Johnny Ace Is Dead
Dave Alvin

Down in Houston, Texas on a Christmas night

With a gun in his hand and his name up in lights

He was young and handsome, the Prince of the Blues

In a sharkskin suit and alligator shoes

He was flirting with some women who had come backstage

He said, Ladies, want to see me play a wild little game?

But Big Mama Thornton said, Go sing Your Song

And put that damn thing down before something goes wrong

Big Mama cried, Dear Lord, Big Mama said,

He put a 22 pistol right up to his head

Then he smiled at the ladies

Now Johnny Ace is dead

The band leader set his saxophone down

And said, I think I better split before the cops come 'round

While the crowd in the theater slowly drifted away

With their heads hung low, not sure of what to say

But Big Don Robey, the record company man

With big diamond rings on both of his hands

Said, I'm gonna send him back to Memphis in a refrigerated truck

Cause Johnny Ace is gonna make me a million bucks.

Big Mama cried, Dear Lord, Big Mama said,

He put a 22 pistol right up to his head

Then he smiled at the ladies

Now Johnny Ace is dead

When Johnny came home to Memphis, Tennessee

Everyone on Beale Street came out to see

There were pimps and gamblers, husbands and wives,

Women young and old all came to say goodbye

And as the choirs sand and the preachers prayed

Five thousand mourners marched him to his grave

Well, there may be a Heaven and there may be a Hell,

No one knows for sure but now Johnny Ace knows damn well.

Big Mama cried, Dear Lord, Big Mama said,

He put a 22 pistol right up to his head

Then he smiled at the ladies

Now Johnny Ace is dead

Purchase "Johnny Ace Is Dead" Purchase Entire Album Email Video to Friends Play Youtube "Johnny Ace Is Dead" Video Play Spotify "Johnny Ace Is Dead" Song View Wikipedia "Johnny Ace Is Dead" Entry Receive Emails for Future Dave Alvin Lyrics

Link to "Johnny Ace Is Dead"

Share:

Copied!

Share on Facebook, Twitter, and more

See Recommended Lyrics For You

Loading...

Lyrics by Dave Alvin

You've Changed 1968 Abilene Black Haired Girl Black Rose of Texas Black Sky Blackjack David Blue Blvd California Snow California Sun Dirty Nightgown Don\u2019t Look Now Donook Now Down on the Riverbed Dynamite Woman Evening Blues Everett Ruess Every Night About This Time Fourth of July From a Kitchen Table Gary, Indiana 1959 Here in California Kern River King of California Laurel Lynn Lonesome Whistle Long White Cadillac Loser Manzanita Mary Brown Murrietta's Head New Highway New Highway [#] New Highway [Acoustic Recording] Nine Volt Heart No Worries Mija Out of Control Redneck Friend Rio Grande Run Conejo Run So Empty So Long Baby,Goodbye Somewhere in Time Sonora\u2019s Death Row Sonoraeath Row Surfer Girl Tall Trees The Man in the Bed The Way You Say Good-bye Tramps and Hawkers Why Did She Stay with Him You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive

