Beastie Boys - Johnny Ryall Lyrics

Johnny Ryall is the bum on my stoop
I gave him fifty cents to buy some soup
He knows the time, with the fresh Gucci watch
He's even more over than my mayor Ed Koch

Washing windows on the Bowery at a quarter to four
'Cause he ain't gonna work on Maggie's Farm no more
Living on borrowed time and borrowed money
Sleepin' in the street there ain't a damn thing funny

With the hand me down food and hand me down clothes
A rockabilly past of which nobody knows
Makes his home all over the place
He goes to sleep by falling down on his face

Sometimes known as the leader of the homeless
Sometimes drunk, man that kid's always phoneless
Sleepin' on the street in a cardboard box
Better off drinkin' than smokin' the rocks

Johnny Ryall, Johnny Ryall
(Kickin' uptown, kickin' downtown, kickin' crosstown)
Johnny Ryall, Johnny Ryall

He drinks where he lies, he's covered with flies
He's got the hand me down Pumas and the tie dyes
Well, you go upstate you get your head together
Thunderbird is the word and you're light as a feather

Detox at the flop house, no booze allowed
Remember the good old days with the rockabilly crowd
Memphis is where he's from
He lives in the street but he's no bum

He's a rockabilly star from the days of old
He used to have teeth all filled with gold
He got a platinum voice but only gold records
On the bass was boots on the drums was checkers

Luis Vuitton with the Gucci guitar
Johnny Ryall, who do you think you are?

Johnny Ryall, Johnny Ryall
(Drinking Night Train, drinkin' OE)
Johnny Ryall, Johnny Ryall

Donald Trump and Donald Tramp living in the Men's Shelter
Wonder Bread bag shoes, and singing Helter Skelter
He asks for a dollar, you know what it's for
Man, bottle after bottle, he always needs more

He's no less important than you working class stiffs
He drinks a lot of liquor but he don't drink piss
He paid his dues, playing the blues
He claims that he wrote the Blue Suede Shoes

Elvis shaved his head when he went to the army
That's right y'all his name is Johnny
(Kick it)

Johnny Ryall, Johnny Ryall
Johnny Ryall, Johnny Ryall

{Check the cool wax}