Johnny Cash - 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'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 ninety-eight 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 any statement you'd like to make
Before the bailiff comes to
Forever take you away now judge
Judge I had debts no honest man could pay
The bank was holdin' my mortgage and they
Were gonna take 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 honour
I do believe I'd be better off dead
So if you can take a man's life
For the thoughts that's in his head
Then sit back in that chair and think
It over judge one more time
And let them shave off my
Hair and burn Johnny 99