2219 – Bruce Springsteen – Johnny 99 (1982)

 

Escrita por Bruce Springsteen, foi gravada em 3 de janeiro de 1982 na casa de Bruce em Colts Neck, New Jersey e lançada em 30 de setembro de 1982, no disco Nebraska, o sexto disco de Bruce. Foi produzida por Bruce Springsteen. Fala sobre um trabalhador da indústria automobilística, mais especifico em uma fábrica da Ford, que foi demitido em Mahwah, New Jersey e atira e mata um atendente quando tava bêbado e com raiva. Ele foi preso e condenado a 99 anos de prisão, mas pede pra ser executado. Essa fa'brica fechou em 1980 e por isso Johnny foi demitido. Johnny Cash regravou essa canção, que deu inclusive nome ao disco onde ela veio. Foi regravada também pelos Los Lobos, entre outros artistas. Bruce cantou, tocou violão e gaita.

A letra:

Ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh

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
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 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 poor Johnny down
Well the evidence is clear, gonna let the sentence, son, fit the crime
Prison for ninety-eight and a year and we'll call it even Johnny 99

Fistfight 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?

Now judge, judge I got debts no honest man could pay
The bank was holdin' my mortgage and takin' my house away
Now I ain't sayin' that make me an innocent man
But it was more 'n all this that put that gun in my hand

Well, your honor, I do believe I'd be better off dead
And if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head
Then won't you sit back in that chair and think it over just one more time
And let 'em shave off my hair and put me on that execution line (woo)

A versão de Bruce Springsteen:

A versão de Los Lobos:

A versão de Johnny Cash: