Johnny 99 - Live

Well, they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month
Ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none
He came home too drunk from mixin' Tanqueray and wine
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, threatenin' to blow his top
When an off-duty cop snuck up on him from behind
Out in front of the club Tip Top, 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 young Johnny down
Said the evidence is clear gonna let the sentence, son, fit the crime
Prison for 98 and a year and we'll call it even, Johnny 99
The man how you gonna like that

Well 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 statement you'd like to make
Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away

Well judge, judge, I had debts no honest man could pay
The bank was holdin' my mortgage they were gonna take my house away
Well now I ain't sayin' that makes me an innocent man
But it was more'n all this, judge, that put that gun in my hand

Now, Your Honor, I do believe I'd be better off dead
So if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head
Then sit back in that chair and think it over, judge, one more time
Let 'em shave off my hair and put me on that killin' line

(C'mon let's do up now)