Beneath the bare light bulb above She gazed into the eyes of love Bathed in the dirty neon lights She begged him "don't go out tonight" If we work out somehow maybe We could find a way out baby And he laughed and said "I got to go" And she cried "no" Johnny Johnny no Oh Johnny Johnny no His arms were warm and strong and young "I promise I won't hurt no one" "Oh baby when you gonna learn, Them folks uptown got bread to burn, When they see me flash my knife, They'll be fearin' for their lives, They won't give me trouble this I know" And she cried no Oh Johnny Johnny no Johnny Johnny no [organ solo] The night passed like a thousand years The tenement room had culled her tears Then came a knock upon the door Two men she'd never seen before "Did you know Johnny Brown miss? We hate to tell you this but Has he a relative you know?" And she cried no Oh Johnny Johnny no Oh Johnny why'd you go?