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Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month |
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Ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none |
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He came home too drunk from mixin'Tanqueray and wine |
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He got a gun shot a night clerk now they call'm Johnny 99 |
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Down in the part of town where when you hit a red light you don't stop |
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Johnny's wavin' his gun around and threatenin' to blow his top |
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When an off duty cop snuck up on him from behind |
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Out in front of the Club Tip Top they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99 |
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Well the city supplied a public defender but the judge was Mean John Brown |
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He came into the courtroom and stared young Johnny down |
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Well the evidence is clear gonna let the sentence son fit the crime |
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Prison for 98 and a year and we'll call it even Johnny 99 |
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A fistfight broke out in the courtroom they had to drag Johnny's girl away |
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His mama stood up and shouted "Judge don't take my boy this way" |
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Well son you got a statement you'd like to make |
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Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away |
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Now judge judge I had debts no honest man could pay |
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The bank was holdin' my mortgage and they was takin' my house away |
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Now I ain't sayin' that makes me an innocent man |
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But it was more 'n all this that put that gun in my hand |
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Well your honor I do believe I'd be better off dead |
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And if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head |
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Then won't you sit back in that chair and think it over judge one more time |
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And let 'em shave off my hair and put me on that execution line |
