Johnny Cash's cover version
Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late last month
Ralph went out looking for a job but he couldn't find none
He came home too drunk from mixing Tanqueray and wine
He got a gun, shot a night clerk, now they call him Johnny 99
Down at the part of town where when you hit a red light you don't stop
Johnny's waving his gun around and threatening to blow his top
When an off-duty cop snuck up on him from behind
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 he stared poor Johnny down
Well the evidence is clear, gonna let the sentence fit the crime
98 and a year we'll make 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 statements you'd like to make
Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away
Yes, judge, I've got debts no honest man could pay
The bank was holding my mortgage, they was taking my house away
Now I ain't saying that makes me an innocent man
But it was more and 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
The above lyrics are for Johnny Cash's cover version of Bruce Springsteen's JOHNNY 99. The song was released on Cash's 1983 album Johnny 99. The album also includes a cover of HIGHWAY PATROLMAN.
Johnny 99 was recorded in April 1983 and was produced by Brian Ahern. It was released in September 1983 on Columbia Records.
In addition to HIGHWAY PATROLMAN and JOHNNY 99, Johnny Cash also recorded Bruce Springsteen's I'M ON FIRE and FURTHER ON (UP THE ROAD).
List of available versions of JOHNNY 99 on this website:
JOHNNY 99 [Album version]
