Johnny Got a Gun
Tom PaxtonVersion1
90
Chords in this song
Strum
D-DU-UDU
Johnny's mum and dad both worked long hours, they worked on the weekends too
Johnny was eleven, but they had no notion of what Johnny was going through
Johnny got pushed and Johnny got robbed and it made him feel chicken to run
Big kids picked on Johnny every day, so Johnny went and got him a gun
<repeat intro="">
Johnny got a gun, he didn't bring it home, he covered it with rags and dirt.
On his way to school he looked both ways, then he hid it under his shirt.
Johnny was afraid of going to school, there was always trouble in the hall.
Fights in the boys' room, guns in the lockers and little kids bouncing
off the walls.
Johnny was afraid of dying young
Everybody he knew had a gun
So Johnny got a gun and every little thing looked cool.
<repeat intro="" and="" then="" between="" each="" verse="" chorus="">
First time Johnny flashed his gun everybody backed off fast.
Everybody treated him differently then. Johnny felt safe at last.
Johnny had a gun and everybody knew and everybody left him alone.
Till he bumped a kid who was coming down the stairs and the kid had a gun
of his own.
The kid pushed Johnny, Johnny went down and the kid had something to say.
Pulled his gun, Johnny shot first and he blew the other kid away
The police came and took away the gun, said he wouldn't need a gun any more
Took him to the station, sat him in a chair
And his feet didn't reach the floor.
Johnny had a hearing plead self defence, prosecutor said "No way."
Judge said "you're eleven, but you're killing like a man and it's gonna
be a long, long stay"
Johnny's mum and dad still work long hours and knock on the unit door
Sit with Johnny in the visitor's room and his feet don't reach the floor.
And his feet don't reach the floor.
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Readable chord sheet for Johnny Got a Gun by Tom Paxton
[Bm] [A] [G] [G] [A] [Bm] J[Bm]ohnny's mum and dad both wo[A]rked long hours, they wor[G]ked on the week[A]ends too [Bm] J[Bm]ohnny was eleven, but they ha[A]d no notion of what Joh[G]nny was goin[A]g throu[Bm]gh J[A]ohnny got pushed and Jo[D]hnny got robbed and it mad[A]e him feel chicken to run [D] [F#] B[Bm]ig kids picked on Jo[A]hnny every day, so Joh[G]nny went and got [A]him a gun [Bm] <repeat intro=""> Johnny got a gun, he didn't bring it home, he covered it with rags and dirt. On his way to school he looked both ways, then he hid it under his shirt. Johnny was afraid of going to school, there was always trouble in the hall. Fights in the boys' room, guns in the lockers and little kids bouncing off the walls. Jo[D]hnny was afraid of dyin[A]g young Ev[G]erybody he knew[F#] had a gun So[Bm] Johnny got a gun and e[G]very little thi[A]ng looked cool.[Bm] <repeat intro="" and="" then="" between="" each="" verse="" chorus=""> First time Johnny flashed his gun everybody backed off fast. Everybody treated him differently then. Johnny felt safe at last. Johnny had a gun and everybody knew and everybody left him alone. Till he bumped a kid who was coming down the stairs and the kid had a gun of his own. The kid pushed Johnny, Johnny went down and the kid had something to say. Pulled his gun, Johnny shot first and he blew the other kid away The police came and took away the gun, said he wouldn't need a gun any more Took him to the station, sat him in a chair And his feet didn't reach the floor. Johnny had a hearing plead self defence, prosecutor said "No way." Judge said "you're eleven, but you're killing like a man and it's gonna be a long, long stay" Johnny's mum and dad still work long hours and knock on the unit door Sit with Johnny in the visitor's room and his feet don't reach the floor. And[G] his feet d[A]on't reach th[Bm]e floor.