text: Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late last month
  Ralph went out lookin for a job but he couldnt find none
  He came home too drunk from mixin Tanqueray and wine
  He got a gun shot a night clerk now they callm Johnny 99
  Down in the part of town where when you hit a red light you dont stop
  Johnnys 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 well call it even Johnny 99
  A fistfight broke out in the courtroom they had to drag Johnnys girl away
  His mama stood up and shouted Judge dont take my boy this way
  Well, son, you got any statement youd like to make
  Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away
  Now judge, judge I had debts no honest man could pay
  The bank was holdin my mortgage and they were gonna take my house away
  Now I aint sayin that makes me an innocent man
  But it was more n all this that put that gun in my hand
  Well, your honour, I do believe Id be better off dead
  So if you can take a mans life for the thoughts thats in his head
  Then sit back in that chair and think it over judge one more time
  And let them shave off my hair and burn Johnny