JOHNNY 99

Early demo 2

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

Down in the part of town where at a red light mister you don't stop
He was wavin' his gun around, screamin' he was gonna blow his top
When an off-duty cop snuck up on Johnny from behind
Out in front of the Club Tip Top...Tip Top Club they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99

The city supplied a public defender but the judge was Mean John Brown
He walked into the courtroom and stared poor Johnny down
Well the evidence is clear gonna let the sentence son fit the crime
Gonna be dead in the chair we'll call it even Johnny 99

A fight broke out in the courtroom they had to drag Johnny's dad away
His mama stood up and shouted "Judge don't take my boy this way"
"Well I'm sorry Ma'am but the law must be satisfied
At your son's muderin' hands, an honest man died"

"Is there anything son you want to say
Before the bailiff comes and takes you away"
Judge I worked the ??? Line since I was 18
The bank held my mortgage and they were coming down hard on me
Now I ain't sayin that makes me an innocent man
There was more than this that put that gun in my hand

Well your honour I do believe I'd be better off dead
And if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's running in his head
I want to thank you judge for making me, making me a dead man
I shot that corn boy, I shot him judge and then I ran

Early acoustic take 2 of JOHNNY 99. A previous take from the so-called Pre-Nebraska Tape ended like this:

Well I'm heading for that mansion on the hill I'm a thirsty man,
gonna get my fill I don't care what you say, Mr. Smith or Mr. Brown
Step in my way and I'll shoot you down
Until the day that you understand
It was more 'n all this that put that gun in my hand

Another early demo is also available.