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Steve Earle — Johnny Too Bad (Hillbilly Mix)
Album: Johnny Too Bad
Avg rating:
6.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1032









Released: 1997
Length: 4:04
Plays (last 30 days): 3
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Walkin' down the road with a pistol in your waist
Johnny Too Bad, woh oh oh
Walkin' down the road with a ratchet in your waist
Johnny Too Bad, woh oh oh
You're just robbin' and stabbin' and lootin' and shootin'
Johnny Too Bad
You're just robbin' and stabbin' and lootin' and shootin'
Johnny Too Bad
One of these days when you hear the voice say 'come'
Where you gonna run to, woh oh oh
One of these days when you hear the voice say 'come'
Where you gonna run to, woh oh oh
You're just runnin' to the rock for refuge
But there will be no rock
You're just runnin' to the rock for rescue
And there will be no rock
Comments (58)add comment
puts a smile on my face...  just runnin' woh oh oh 
Posted 1 month ago by andredise    [ Reply ]
For my tastebuds the recording of this song on  his "Sidetracks" album from 2002 has a little more sonic sauce to savor.
Posted 2 months ago by Philipirata    [ Reply ]
 Gorwell wrote:

Even the UB40 version was better than this.


What do you mean “even”?!  😄
Posted 2 months ago by asazad    [ Reply ]
If anyone thinks that David Lindley would sing this song, raise your hand.
Posted 7 months ago by jacopo777    [ Reply ]
A total stand up guy.
Posted 1 year ago by GingerandMe    [ Reply ]
 Gorwell wrote:

Even the UB40 version was better than this.



Yea, but this FAR better than any reggae attempted by Willie Nelson!
Posted 1 year ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
Just heard the John Martyn version based on the comments on this thread. He does try to approach the song in a slightly different way compared to the straight up UB40 and Steve Earle covers so props for that. But I can see how his cod reggae may jar for many. The original Slickers track from 1970 is still the one to beat. Authentic as they come.
Posted 1 year ago by siqbal    [ Reply ]
Unmistakenly Steve Earle.
Posted 1 year ago by itsme_bygolly    [ Reply ]
 Michael_Dean wrote:

I thought this was Elvis Costello for sure.




David Lindley
Posted 2 years ago by jacopo777    [ Reply ]
I thought this was Elvis Costello for sure.
Posted 3 years ago by Michael_Dean    [ Reply ]
Appropriate for this time in history
Posted 3 years ago by yagermeister    [ Reply ]
 Jakethemuss wrote:

I prefer the Slickers original - it kills John's version.  Technically inferior I'm sure but much more genuine.
 
Its all about the Slickers version
Posted 4 years ago by gregvincentreed    [ Reply ]
Fantastic. Solid 9. Love Steve . Great version.
Posted 4 years ago by ace-marc    [ Reply ]
Raised from 6 to 7 in appreciation of the musicianship. Fun and well played. 
Posted 5 years ago by antennadad    [ Reply ]
...and now for something completely different
Posted 5 years ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
I don't mind this version.  Poverty in many places leads to the Johnny Too Bad persona.  Different accent, same problem.
Posted 6 years ago by dc_zee    [ Reply ]
 Vicey wrote:
Written by Jamaicans raised in Jamaica. 

I'm sure that Martyn's cover was partially inspired by it fitting with his persona. 


NelsonBlack wrote:
Interesting country-meets-reggae as written by a Brit raised in Scotland.
BTW, I wonder if Beverly thought John Martyn was "Too-Bad?" Based on her biographical account, I think so...

 

 
Written & performed by The Slickers who were a Jamaican rocksteady and reggae group in the late 1960s and early 1970s
Posted 7 years ago by Emwolb    [ Reply ]
woh woh wo-o-o-oh
woh oh wo-o-oh 
woh woh wo-o-oh
Posted 7 years ago by ico    [ Reply ]
Written by Jamaicans raised in Jamaica. 

I'm sure that Martyn's cover was partially inspired by it fitting with his persona. 


NelsonBlack wrote:
Interesting country-meets-reggae as written by a Brit raised in Scotland.
BTW, I wonder if Beverly thought John Martyn was "Too-Bad?" Based on her biographical account, I think so...

 


Posted 7 years ago by Vicey    [ Reply ]
 garrettb wrote:
Interesting version.
BUT... give me John Martyn any day :)
 

 
I prefer the Slickers original - it kills John's version.  Technically inferior I'm sure but much more genuine.
Posted 8 years ago by Jakethemuss    [ Reply ]
Interesting country-meets-reggae as written by a Brit raised in Scotland.
BTW, I wonder if Beverly thought John Martyn was "Too-Bad?" Based on her biographical account, I think so...
Posted 8 years ago by NelsonBlack    [ Reply ]
 woh oh oh,
 woh oh oh...
Posted 9 years ago by ico    [ Reply ]
Even the UB40 version was better than this.
Posted 9 years ago by Gorwell    [ Reply ]
 garrettb wrote:
Interesting version.
BUT... give me John Martyn any day :)
 

 
+1
Posted 9 years ago by stunix    [ Reply ]
Interesting version.
BUT... give me John Martyn any day :)
 
Posted 9 years ago by garrettb    [ Reply ]
 Krakus wrote:
This would have been a perfect theme song when invading Iraq in 2003.

