Johnny 99

<br>Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late last month <br>Ralph went out lookin` for a job but he couldn`t find none <br>He came home too drunk from mixin` Tanqueray and wine <br>He got a gun shot a night clerk now they call him Johnny 99 <br>Dawn in that part of town where when you hit red light you don`t stop <br>Johnny`s wavin` his gun around and threatin` to blow his top <br>When an off duty cop snuck up on him on from behind <br>Out in front of the club Tip Top they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99 <br>Well the city suplied a public defender but the judge was mean John Brown <br>He came into the courtroom and stared poor Johnny down <br>Well the evidence is clear gonna let the sentence fit the crime <br>Prison for 98 and a year will make it even Johnny 99 <br>A fist fight broke out in the courtroom they had to drag Johnny`s girl away <br>His mama stood up and shouted judge don`t take my boy this way <br>Well son you got any statement you`d like to make <br>Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away <br>Yes judge I got debts no honest man could pay <br>The bank was holdin` my mortgage they was takin` my house away <br>Now I ain`t sayin` that makes me an innocent man <br>But it was more than all this that put that gun in my hand <br>And your honor I do believe I`d be better off dead <br>If you can take a man`s life for the thoughts that are in his head <br>Then won`t you sit back in that chair and think it over one more time <br>And let `em shave off my hair and burn Johnny 99