Verse:
Let me tell ya story bout a man on the run
no he wasn't hiding from whatchya thinking of
It wasn't the law wasn't even a gun
No Johnny o running from the woman he loved
No Johnny o running from the woman he loved

Now Johnny was honest as Johnny could be
Never cheated at poker shared his whiskey
always been in love with the girl down the street
Never had the nerve to make it more than a fling
Never had the nerve to make it more than a fling

CHORUS
The problem was she gave her hand
It now belonged to a mean rich man
Every now and then she'd come again
Trying to get Johnny O to share his bed

If he sticks around his heart will put him in the ground
Better take his heart to where it won't be found
Be the last man standing to do the right thing
Johnny O running from the girl with a wedding ring

VERSE II
Too many time he could've gotten away
cheatin' with the woman who couldn't stay
The money was good and her bruises went away
John couldn't afford no wedding day
John couldn't afford no wedding day

Sneaking and running and hiding a round
Was not the kind of thing you could do in this town
Try to hide a secret but it's gonna be found
And that kinda loving just ain't allowed
No that kinda loving ain't never allowed


CHORUS
The problem was she gave her hand
It now belonged to a mean rich man
Every now and then she'd come again
Trying to get Johnny O to share his bed

If he sticks around his heart will put him in the ground
Better take his heart to where it won't be found
Be the last man standing to do the right thing
Johnny O running from the girl with a wedding ring


OUTRO CHORUS
Johnny Had all that Johnny could stand
He hopped that train to a western land
the beaten rich girl came round again
found no Johnny O and an empty bed

She stuck around her hubby put her in the ground
Yeah, her beatin cheatin mean old man was promptly shot down
now the last man standing to do the right thing
Was Johnny O running from the girl with a wedding ring