Johnny 99 chords by Johnny Cash

Verse
          D
Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late last month
                                                      A
Ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none
        D
He came home too drunk from mixin' Tanqueray and wine
                                    A                    D
He got a gun shot a night clerk now they call him Johnny 99
         D
Dawn in that part of town where when you hit red light you don't stop
                                                         A
Johnny's wavin' his gun around and threatin' to blow his top
        D
When an off duty cop snuck up on him on from behind
                                                                  A
Out in front of the club Tip Top they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99

Verse
              G                                  D
Well the city supplied a public defender but the judge was mean John Brown
                                                  A
He came into the courtroom and stared poor Johnny down
         D
Well the evidence is clear gonna let the sentence fit the crime
                                      A           D
Prison for 98 and a year will make it even Johnny 99

Verse
       G                                            D
A fist fight broke out in the courtroom they had to drag Johnny's girl away
                                                           A
His mama stood up and shouted judge don't take my boy this way
             D
Well son you got any statement you'd like to make
                            A                D
Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away
    G                           D
Yes judge I got debts no honest man could pay
                                                          A
The bank was holdin' my mortgage they was takin' my house away
            D
Now I ain't sayin' that makes me an innocent man
                              A                       D
But it was more than all this that put that gun in my hand
                 G                 D
And your honor I do believe I'd be better off dead
                                                              A
If you can take a man's life for the thoughts that are in his head
           D
Then won't you sit back in that chair and think it over one more time
                                  A           D
And let 'em shave off my hair and burn Johnny 99