Short Little Stories

Johnny was a music man born in good ol’ New Orleans;
Had himself a saxophone an’ a fancy Jazz routine.

Back home he was a hero making music night an’ day,
But he yearned to be a rock star, an’ he threw it all away.

He went out to the city an’ he showed the lads his stuff;
They laughed him off an’ tuned him out, he wasn’t good enough.

So Johnny signed up with the devil an’ he learned to rock and roll,
An’ he showed ’em a bit o’ music that struck ’em to the soul.

They signed him to a label and put his picture on the screens:
A fancy kid, a leather jacket, a nice guitar an’ some new blue jeans.

Johnny was a rock star, rockin’ out in shiny new L.A.;
Had himself a sweet guitar an’ thought he was there to stay.

But the devil came a knockin’, came to take his due;
Took the soul right out o’ his songs, an’ left him black an’ blue.

Johnny ditched his sweet guitar, Johnny picked up his sax,
Johnny wandered back to New Orleans an’ back into his past.

Now Johnny’s just a music man, with not much claim to fame –
But go on down to the riverfront, an’ there you’ll hear his name.

Johnny Black an’ Blue they call him, met the devil, paid the price;
He’s got a saxophone an’ a jazz routine, and damn if it ain’t nice!