LOST JOHN

Questions?
Song Title
LOST JOHN
Writers
Donegan, Bonifay
Publisher
LUDLOW MUSIC, INC. (BMI)
Co-Publisher
TRO Affiliate
% Publisher Controls
100%
Territory Controlled
US AND CANADA
Themes/Keywords
1950's, Escape, Gone, Long, Police, Prison, Story, Train, travel
Lyrics
(Spoken) Now this is the story about an escaped convict called Long-Gone Lost John. It’s got a nice chorus so if anybody wants to join in, here’s the way it goes.

CHORUS
Now he’s long, long, long gone. (2)

Now Lost John was standing by the railroad track,
A-waitin’ for the freight train to come back.
The freight train came back and never made no stop,
Lost John thought he’d have to ride the top!

CHORUS

Lost John came to a country woman’s house,
And sat there as quiet, just as quiet as a mouse.
She said, “Mister Lost John, won’t ya be ma friend?
Be ma friend until the very end!”

CHORUS

Now she said, “Lost John, have some beer,
I’ll send for the porter and he’ll bring it here.”
He said, “Now, woman, don’t you buy no beer.
The cops is on my trail and they’ll soon be here.”

CHORUS

Lost John made a pair of shoes of his own,
They was the finest shoes that ever was worn.
They had heels on the front, heels behind,
You couldn’t tell which-a-way Lost John was gwine.

CHORUS

They caught Lost John, put him in the pen,
The summer’s been and gone and now he’s out again.
If anybody asks you who sung this song,
Tell them Lonnie Donegan’s been here and gone.

Recordings

Recording Artist Genre Mood Arrangement Era iTunes
LONNIE DONEGAN Buy >
LONNIE DONEGAN & HIS SKIFFLE GROUP Buy >
THE QUARRYMEN Pop Fun, Upbeat, Wandering Drums, Guitar, Percussion, Vocal 2010's Buy >

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