Johnny 99
View chords used in this chart
B
Well they closed down the auto
plant in Mahwah late that month
B
Ralph went out looking for a
F#
job but he couldn't find none
B
He came home too drunk from
mixing Tanqueray and wine
B
Got a gun shot a night clerk
F# B
now they call him Johnny 99
B
Down in the part of town where
when you hit a red light you
don't stop Johnny's waving his
B
gun around threatening to blow
F# B
his top Til an off duty cop
snuck up on him from behind
B
Out front of the club Tip Top
F# B
they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99
E
Well the city supplied a public
B
defender but the judge was mean
B
John Brown He came into the
courtroom and stared young Johnny
F# B
down Well the evidence is clear
gonna let the sentence son fit
the crime Prison for 98 and a
F# B
year and call it even Johnny 99
Post Chorus
B B F# B B F# B
E
A fist fight broke out in the
B
courtroom they had to drag
B
Johnny's girl away His mama
stood up and shouted Judge
F#
don't take my boy this way
B
Well son you got any
statement you'd like to make
B
Fore the bailiff come
F# B
to forever take you away
B
Judge judge I had debts
no honest man could pay
B
The bank was holding my
mortgage and were gonna
F#
take my house away
B
Well I ain't saying that
makes me an innocent man
B
But it was more than all this
F# B
that put that gun in my hand
B
Well your honor I do believe
I'd be better off dead And if
B
you can take a man's life for
F#
the thoughts that's in his head
B
Well sit back in that chair
and think it over judge
B B
one more time Gonna shave
off my hair and put me
F# B B
on that execution line
How to play Johnny 99
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is B. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.