Johnny 99

[Verse] 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 a-threating 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 suplied the 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, going to let the sentence fit the crime Ninety-eight 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 statements 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 holding my mortgage, they was taking my house away Now, I am not saying 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 them shave off my hair and burn Johnny 99