Bruce Springsteen is a famous American singer and songwriter known for his rock and folk music. He started his music career in the 1970s, and his top albums include Born to Run, Born in the U.S.A., and The River.
He has won many Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and even a special Tony Award.
Springsteen is loved for his live shows and for writing songs about real life, work, and people’s struggles. He is one of the most respected artists in rock music history.
About the Song
This song tells a story about a man who loses his job and does something wrong. He is caught and sent to jail.
The tune sounds light, but the story is serious. It talks about hard times, work problems, and how people can break down when life gets too hard.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Release Date | September 30, 1982 |
| Album | Nebraska (1982) |
| Writer | Bruce Springsteen |
| Producer | Bruce Springsteen |
Complete Johnny 99 Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen
Verse 1
Well, they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late last 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
Verse 2
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 TipTop, they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99
Verse 3
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″
Verse 4
A 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?”
Verse 5
“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 made me an innocent man
But it was more than all this that put that gun in my hand
Verse 6
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, judge, one more time?
And let ’em shave off my hair and put me on that execution line”
Live Performances of the Song
1. Live Performance in Hyde Park, 2009
2. Live at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, 2006
Similar Songs Like Johnny 99
These songs highlight blue-collar reality, personal battles, and gritty choices, carried by Springsteen’s fierce tone and the raw narrative energy that shapes his music..
- State Trooper: A haunting tune with few words. It’s all mood and silence, letting fear and danger speak through the quiet.
- Nebraska: Tells the chilling story of a young killer. It’s plain and direct, with no judgment—just the facts and sorrow.
- Highway Patrolman: This one’s about family, duty, and hard choices. A brother’s loyalty is tested in this sad and gentle song.
Similar Artists Like Bruce Springsteen
If you liked his raw storytelling and stripped-back style, check out these artists who deliver deep folk-rock with honesty and heart.
- John Prine
Genres: Folk, Americana, Country
Top Albums: John Prine (1971), The Tree of Forgiveness (2018) - Steve Earle
Genres: Rock, Folk, Country
Top Albums: Guitar Town (1986), Copperhead Road (1988), Ghosts of West Virginia (2020) - Bob Dylan
Genres: Folk, Rock, Blues
Top Albums: Highway 61 Revisited (1965), Blood on the Tracks (1975), Rough and Rowdy Ways (2020) - Tom Waits
Genres: Blues, Jazz, Experimental Rock
Top Albums: Swordfishtrombones (1983), Rain Dogs (1985), Mule Variations (1999) - Lucinda Williams
Genres: Americana, Country Rock
Top Albums: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998), World Without Tears (2003), Good Souls Better Angels (2020)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Does Springsteen Use Only a Guitar For This Song?
The bare guitar shows Johnny’s isolation and raw struggle with poverty and crime.
How Does the Rhythm Reflect Johnny’s Mood?
The fast tapping creates tension and urgency, matching Johnny’s anxious and hopeless state.
