Johnny Was
Bob Marley · Songs Of Freedom: Anniversary Edition [2006]
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
Accompanying her was a passer-by
Who saw the woman cry
Wondering can she work it out
Now she knows that the wages of sin is death
The gift of God is life
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Johnny was a good man
oh yeah
Woman hold her head and cry
Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died
Just because of the system
Woman hold her head and cry
Comforting her I was passing by
And I saw the woman cry
She cried, oh, oh, oh, oh
Johnny was a good man
Never did a thing wrong
Take it down
Johnny went out on a Saturday night
Never hurt anybody never started no bar room fight
Johnny never did nobody no wrong
Never hurt anybody never hurt anybody
Johnny was a good man
Johnny, Johnny, Johnny...
Johnny was a good man
(Repeat)
In a top floor flat in the middle of the night
There's a man with rifle and Johnny in his sight,
I said oh no, we can't let that kind of thing happen here no more
Oh no
Johnny, Johnny, Johnny...
A single shot rings out in a Belfast night and I said oh
Johnny was a good man
Can a woman's tender care
Cease towards the child she bears
Johnny (Repeat)
Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died
From a stray bullet
Woman hold her head and cry
Accompanying her was a passer-by
Who saw the woman cry
Wondering can she work it out
Now she knows that the wages of sin is death
The gift of God is life
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Johnny was a good man
oh yeah
Woman hold her head and cry
Cause her son had been shot down in the street and died
Just because of the system
Woman hold her head and cry
Comforting her I was passing by
And I saw the woman cry
She cried, oh, oh, oh, oh
Johnny was a good man
Never did a thing wrong
Take it down
Johnny went out on a Saturday night
Never hurt anybody never started no bar room fight
Johnny never did nobody no wrong
Never hurt anybody never hurt anybody
Johnny was a good man
Johnny, Johnny, Johnny...
Johnny was a good man
(Repeat)
In a top floor flat in the middle of the night
There's a man with rifle and Johnny in his sight,
I said oh no, we can't let that kind of thing happen here no more
Oh no
Johnny, Johnny, Johnny...
A single shot rings out in a Belfast night and I said oh
Johnny was a good man
Can a woman's tender care
Cease towards the child she bears
Johnny (Repeat)
Johnny Was
Bob Marley's "Johnny Was" stands as a cornerstone of reggae history, originally recorded for the 1973 album *Exodus*. The track delivers a sharp social commentary on the corruption and moral decay plaguing Jamaica during the 1960s, portraying a charismatic yet flawed political figure who ultimately leads his people astray. With its driving rhythm and Marley's distinctive vocal delivery, the song captures the tension between hope and disillusionment, reflecting the era's struggle for independence. It remains a powerful anthem of resistance and a testament to Marley's ability to weave complex narratives into his music, influencing generations of artists who followed.