Johnny`s been runnin` hard all his life
`Cause life never treated him right
Well he ain`t running now
You see his eyes are closed
They can`t hurt him tonight

Sleepin`, he`s sleepin`
Just let him be for a while
Don`t wake him, don`t take him
To where the people don`t smile

Sleepin`, my man is sleepin` nice now
Please let him stay here with me
I promise, I`ll keep him
At home, where he`s supposed to be

He`s been out there
In the streets you know
And strugglin`, scufflin`
Trying to survive
Out there in a richman`s world
And now you say my Johnny is not alive
But you`re wrong, can`t you see

Sleepin`, he`s just sleepin` mister
He doesn`t rest very much
He lives hard and he gives hard
And I`ll just die for his touch

Sleepin`, he`s sleepin`
Without a care to his name
He`s peaceful
He`s quiet
He`s tired of runnin` his game

He`s been out there
In the streets you know
With all the pain and all the suffering
Out there
Where you fight like hell
He never learned a fix don`t fix a thing
Don`t touch him

Johnny put too much in his vanes
And now you`re trying to tell me he`s gone
I don`t believe you
I`m just gonna sit here
And rock him in my arms

Sleepin`, he`s sleepin`
He doesn`t rest very much
You see he lives hard and gives hard