Homeless Persons' Memorial Day Top 100 Songs
Song #77
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Beastie Boys
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The Beastie Boys have sold 26 million records in the United States and 50 million records worldwide, making them the biggest-selling rap group since Billboard began recording sales in 1991. With seven platinum-selling albums from 1986 to 2004, the Beastie Boys were one of the longest-lived hip hop acts worldwide. In 2012, they became the third rap group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the same year, MCA died of cancer. In 2014, Mike D confirmed that the Beastie Boys had disbanded.
"Johnny Ryall" is from the Beastie Boys second album titled, Pauls Boutique and was released in 1989. This song is about a homeless man Mike Diamond often came across - Johnny Ryall really did hang out on the stoop outside of his apartment. Unlike most songs about the destitute, this one is pure observation with no judgment; the Beasties simply tell his story, how he claimed to be a rockabilly star and was always looking for a dollar and a drink. It's clear they have respect for Mr. Ryall, as they rap: "He's no less important than you working class stiffs."
"Johnny Ryall" is from the Beastie Boys second album titled, Pauls Boutique and was released in 1989. This song is about a homeless man Mike Diamond often came across - Johnny Ryall really did hang out on the stoop outside of his apartment. Unlike most songs about the destitute, this one is pure observation with no judgment; the Beasties simply tell his story, how he claimed to be a rockabilly star and was always looking for a dollar and a drink. It's clear they have respect for Mr. Ryall, as they rap: "He's no less important than you working class stiffs."
"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 the 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
Livin' on borrowed time and borrowed money
Sleepin' on 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 the kid's always phoneless
Sleepin' on the street in a cardboard box
He's 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 and 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 (out in Tennessee)
He lives in the street but he's no bum
He's the rockabilly star from the days of old
He used to have teeth all filled with gold
He got platinum voice but only gold records
On the bass (was Boots), on the drums (was Checkers)
Louis Vuitton with the Gucci guitar
Johnny Ryall
Who do you think you are?
Johnny Ryall, Johnny Ryall
Takin' the night train, drinkin' O.E
Johnny Ryall, Johnny Ryall
One, two, three, four
One, two, three, four
One, two, three, four
One, two, three
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'll always need 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 into the army
That's right y'all his name is Johnny
Kick it
Johnny Ryall, Johnny Ryall
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