Turn It On, Turn It On, Turn It On

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Johnny got up one mornin' He went down to the company store Got him a big box of bullets To fit into his .44 The store man said, "Son, are you gonna work? You know you owe me too much to stop" John said, "I got a little workin' to do But I ain't goin' by your clock" [Verse 2] People said John was a slacker 'Cause he wouldn't fight in their war A man wasn't much if he wouldn't fight Back in nineteen forty and four The doctor said, "John was just too sick to go" But the people said that he was a coward And one of the men makin' fun of him Was a fellow named Milton Howard [Verse 3] Milton was down at the cold spring A-drinkin' from a mason jar He said, "John, you better get yourself to work You're gonna fool around 'til you get fired" John blew the dust from his old .44 Put two holes in Milton's head When Johnny walked off to get some more shootin' done That ol' cold spring was a-runnin' red [Verse 4] Next guy he met was a Stigall boy And the boy had a hammer in his hand John said, "Son, you should've built yourself a box 'Cause you're a headed for the Promised Land" Stigall fell down to his knees to pray And he cried, "Lord, Johnny, please don't shoot" Before he got halfway to sayin', "Amen" Well, old Johnny shot him out of his boots [Verse 5] Word went out through the county That old John had lost his head The people were runnin' and screamin' There were seven of 'em lyin' there dead Johnny hid out in a farmhouse He had satisfaction in his eyes He said, "I know they're comin' to get me, boys But they ain't a-gonna take me alive [Verse 6] People gathered 'round that old farmhouse Was the relatives of all them dead Now, John said, "If the sheriff comes through that door I'm gonna fill him, plumb full of lead" But as sheriff kicked down that old farmhouse door But old John's gun would not shoot Johnny just smiled at the sheriff and said "The Lord must think a lot of you" [Verse 7] They took old John to the jail house He entered in a guilty plea The judge said, "Death in the electric chair 'Cause it's murder in the first degree" John's last meal was a lot of fried chicken Cold beans and baby squash He ate every bite that they brought him Then he smiled and said, "I thank you all a lot" [Verse 8] They put old John in the electric chair They shaved his ankles and his head The preacher said, "Son, you got something to say? In a minute you're a-gonna be dead" John said, "I ain't no coward And the people know that I won't run" Then Johnny smiled up at the warden And said, "Turn it on, turn it on, turn it on!"