The Johnny Song

by Danny Dutton

Mama looked at Johnny, said, "Ya better not go."
Johnny looked at Mama then he left.
Mama looked at me, and she said real' slow,
"Johnny always acted like he's deaf."

Well, Johnny takes a bullrope and a pair of spurs
Hits the circuit like a hurrricane.
He rides the bulls and rolls the dough in every purse.
Oh, Johnny builds a rodeo name.

From Prescott to old Cheyenne and far beyond,
Johnny covers every bull around.
The dust will never fully clear 'til he is gone.
Fame and wealth, ol' Johnny, he has found.

No broken bones, no muscle aches, the boy, untouched
Rides recklessly like he heeds no needless luck.
He never prays. He never even cares that much
Just as long as he knows that it'll buck.

The old cowboys tol' him: Slow it down.
Said he'll lose the luck and should say a prayer.
But Johnny didn't hear it, not a single sound,
Their wisdom fell on Johnny's deafened ears.

Times that fall on Johnny, fall like hell's own weight.
The bulls he rides are lookin' for revenge.
Slowly mending broken bones tell him his fate,
And Johnny learns of prayin' while he mends.

Prayers he's a sayin', now, but his luck, it seems,
Has run it's rather tricky, slickened ground
Johnny takes to drinkin' to cover in his dreams
The bulls he missed while he was drunk and down.

The final bull that Johnny rides is Heaven's Gate,
The whiteface bull that is never rode.
Johnny checks his riggin', but it's now too late,
Here the story ceases to unfold.

Mama says to Johnny, "Son, ya beter not go."
Johnny closed his eyes, and then he left.
Mama looks to me, and she says real slow,
"Johnny always acted like he's deaf..."