Johnny Too Bad
Jimmy Cliff · Other Songs - Jimmy Cliff
With an old blade in your hand,
Johnny too bad, that's what they say
Walking down the road
With a blade in your waist,
Johnny too bad, Johnny too bad
Don't you play come faking,
You're looking and mistaking,
Too bad
You're hurrying and you're shooting,
You're losing, told you,
You're too bad
Just one of these days,
You're going to make your woman cry,
Ooh, Johnny too bad
One of these days,
You're going to make your woman cry,
'Cause Johnny, you're so bad,
That's what they tell me about you
With you looking and sticking
Switchblade a-picking,
Too bad
Oh I told you, yes you did it,
Don't you, I told you, too bad
That's what they say about you
Walking down the road,
You're going to hear a voice say
Go, Johnny, where you're going to run to,
Come that sweet day.
You may be walking down the road,
You're might hear a voice say
Go, Johnny, where you're going to run to,
Come that sweet day
You might run to the rock for rescue,
You'll find a rock, you'll find a rock there
Run to the rock for rescue,
There will be no rock, be no rock at dawn
Walking down the road,
With a blade in your waist
(Johnny too bad)
Johnny too bad, Johnny too bad
Walking down the road,
With a blade in your, with a blade your waist
You're too bad Johnny, too bad Johnny, too bad Johnny
With your blade a picking, switchblade licking,
Too bad
With you licking and sticking, blade come picking,
Too bad, that's what they say about you
With your blade come licking, licking, sticking,
That's what they say about you
Licking, sticking, too bad
(J-J-J-J-J-J-Johnny)
Johnny go walking
Johnny go talking
Johnny go walking
Johnny go talking
Johnny go walking now
Johnny go talking
Johnny
Johnny Too Bad
Jimmy Cliff's 'Johnny Too Bad' stands as a definitive anthem of the 1960s Jamaican sound system era, capturing the restless spirit of youth and the social tensions of the time. Recorded in the mid-1960s, the track blends traditional mento rhythms with emerging reggae sensibilities, creating a gritty, rhythmic backdrop that became iconic for dancehall culture. The song's narrative follows a young man's frustration with societal expectations, resonating deeply with audiences across the Caribbean and beyond. As a cornerstone of Cliff's discography, it exemplifies the genre's ability to address raw human emotion through infectious beats and compelling storytelling, cementing its status as a timeless classic in reggae history.

