Johnny 99

Well, 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 when you hit a red light, you don't stop
Johnny's wavin' his gun around and threatenin' to blow his top
When an off-duty cop snuck up on him from behind
Out in front of the Club TipTop, 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, he's gonna let the sentence fit the crime
Prison for 98 and a year, and we'll call it 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, he's gonna let the sentence fit the crime
Prison for 98 and a year, and we'll call it even, Johnny 99