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