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Only Johnny Knows

from Visions of Freedom by Fiddlin' Pete Watercott

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about

I’ve had the honor to perform at some local Wounded Warriors programs. They come to the mountains to ski, rock climb, fish, ride horseback, enjoy a wilderness experience, and to rebuild their lives. The Veterans Writing Project is another innovative way to help returning veterans.

lyrics

ONLY JOHNNY KNOWS © Pete Watercott

Johnny’s locked up in the county jail
For driving and drinking and raising hell
He had a fight with Betty Lou, and it didn’t end well
Johnny’s locked up again in the county jail

Mamma’s gone on down to the jail alone
Try to make the bail and bring Johnny back home
But it’s Johnny’s third offense, his third DUI
So there ain’t no bail, only prison time.

Chorus:
Only Johnny knows, only Johnny knows what’s inside his head
Only Johnny knows, only Johnny knows where Johnny has been.

Johnny was a sports hero, back when he was in school
This whole town would cheer as he ran to the goal
But when he graduated there were no jobs around
So Johnny joined the service, that’s how Johnny left town.

They sent him off to fight in the Mideast wars
Semper Fi, U. S. Marine Corps
Home on leave to visit, we’d ask “How did it go?”
He’d say it’s just like home, without the Navaho.

Chorus:

Johnny’s one and only love was Betty Lou
They’d been real close since Grammar School
They kissed and she cried when Johnny went away
He promised to return to marry her someday

Betty Lou kept busy writtin’ Johnny letters
Hopin’ in her heart things would turn out for the better
Every word she wrote Johnny would savor and save
Her letters in the pack that he carried every day.

Chorus:

But then in Fallujah, Johnny’s unit was pinned down,
They were hit with an incoming RPG round.
Three men died, the blast hammered Johnny’s brain
He survived with a soul filled with guilt and shame.

When Johnny came back home he didn’t say much,
I’d see him driving on the levee in his pickup truck
There wasn’t anyone to help Johnny find his way
So many miles from the nearest VA

Chorus:

credits

from Visions of Freedom, track released December 3, 2019
Fiddlin' Pete Watercott/Fiddle & Vocals, Tammy Kilpatrick/Vocals, Neil Gelvin/Guitar, Dan Connor/Guitar & Vocals, Ryan Finch/Bass

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Fiddlin' Pete Watercott Bishop, California

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