| Johnny was bad, even as a child everybody could tell
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| Everyone said, «If you don’t get straight, you’ll surely go to hell»
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| But Johnny didn’t care
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| He was an outlaw by the time that he was ten years old
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| He didn’t wanna do what he was told
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| Just a prankster
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| A juvenile gangster
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| His teachers didn’t understand, they kicked him out of school
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| At a tender early age just because he didn’t want to learn things
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| Had other interests
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| He liked to burn things
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| The lady down the block
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| She had a radio that Johnny wanted, oh, so bad
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| So he took it the first chance he had
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| And then he shot her in the leg
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| But this is what she said:
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| (He's only a lad) You really can’t blame him
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| (Only a lad) Society made him
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| (Only a lad) He’s our responsibility
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| Oh, oh, whoa whoa
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| (Only a lad) He really couldn’t help it
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| (Only a lad) He didn’t want to do it
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| (Only a lad) He’s underprivileged and abused
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| Perhaps a little bit confused
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| Oh, oh, oh, oh whoa whoa whoa
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| Whoa whoa whoa
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| Oh, whoa whoa whoa
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| His parents gave up, they couldn’t influence his attitude
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| Nobody could help, the little man had no gratitude
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| And when he stole the car
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| Nobody dreamed that he would try to take it so far
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| He didn’t mean to hit the poor man
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| Who had to go and die
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| It made the judge cry
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| (Only a lad) He really couldn’t help it
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| (Only a lad) He didn’t want to do it
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| (Only a lad) He’s underprivileged and abused
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| Perhaps a little bit confused
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| Oh, oh, oh, oh whoa whoa
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| It’s not his fault that he can’t behave
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| Society’s made him go astray
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| Perhaps if we’re nice, he’ll go away
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| Perhaps he’ll go away, he’ll go away-ay
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| (Only a lad) You really can’t blame him
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| (Only a lad) Society made him
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| (Only a lad) Is he our responsibility?
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| Hey there, Johnny, you really don’t fool me
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| You get away with murder and you think it’s funny
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| You don’t give a damn if we live or if we die
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| Oh, oh, oh, oh whoa whoa whoa
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| Hey there, Johnny boy, I hope you fry!
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| Oh, whoa whoa whoa
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| Oh, whoa whoa whoa, oh-oh |