Johnny Cash Johnny 99 Lyrics

Johnny 99 Lyrics

Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late last 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 him Johnny 99 



Dawn in that part
of town where when you hit red light you don't stop 



Johnny's
wavin' his gun around and threatin' to blow his top 



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



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



Well the city suplied
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 fit the crime 



Prison for 98 and a
year will make it even Johnny 99 



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 any
statement you'd like to make 



Before the bailiff comes to forever
take you away 



Yes judge I got debts no honest man could pay 



The bank was holdin' my mortgage they was takin' my house away 



Now I ain't sayin' that makes me an innocent man 



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



And your
honor I do believe I'd be better off dead 



If you can take a man's
life for the thoughts that are in his head 



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



And let 'em shave
off my hair and burn Johnny 99