released by Bruce Springsteen in 1982.

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Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month
Ralph went out lookin’ for a job but he couldn’t find none
He came home too drunk from mixin’
Tanqueray and wine
He got a gun shot a night clerk now they call ‘m Johnny 99

Down in the part of town where when you hit a red light you don’t stop
Johnny’s wavin’ his gun around and threatenin’ 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

Well the city supplied a public defender but the judge was Mean John Brown
He came into the courtroom and stared poor Johnny down
Well the evidence is clear gonna let the sentence son fit the crime
Prison for 98 and a year and we’ll call it even Johnny 99

A fistfight 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 you’d like to make
Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away

Now judge I got debts no honest man could pay
The bank was holdin’ my mortgage and they was takin’ my house away
Now I ain’t sayin’ that makes me an innocent man
But it was more ‘n 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 that’s in his head
Then won’t you sit back in that chair and think it over judge one more time
And let ’em shave off my hair and put me on that execution line

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Bruce Springsteen has released many songs over the years besides Johnny 99. Bruce Springsteen released songs from 1973 to 2007 spanning across albums like The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., Born To Run, Darkness On The Edge Of Town, The River, Nebraska, Born In The U.S.A., Tunnel Of Love, Human Touch, Lucky Town, The Ghost Of Tom Joad, The Rising, Devils & Dust, We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, and Magic. Decade Lyrics has over lyrics & songs by Bruce Springsteen.

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