Johnny Ryall
Samples
- The wind noise heard in the beginning is from Pink Floyd’s "One of these Days"
- "Who do you think you are?" - from "Mr. Big Stuff" by Jean Knight
- "Kick it!" - "Fight for your Right (to Party)" Beastie Boys
- "That’s right y’all his name is" - from the song "A.J. Scratch" by Kurtis Blow on the Ego Trip album
- Many of the drum beats (most after the line "bottle after bottle he’ll always drink more") are from Paul McCartney’s "Momma Miss America" from his solo LP in 1970
- The "one, two, three, four" chants can also be heard in an Ofra Haza remix of "Galbi".
- "Certain chimes in "Johnny Ryall" that were taken from the song "Military Cut-Scratch Mix" by Grandwizard Theodore Kevie Kev Rockwell, which is on the "Wild Style" soundtrack
- Bass, and rhythm guitar and lead guitar samples from David Bromberg’s "Sharon" on the LP, Demon in Disguise.
- "Magnificent Sanctuary Band" by Donny Hathaway
References
- "On the bass was boots on the drums was checkers" - the "boots" refers to Bootsy Collins, the star-shaped-glasses wearing bass player
- "Blue Suede Shoes" - song written and originally recorded by Carl Perkins, later by Elvis Presley
- Ed Koch - former mayor of New York City
- Donald Trump
- Elvis Presley - was drafted into army in 50’s
- "Ain’t gonna work on Maggie’s Farm no more" - from Bob Dylan’s Maggie’s Farm
- Helter Skelter - song by the Beatles
- Pumas - brand of shoes
- Wonder Bread - brand of bread
- "Louis Vuitton with the Gucci guitar..." - Louis Vuitton is a fancy luggage/baggage store
- "Thunderbird is the word..." - Thunderbird is a cheap wine, also "bird is the word" is from "Surfin’ Bird" by The Trashmen
- Gucci - fashion designer
Lyrics
Johnny Ryall is the bum on my stoopI 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
Living on borrowed time and borrowed money
Sleepin’ on the street there ain’t a damn thing funny
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 and he’s always phoneless
Sleepin’ on the street in a cardboard box
He’s better off drinkin’ than smokin’ the rocks
Johnny Ryall
He drinks where he lies
He’s covered with flies
He’s got the hand me down Pumas and the tie dyes
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
He lives in the street but he’s no bum
A rockabilly star from the days of old
He used to have teeth all filled with gold
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
Donald Trump 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
Bottle after bottle he’ll always need more
He’s no less important than you working class stiffs
Drinks a lot of liquor but he don’t drink piss
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
Johnny Ryall