The Wailers
Lyric guide

Johnny Was

Read Johnny Was lyrics by The Wailers on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

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Page type: lyric reference Artist: The Wailers Canonical path: /the-wailers/johnny-was Related lyric paths: 6
Lyrics

Johnny Was

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Woman hold her head and cry,

'Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died

From a stray bullet.

Woman hold her head and cry;

Explaining to her was a passerby

Who saw the woman cry (cry)

Wondering how can she work it out,

Now she knows that the wages of sin is death, yeah!

Gift of Jah is life. (life)

She cried: Ah-um, I - I know!

"Johnny was a good man," I - I know!

(never did a thing wrong)

"Johnny was a good, good, good, good,

Good, good, good, good,

Good, good, good man",

(Johnny was good man)

She cried - she crie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ie-ied!

Wo-ooh! Woman hold her head and cry,

As her son had been shot down in the street and died

Just because of the system. (system)

Woman hold her head and cry;

Comforting her I was passing by.

She complained, then she cry:

Oh-ooh-wo-ah, cry (ah-ah),

Yeah, I know now (ah-ah),

No I know, I know now:

(Johnny was a good man)

Said I know, mm-mm-mm-mm-mm.

(Never did a thing wrong)

Ah! Ah!

(Johnny was a good man)

Can a woman tender care, she cried,

(Never did a thing wrong)

Cease towards the child she bear?

(Johnny was a good man)

Wo-ho-ho-ooh! Woman cry, woman

(Never did a thing wrong)

She cried, wo-oh! She cried, yeah!

(Johnny was a good man)

Can a woman tender care

Cease towards the child she bear?

(Never did a thing wrong)

Wo-now, cry!

(Johnny was a good man)

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Who performs "Johnny Was"?

The Wailers performs "Johnny Was", and this lyric page sits inside the The Wailers catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "Johnny Was"?

Yes. The related section below points to Jah Live and One Love with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by The Wailers?

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