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'
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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 poor 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 I got 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
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Johnny 99
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| Bruce Springsteen |
