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Songs Of The Occupation: Johnny 99Debts no honest man could pay. * Song: "Johnny 99" Artist: Bruce Springsteen Recorded: January 3, 1982 Released: September 30, 1982 Length: 3:44 Album:Nebraska Wikipedia: Like several other songs on the Nebraska album, "Johnny 99" is a song about complete despair. It has direct links with certain songs on Nebraska: the protagonist in "Johnny 99" notes that he has "debts no honest man could pay," repeating a line used by the protagonist in "Atlantic City", and, like the title song, "Johnny 99" is about a murderer - though rather than being a psychopath like the protagonist in the title song, "Johnny 99" is motivated by his economic circumstances. * The background of the song is based on a real life incident, the closing in 1980 of a Ford Motor Company plant in Mahwah, which had been open since 1955. The song also has antecedents in two folk songs that appeared on the box set Anthology of American Folk Music: Julius Daniels' "99 Year Blues" and Carter Family's "John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man." * During a September 22, 1984 Born in the U.S.A. Tour concert in Pittsburgh, Springsteen used the introduction to "Johnny 99" to respond to President Reagan referencing the message of hope in Bruce Springsteen's songs, stating "The President was mentioning my name the other day, and I kinda got to wondering what his favorite album musta been. I don't think it was the Nebraska album. I don't think he's been listening to this one." Songfacts: Springsteen recorded this as a 4-track demo in his home. He put his vocals and guitar on the first two tracks, and used the remaining two for overdubs. * The judge who sentences Johnny 99 is named "John Brown," which is also the name of the sheriff in Bob Marley's "I Shot The Sheriff." Bob Dylan also has a song called "John Brown," about a man who goes to war and comes back wounded. * Since Springsteen did not tour to support the album Nebraska, the first time he played this in concert was on the Born In The U.S.A. tour two years later. * Covers: In 2000, Los Lobos performed this on Badlands, a tribute album of songs from the album Nebraska. * Punk rock band The Loved Ones covered the song on their Distractions EP. * Johnny Cash covered "Johnny 99" and Springsteen's "Highway Patrolman" for a record he titled Johnny 99. Lyrics: Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month Down in the part of town where when you hit a red light you don't stop Well the city supplied a public defender but the judge was Mean John Brown A fistfight broke out in the courtroom they had to drag Johnny's girl away Now judge judge I had debts no honest man could pay Well your honor I do believe I'd be better off dead * The original: * Born in the USA tour: * Rocking it out, Hyde Park, London: June 28, 2009: * Los Lobos: * The Loved Ones: * Johnny Cash: - See also: - * Song of the Moment: Anarchy in the U.K. - And From The Beachwood Occupation Affairs Desk: * Occupying The Hyatt; Trashing Bank Of America * Why No One Believes The Banks * RT's Superior Cable News Coverage Continues With Its 'Occupy Wall Street' Reportage * The Weekend in Occupy Chicago (October 17, 2011) * Just How Much Can the State Restrict Peaceful Protest * Blue Ribbon Glee Club Joins The Occupation * The Week in Occupy Chicago (Oct. 21, 2011) * The Weekend in Occupy Chicago (Oct. 24, 2011) * Jimmy Fallon (& Friends) For The 1% * Today In Occupy Chicago (Oct. 26, 2011) * Occupation Diary: The Horse, Keith Sweat And Cell 72 * The Week in Occupy Chicago (Oct. 28, 2011) * Wall Street to Occupy Chicago: Drop Dead - Posted on November 1, 2011 |
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