Johnny 99 chords by Bruce Springsteen

Chords with lyrics

Intro: BB BB F#F# BB

      BB                       BB
Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month
        BB                    F#F#
Ralph went out lookin' for a job  but he couldn't find none
     BB                    BB
He came home too drunk from mixin'Tanqueray and wine
     BB                F#F#       BB
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
           BB                   F#F#
Johnny's wavin' his gun around and threatenin' to blow his top
    BB
When an off duty cop snuck up on him from behind
           BB              F#F#       BB
Out in front of the Club Tip Top they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99
          E MajorE                BB
Well the city supplied a public defender  but the judge was Mean John Brown
         BB                F#F#
He came into the courtroom and stared poor Johnny down
     BB
Well the evidence is clear gonna let the sentence son fit the crime
      BB               F#F#      BB
Prison for 98 and a year and we'll call it even Johnny 99

HARMONICA: BB BB E MajorE BB  BB BB F#F# BB
    E MajorE                        BB
A augmentedA fistfight broke out in the courtroom  they had to drag Johnny's girl away
                              F#F#
His mama stood up and shouted Judge don't take my boy this way
   BB
Well son you got any statement you'd like to make
      BB         F#F#       BB
Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away
Now judge judge I had debts no honest man could pay
       BB                        F#F#
The bank was holdin' my mortgage and they was takin' my house away
  BB
Now I ain't sayin' that makes me an innocent man
      BB           F#F#         BB
But it was more 'n all this that put that gun in my hand
Well your honour I do believe I'd be better off dead
                                F#F#
And if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head
          BB
Then won't you sit back in that chair and think it over judge one more time
       BB          F#F#            BB
And let 'em shave off my hair and put me on that execution line

OUTRO: E MajorE BB F#F# BB   BB BB F#F# BB

Other versions of Johnny 99

Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Johnny 99 by Bruce Springsteen