Oingo Boingo Only a Lad

Johnny was bad.
Even as a child everybody could tell
Everyone said, "If you don't get straight you'll surely go to Hell."
But, Johnny didn't care.
He was an outlaw by the time that he was ten years old.
He didn't wanna do what he was told.
Just a prankster.
A juvenile gangster!

The lady down the block
She had a radio that Johnny wanted, oh, so bad
And so he took it the first chance he had
And then he shot her in the leg
And this is what she said

(Chorus):

Only A Lad
You really can't blame him
Only A Lad
Society's made him
Only A Lad
He's our responsibility
Only A Lad
He really couldn't help it
Only A Lad
He didn't wanna do it
Only A Lad
He's underprivileged and abused
Perhaps a little bit confused

And when he stole the car
Nobody dreamed that he would try to take it so far
He didn't mean to hit the poor man
Who had to go and die
It made the judge cry

(Chorus):

It's not his fault that he can't behave
Society's made him go astray
Perhaps if we're nice he'll go away
Perhaps he'll go away, he'll go away...