Related Songs

The Late Great Johnny Ace (demo) - Paul Simon The Late Great Johnny Ace - Paul Simon The Late Great Johnny Ace [Original Acoustic Demo]... The Late Great Johnny Ace [Original Acoustic Demo]... Johnny Tuff - Donovan Johnny Is Dead - Q-Tip Johnny - Direct Johnny One Note - The Supremes Johnny One Note - Ella Fitzgerald Johnny One Note - Mel TormÃ© Johnny One Note [#] - Shirley Bassey Johnny One Note - Shirley Bassey Johnny One Note [*] - The Supremes Johnny One Note [From Babes in Arms]... Johnny One Note (From 'Words And Music',... Johnny One Note (From 'Words And Music', 1948)... Mad Dog - Roky Erickson Play The Ace - Overkill Acid Head - Tourniquet Bullet - Samhain Johnny Violent Getting His Ass Kicked By Morrisey... Bullet - MISFITS Johnny Rooke - Elliott Brood Ace of Spades - Game Ace Of Spaces - Motorhead Ace Of Spades - The Game Ace of Spades - Batmobile Johnny Marr Is Dead - The Brian Jonestown Massacre Bullet - The Hellacopters Ace Of Spades - Motörhead Prom Night - Harley Poe Ace of Spades (Motorhead Cover) - Revolted Masses Ace of Spades - Drain S.T.H. Ace of Spades - Ugly Kid Joe Ace Of Spades - Motorhead Ace Of Spades - Drain STH Ace of Spades - Drain S T H Ace of Spades (Acoustic) - Motörhead Ace Of Spades - December Ace Of Spades - Motor Head - Guitar Hero Good Bye Johnny - The Gun Club Ace Of Spades - Abattoir Johnny's Love Of Majik - Matt Costa Ace Of Spades - Avulsed Ace of hearts - Chris Rea Wake Me When I'm Dead - Brand New Heavies Twelve Johnnies - Vic Chesnutt Paradise - The Mopeds Paradise - The Mopeds Johnny Barleycorn - Frank Black Waste Of Life - Darkbuster Still Your Man - Riot Frankie And Johnny - Champion Jack Dupree Johnny's Dead AKA Vincent Mason - De La Soul Spite & Malice - Justin Warfield Spite And Malice - Placebo Splite And Malice - Placebo Spite & Malice - Placebo Johnny Get Angry - Shelley Fabares Johnny Get Angry - Fabares Shelley Johnny Violent Getting His Ann Kicked By Morrisey... Johnny - Mark Owen Johnny's Dead Aka Vincent Mason (live From The Bk ... Johnny's Dead AKA Vincent Mason (Live From the BK... Ace of Spades - Blood for Blood Parade - Kevin Gilbert Johnny One Time - Christie The Truth About Johnny - The Raveonettes Johnny Hart - Woody Guthrie Ace of Spades - MotÃ¶rhead Ace of Spades - Bathory Ace of Spades - Jon Cougar Concentration Camp Ace of Spades - Hostile Intent Ace of Spades [Rare Version] - MotÃ¶rhead The Ace of Spades - MotÃ¶rhead Ace of Spades [Bonus Track] [*] - MotÃ¶rhead Ace of Spades [Live From Caister, Great Yarmouth 1... Ace of Spades [DVD] - MotÃ¶rhead Ace of Spades - Motörhead Ace of Spades [*] - MotÃ¶rhead Ace Of Spades - Sodom Ace of Spades (Live at Sonisphere) - Motorhead Ace Of Spades (rare Version) - Motorhead Ace of Spades (Live in Wacken) - Motorhead (The Legend Of) Johnny Kool (Part 2)... Johnny - Nana Mouskouri Jah Didn't Kill Johnny - Sage Francis Johnny Reb - Johnny Horton Johnny Reb - Johnny Cash L'Amour - ACE OF BASE Dance Of The Seven Veils - Liz Phair Johnny Good - Crack Up The Man With The Laughing Hand Is Dead - Melvins The Man With The Laughing Hand Is Dead... Railroad Blues - Beastie Boys Railroad Blues (Previously Unreleased)... McClouds Ree / Whup Jamboree - Gaelic Storm Artificial Means - Christine Lavin Artifical Means - Christine Lavin Mcclouds Reel, Whup Jamboree Lyrics - Gaelic Storm Johnny B. Dead - Throne of Chaos You're Gonna Miss Me - Kingston Trio Hey Johnny (it's You) - Eurythmics Hey Johnny (it's You) - Eurythmics Face Good - Ace Hood Oh Johnny! - Mr. Vegas Ace of Spades - Abbatoir John Hardy - Pete Seeger John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man... John Hardy - Bill Monroe & His Bluegrass Boys John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man [1928]... John Hardy - Bob Dylan John Hardy - Bill Monroe John Hardy - The Carter Family Back in the Box [Album Version] - David Byrne Johnny Reb [#] - Johnny Cash Can't See Yall - Ace Hood Back In The Box - David Byrne Back In The Box - Byrne David Johnny Cash - Madeline Adams Jesus Had Breakfast In Bed - Last November Poison Whiskey - Lynyrd Skynyrd No Zap - Adam Ant No Zap - Adam Ant Taking Care Of Traffic - Jerome's Dream Say It - Houndmouth Ace in the Hole - 3rd Bass She Wears A Mask - Machine Translations Who's Johnny? - El Debarge Frankie and Johnny - Roy Clark Poison Whisky - Lynyrd Skynyrd Goodbye Lucille #1 (Johnny Johnny) - Prefab Sprout Johnny Johnny - Prefab Sprout Goodbye Lucille #1 [Acoustic Version]... Goodbye Lucille #1 - Prefab Sprout Who's Johnny - DeBarge John Henry - Buster Brown John Henry - Big Bill \rBroonzy Johnny Dumbjokes - mu330 Turn It On, Turn It On, Turn It On - Tom T. Hall Johnny Loves Me - Glenda Collins Johnny Day - Rolf Harris Johnny Can't Read - Don Henley Who's Johnny - El Debarge Who's Johnny - El Debarge Johnny Loves Me - Fabares Shelley Who's Johnny - Various Artists Pledging My Love - Johnny Ace Pledging My Love [From Mean Streets] - Johnny Ace Lips of an Angel - Johnny Ace Feed You With A Kiss - Zeromancer Face Good [feat. Flo Rida] - Ace Hood City of the Dead - The Clash Johnny Loves Me - Shelly Fabares Ace Iz Wild - Masta Ace Money Talks - Ace Hood Johnny 99 - Johnny Cash Riding On The Back - Francis Dunnery Dead Homies, Featuring Johnny P. - Do Or Die Jessicah Bean - Ace Troubleshooter Xmas Morgue - Art Paul Schlosser Lincoln - The Internet Pokerface [Clean] - Ghostface Killah The Shifting, Whispering Sands, Pt. 2... Goodbye Johnny - Primal Scream 20L07 - John & Jehn Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh! - Andrews Sisters Johnny And Sally - Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Turn It On Turn It On Turn It On - Tom T. Hall Ace In The Hole - Paul Simon Ace - Jimmy Buffett Ace - Descendents Ace - Ace Troubleshooter ACE - LE$ Ace - Buffett Jimmy Ace - Lee Taemin Johnny Grey - Eiffel 65 City Of The Dead - Clash Sh!t Freestyle - Shy Glizzy Crisis? What Crisis? - Ispystrangers Jaw Knee Music - NOFX Jaw, Knee, Music - NOFX Johnny AKA - River City Rebels With You My Johnny - Kingston Trio Banks of the Roses - The Dubliners The Banks of the Roses - The Dubliners Banks of the Roses [Live] - The Dubliners Banks Of The Roses - Clancy Brothers The Story of Johnny - Orly Factor Angry Johnny - Poe Marching Home - Tracey Dey I HAVE A LOVE/ONE HAND ONE HEART... I HAVE A LOVE\/ONE HAND ONE HEART... Johnny O - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Can't See Y'all - Ace Hood Can't See Yall Ft. Brisco - Ace Hood Opposite Day - Fokissed Lonesome Johnny Blues (Live) - Cracker Lonesome Johnny (demo) - Cracker Desperation IV - Redemption

Please consider supporting this site by Clicking Here and Bookmarking whenever you search and shop Amazon. It costs you nothing but it supports us and gives us credit and we appreciate it greatly.