She drew out all her money at the southern trustand put her little boy aboard a greyhound busleavin' Louisiana for the golden westDown came her tears from her happinessHer own little son named Johnny be goodWas gonna make some motion picture out in HollywoodBye bye, bye byeBye bye Johnny good bye Johnny be goodShe remembered takin' money earned from gathering cropAnd buying Johnnys guitar at a broker's shopAs long as he could play it by the railroad sideAnd wouldn't get in trouble he was satisfiedBut never thought that there'd ever come a day like thisWhen she would have to give her son a good-bye kissBye bye, bye byeBye bye Johnny bye bye Johnny be goodShe finally got the letter she was dreaming ofJohnny wrote and told her he had fell in loveAs soon as he was married he would bring her backAnd build a mansion for her by the railroad trackSo every time they heard the locomotive roarThey'd be a standin', a wavin' in the kitchen doorBye bye, bye byeBye bye Johnny good bye Johnny be good