Born Donald Eugene Lytle in Greenfield, Ohio, he began playing guitar by age 6 and made his first record at age 15. After a time served in the United States Navy (which included a court-martial for assault), he began performing under the name Donny Young. The singer took a job with country music star George Jones, for whom he played bass and steel guitar for several years, co-writing Jones' hit song, "Once You've Had the Best." By the 1960s, he had changed his name to Johnny Paycheck, a name similar to Johnny Cash, which has sometimes caused confusion.
A member of the Grand Ole Opry, PayCheck is best remembered for his 1977 cover of, "Take This Job and Shove It" (written by David Allan Coe) which sold over 2 million copies and inspired a motion picture of the same name. Colorado Kool-Aid is another of his most famous songs. In his career, PayCheck recorded eleven songs that made it into country music's top ten chart plus he co-wrote several successful songs for other country singers including "Apartment #9," a hit for Tammy Wynette.
His life was often filled with turmoil and in 1985, PayCheck was convicted of shooting a man in Hillsboro, Ohio and spent two years in prison. His tax problems with the IRS led to his filing for bankruptcy in 1990. Later in the 1990s, he began capitalizing the fourth letter of his name in a style later dubbed CamelCase, preferring to be known as Johnny PayCheck.
PayCheck suffered from drug and alcohol addiction during his career, although he was said to have "put his life in order" [1] after his prison stay. Suffering from emphysema and asthma, after a lengthy illness, Johnny PayCheck died at Nashville's Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
He was interred in Woodlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Nashville.
He is survived by his wife Sharon PayCheck and son Jonathan PayCheck.
11 Months and 29 Days
Johnny Paycheck Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Busted in Austin
Walkin' around in a daze
I'm sittin' in a slammer
Lookin' out through these bars in a haze
But it'll all clear up
11 months and 29 days
Keep the Lone Star cold
The dance floor hot while I'm gone
Keep the Lone Star cold
The dance floor hot while I'm gone, hey now
Keep your hands off my woman
I ain't gonna be gone that long
Let me hear that harmonica over there, here it comes
A little steel guitar here
Yeah
All right, play it on that fiddle boy
That old judge put a sledgehammer in my hand when he said
I'm gonna send you to Huntsville
Shave your face and your head
I'm doin' 11/29 boys
With a cement floor for my bed
Busted in Austin walkin' around in a daze
Yes, I was
Now I'm sittin' in a slammer
Lookin' out the bars through a haze
But it'll all clear up
11 months and 29 days
Hey Lord
The song "11 Months and 29 Days" by Johnny Paycheck is a lamentation of a man who has been locked up in jail after being busted in Austin. He is looking out through the bars, feeling dazed and confused. However, he finds hope in the knowledge that his sentence will soon be over. The refrain "Keep the Lone Star cold, the dance floor hot" is his way of asking his friends to have a good time while he is serving his time. He also directs his friends to keep his woman's hands off. The harmonica and fiddle tunes are symbolic of the hope that he holds onto, the belief that the future will be better.
The use of the phrase "11 months and 29 days" is important because it is the length of his sentence, and thus represents an end to his troubles, a light at the end of the tunnel. The mention of Texas' Lone Star beer, the dance floor, and his woman are all symbols of his life outside jail. In his absence, he longs for the fun and companionship he used to enjoy, but at the same time, he acknowledges that he has made a mistake and he is serving a just sentence. The song's message is one of hope, of redemption, and of coming out of the other side stronger.
Line by Line Meaning
Busted in Austin
Got arrested in Austin
Walkin' around in a daze
Was in a state of confusion
I'm sittin' in a slammer
Currently in jail
Lookin' out through these bars in a haze
Pretending to be lost in thought while staring out of bars
But it'll all clear up
Time will pass and things will get better
11 months and 29 days
Referring to the length of his sentence
Keep the Lone Star cold
Keep his beer cold
The dance floor hot while I'm gone
Keep the party going
Keep your hands off my woman
Don't hit on his woman while he's gone
I ain't gonna be gone that long
He'll be back soon
That old judge put a sledgehammer in my hand when he said
The judge gave him a harsh sentence
I'm gonna send you to Huntsville
The location of a Texas state prison
Shave your face and your head
Protocol for new inmates
I'm doin' 11/29 boys
I'm serving 11 months and 29 days in prison
With a cement floor for my bed
The prison cell is very basic
Hey Lord
An exclamation to God
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILLY SHERRILL, JOHNNY PAYCHECK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
D
A one, two, three, four
Busted in Austin
Walkin' around in a daze
I'm sittin' in a slammer
Lookin' out through these bars in a haze
But it'll all clear up
11 months and 29 days
Keep the Lone Star cold
The dance floor hot while I'm gone
Keep the Lone Star cold
The dance floor hot while I'm gone, hey now
Keep your hands off my woman
I ain't gonna be gone that long
Let me hear that harmonica over there, here it comes
A little steel guitar here
Yeah
All right, play it on that fiddle boy
That old judge put a sledgehammer in my hand when he said
I'm gonna send you to Huntsville
Shave your face and your head
I'm doin' 11/29 boys
With a cement floor for my bed
Busted in Austin walkin' around in a daze
Yes, I was
Now I'm sittin' in a slammer
Lookin' out the bars through a haze
But it'll all clear up
11 months and 29 days
Hey Lord
CALIMEX3CE
I’m here cuz Johnny Paycheck is the most gangster country singer ever!!!
D
A one, two, three, four
Busted in Austin
Walkin' around in a daze
I'm sittin' in a slammer
Lookin' out through these bars in a haze
But it'll all clear up
11 months and 29 days
Keep the Lone Star cold
The dance floor hot while I'm gone
Keep the Lone Star cold
The dance floor hot while I'm gone, hey now
Keep your hands off my woman
I ain't gonna be gone that long
Let me hear that harmonica over there, here it comes
A little steel guitar here
Yeah
All right, play it on that fiddle boy
That old judge put a sledgehammer in my hand when he said
I'm gonna send you to Huntsville
Shave your face and your head
I'm doin' 11/29 boys
With a cement floor for my bed
Busted in Austin walkin' around in a daze
Yes, I was
Now I'm sittin' in a slammer
Lookin' out the bars through a haze
But it'll all clear up
11 months and 29 days
Hey Lord
Conner
a great legend, saw his last performance at Fan Fair, his health was bad but he could still sing. He is truly missed in Ohio. But we have another Greenfiel guy in Nashville, Brad Martin. If you have a chance, look him and and listen to him.
Captain Slappywacks
One of the few real country outlaws. He was the real deal. One hell of a toe tappin badass tune
cody barnett
Masterpiece
mcdago62
love this song alot, gotta love these old country stars
Eric W
RIP Johnny and real country music
ggjcorreia
This is one of my favorite Johnny Paycheck songs. I really don't know why. Probably because back then, these artists wrote about their own life experiences! Sing the blues Johnny!
Mary White
@Gary Hulse U don't need to say that
Drew M
Cause it’s real shit, that’s why