Johnny 99

(album: Nebraska - 1982)

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'm Johnny 99

Down in 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
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 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

Now, judge, judge, I got debts no honest man could pay
The bank was holding my mortgage and taking my house away
Now I ain't saying that made 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