Text: Amy Ray. Johnny Rottentale.

Words and music by Amy Ray

Yeah when I go over yonder
I will see my mother
My sister and my father
But my brother is going to hell

Yeah they hung him from the gallows
As the sun turned red from yellow
And the crowd they heard him halting
And they sighed with much relief

The preacher asked him for any last words
My brother spit on to his clean shirt
And he smiled without redemption
And said this is one soul god don't need

Oh yes I loved him but I won't miss him
As he's burning and he's twisting
For his heartless dedication
To the devil and it's creed


Oh as a child we called him rotten
'Til he was lonely and forgotten
And he revenged our constant jeering
Oh with his every word and deed

Oh yeah and for my contribution
Oh and the souls lack of retribution
I would ask the lords forgiveness
On my very bended knee

Oh it's the tale of johnny rotten
Yeah who was lonely and forgotten
And it's the tale of my only brother