This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Chorus
Who you is
Whats you name
Boy you off the chain
I see you balling
Gone and do yo thang
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Nobody knows my name
They only know my face
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Verse1
Who am I
Whats my name
Abk John Doe
These niggas think they frozen but I'm really cold
Pour up some mo
I keep these broads calling
Balling so hard should be endorsed by Spaulding
I'm on a mission just stacking up all my riches
These niggas hating i pay them cats no attention
The ladies love me I'm feeling like i am cool James
So much liquor in my cup that I can't feel my face
She say she love me but lately
I'm feeling heartless
I make my moves on the low
And keep these niggas thoughtless
They think they know me
Scooby looking look for a clues
And in the end I swear all that they can do
Chorus
Who you is
Whats you name
Boy you off the chain
I see you balling
Gone and do yo thang
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Nobody knows my name
They only know my face
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Verse 2
◦
Step on the scene and I'm clean
Lacoste from head to feet
These niggas stare in disgust
Mad they old lady chose me
I am that nigga
Been that nigga since i was young
Don't care nothing bout ya feelings
liquor got me numb
Imma' boss ass nigga repping Classy Trap
Playa Lounge made me what you know about that
Raised down off in the Sipp
Yea I'm from the dirty dirty
And all that slick talking
Get slapped in your mouth ya heard me
They steady looking
They'll never figure me out
A young nigga always flooded while you in a drought
Its a cold cold world you gotta watch yo friends
Cus' the niggas you thought was cool
The ones will do you in
Chorus
Who you is
Whats you name
Boy you off the chain
I see you balling
Gone and do yo thang
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Nobody knows my name
They only know my face
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Who you is
Whats you name
Boy you off the chain
I see you balling
Gone and do yo thang
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Nobody knows my name
They only know my face
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Verse1
Who am I
Whats my name
Abk John Doe
These niggas think they frozen but I'm really cold
Pour up some mo
I keep these broads calling
Balling so hard should be endorsed by Spaulding
I'm on a mission just stacking up all my riches
These niggas hating i pay them cats no attention
The ladies love me I'm feeling like i am cool James
So much liquor in my cup that I can't feel my face
She say she love me but lately
I'm feeling heartless
I make my moves on the low
And keep these niggas thoughtless
They think they know me
Scooby looking look for a clues
And in the end I swear all that they can do
Chorus
Who you is
Whats you name
Boy you off the chain
I see you balling
Gone and do yo thang
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Nobody knows my name
They only know my face
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Verse 2
◦
Step on the scene and I'm clean
Lacoste from head to feet
These niggas stare in disgust
Mad they old lady chose me
I am that nigga
Been that nigga since i was young
Don't care nothing bout ya feelings
liquor got me numb
Imma' boss ass nigga repping Classy Trap
Playa Lounge made me what you know about that
Raised down off in the Sipp
Yea I'm from the dirty dirty
And all that slick talking
Get slapped in your mouth ya heard me
They steady looking
They'll never figure me out
A young nigga always flooded while you in a drought
Its a cold cold world you gotta watch yo friends
Cus' the niggas you thought was cool
The ones will do you in
Chorus
Who you is
Whats you name
Boy you off the chain
I see you balling
Gone and do yo thang
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Nobody knows my name
They only know my face
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
There he go
There he go
that's John Doe
Lyrics submitted by 247publicity
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