 
Get a life
Posted 10 years ago by maxjboxer    [ Reply ]
This would have been a perfect theme song when invading Iraq in 2003.
Posted 10 years ago by Krakus    [ Reply ]

all great Rock comes from the Scotch Irish hills in the USA
Posted 10 years ago by rdo    [ Reply ]
A poor version of a great song.
Posted 10 years ago by doktorpsilo    [ Reply ]
Yeaaaaaaaaaa!  Made me stop cleaning for an impromtou dance around the house with the broom. Nice.

...and for anyone keeping track, former V-Roys frontman Scott Miller (smartest most likeable guy  in Americana) is doing some dates with Patti Griffin right about now.  I recommend checking that out!
Posted 11 years ago by DownHomeGirl    [ Reply ]

Posted 11 years ago by treatment_bound    [ Reply ]
 Roverfish,If you don't recognize Harder They Come, from the 70's,then you probably have led a sheltered life.

I didn't know pornos had soundtracks...

Decent tune. i.e. not great
 


Posted 11 years ago by crzhors    [ Reply ]
 grassfolk420 wrote:
This is like when the Bellamy Brothers tried the whole quasi-reggae-country thing. Steve should have learned from their mistake.
 
The Bellamy Brothers?!  I haven't even heard that name in years -  unless I heard "Let Your Love Flow" on an oldies station.
Posted 11 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
This is like when the Bellamy Brothers tried the whole quasi-reggae-country thing. Steve should have learned from their mistake.
Posted 18 years ago by grassfolk420    [ Reply ]
Mari wrote:
...if you can't BEAT them, join them... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
I wish I had your outlook... You're a miracle, you like everything!!
Posted 18 years ago by Moak    [ Reply ]

Posted 18 years ago by MikeCloud    [ Reply ]
Nice take on a great tune.
Posted 19 years ago by jah_blessed    [ Reply ]
thewiseking wrote:
why cover it, and do it in the same style. he should not have done it with the reggae beat, cause then we are just gonna compare it to the original. which will not bode well for little stevie earle.
This sounds like Steve Earle is trying to take this tune out of the reggae genre and make it into a country song. He didn't succeed. This song is like a half painted house.
Posted 19 years ago by Mugro    [ Reply ]
A great singer,a great sound,always lifts the spirits
Posted 19 years ago by liamfm    [ Reply ]
This is the only disc of the V-Roys that I don't have. I probably oughta get it. Steve Earle + V-Roys... how can that go wrong?
Posted 19 years ago by DownHomeGirl    [ Reply ]
I guess the question is...why do people who really have no buisness doing remakes of Great reggae songs do them anyway. Especially ones from such an incrediblly great movies!
Posted 19 years ago by cbonai    [ Reply ]
why cover it, and do it in the same style. he should not have done it with the reggae beat, cause then we are just gonna compare it to the original. which will not bode well for little stevie earle.
Posted 19 years ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
not doing much for me. pretty standard cover.
Posted 19 years ago by Platypus    [ Reply ]
cbellak wrote:
The Harder They Come is actually a movie sountrack not compilation.
I didn't know pornos had soundtracks... Decent tune. i.e. not great
Posted 19 years ago by Roverfish    [ Reply ]
has anyone heard willie nelsons new reggie album yet? i heard about 4 cuts off of it. i just don't know.
Posted 19 years ago by KurtfromLaQuinta    [ Reply ]
Jahsticky wrote:
The original was done by The Slickers and appears on perhaps one of the greatest Reggae compilations -- The Harder They Come.
The Harder They Come is actually a movie sountrack not compilation.
Posted 20 years ago by cbellak    [ Reply ]
Reminds me a lot of Todd Snider, and that's not a bad thing :)
Posted 20 years ago by DMay    [ Reply ]
Good version of a great song. Reminds me a litle of "Stepping Razor"
Posted 20 years ago by namesbenny    [ Reply ]
The original was done by The Slickers and appears on perhaps one of the greatest Reggae compilations -- The Harder They Come.
Posted 20 years ago by Jahsticky    [ Reply ]
Kinda of like an Elvis Costello, but from Mississippi who likes to listen to raggae
Posted 21 years ago by DavidCarrico    [ Reply ]
Anyone who hasn't heard the Taj Mahal version of this song must check it out. Excellent. I'm actually impressed by this version as well, great selection.
Posted 21 years ago by icculus    [ Reply ]
I heard this guy give a radio interview. What a pretentious jerk.
Posted 21 years ago by dignan2    [ Reply ]
Sounds great. "hillbilly" mix
Posted 21 years ago by mperry    [ Reply ]
Recently I listened to him performing Keith Richards' song Before They Make Me Run. Together with their love for Reggae and that rough, sloppy but at the same time razor sharp way of singing, they seem to have quite some things in common.
Posted 22 years ago by Johray63    [ Reply ]
ECLECTIC: To select or choose the best of various or diverse sources. Excellent Choice.
Posted 22 years ago by Analeptic    [ Reply ]
Stevie B. Goode!
Posted 22 years ago by rmurray248    [ Reply ]