Johnny Red -

They took us up north river

Where the trees were blackened husks

And the beaches defiled clean from all the waste of prison luck

They’d turn our souls into dust

And Johnny Red didn’t feel so fine about that

But he would have to face the facts

Cos we were all going' down a prison cut mine to feed the capital dime

They’d turn our souls into dust

Now all I could hear were Johnny’s sobs

As he cut into the rock

Because for the 45th time he’d escaped the convict line only to feel the

guardsman’s gun

They’d turn his soul into dust

And when he finally turned to face heaven

I caught him by the neck

Only to hear the sound of hot leather pound against my shirtless back

Just for saving this poor man’s soul from he dust

So gather all my holy pieces and save them from the black

Cos when I get out of here my darlin' girl I’ll be covered in all the ash

And I’d rather be like Johnny

I’d rather be like my friend

I’d rather be like Johnny Red

I’d rather be like him