Johnny's mum and dad both worked long hours
And they worked on the weekends too
Johnny was eleven, but they had no notion
Of what Johnny was going through
Johnny got pushed and Johnny got robbed
And it made him feel chicken to run
Big kids picked on Johnny every day
Till Johnny went and got him a gun
Johnny got a gun; he didn't bring it home
He covered it with rags and dirt
On his way to school he looked both ways
Then he hid it under his shirt
Johnny was afraid of going to school
There was always trouble in the halls
Fights in the boys' room, guns in the lockers
Little kids bouncing off the walls
Johnny was afraid of dying young
Everybody he knew had guns
So Johnny got a gun
And every little thing looked cool
First time Johnny flashed his gun
Everybody backed off fast
Everybody treated him differently, then
Johnny felt safe at last
Johnny had a gun and everybody knew
A everybody left him alone
Till he bumped a kid who was coming down the stairs
And the kid had a gun of his own
Kid pushed Johnny; Johnny went down
And the kid had something to say
Pulled his gun; Johnny shot first
And he blew the other kid away
The police came and they took away the gun
Said he wouldn't need a gun any more
Took him to the station, sat him in a chair
And his feet didn't reach the floor
Johnny was afraid of dying young
Everybody he knew had a gun
So Johnny got a gun
And every little thing looked cool
Johnny had a hearing plead self-defence
Prosecutor said, “No way”
Judge said, “You're eleven, but you kill like a man
And it's gonna be a long, long stay”
Johnny's mum and dad still work long hours
And knock on the unit door
They sit with Johnny in the visitor's room
And his feet don't reach the floor
Johnny was afraid of dying young
Everybody he knew had a gun
So Johnny got a gun
And every little thing looked cool
And his feet don't reach the floor