Johnny was bad, even as a child 
Everybody could tell 
Everyone said, "If you don't get straight, you'll surely go to [bad word] quot;

But Johnny didn't care 
He was an outlaw by the time that he was ten years old 
He didn't wanna do what he was told 
Just a prankster, a juvenile gangster 

His teachers didn't understand 
They kicked him out of school 
At a tender early age 
Just because he didn't want to learn things 
Had other interests 
He liked to burn things 

The lady down the block 
She had a radio that Johnny wanted, oh, so bad
So he took it the first chance he had 
And then he shot her in the leg 
But this is what she said:

Only a lad 
You really can't blame him 
Only a lad 
Society made him 
Only a lad 
He's our responsibility 
Oh, oh, oh oh oh

Only a lad 
He really couldn't help it 
Only a lad 
He didn't want to do it 
Only a lad 
He's underprivileged and abused 
Perhaps a little bit confused 
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh
Whoa whoa whoa
Oh, whoa whoa whoa

His parents gave up 
They couldn't influence his attitude 
Nobody could help 
The little man had no gratitude 

And when he stole the car
Nobody dreamed that he would 
Try to take it so far 
He didn't mean to hit the poor man 
Who had to go and die 
It made the judge cry 

Only a lad 
He really couldn't help it 
Only a lad 
He didn't want to do it 
Only a lad 
He's underprivileged and abused 
Perhaps a little bit confused 
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh

It's not his fault that he can't behave 
Society's made him go astray 
Perhaps if we're nice, he'll go away 
Perhaps he'll go away 
He'll go away 

Only a lad 
You really can't blame him 
Only a lad 
Society made him 
Only a lad 
He's our responsibility 

Hey there, Johnny, you really don't fool me 
You get away with murder 
And you think it's funny 
You don't give a [bad word] if we live or if we die 
Oh, oh, oh, oh oh oh
Hey there, Johnny boy 
I hope you fry!