Now every day you'd see him out on the front porch with a guitar across his lap
He'd be a sittin' there a diggin' that transistor radio pickin' all them hit songs out
While the other kids would sit around and whittle on sticks
Little Johnny got his guitar down and he'd pick
Cause that's the way that Johnny used to get his kicks tryin' to figure out some new hot licks

Little Johnny wants to be a star little Johnny wants to be a star
All he wants to do is sing a little song and play music on a fine guitar
Ya hear him goin' mmhhmm hmm hmm mmhhmm hmm hmm
Leap in there Johnny

Now every time a show would come to town you'd find Johnny on a front row seat
He'd be a sittin' there a starin' all misty eyed never missin' one single beat
Now when the show was over he would go straight home
Get his guitar down and he would play it till dawn
A dreamin' of a time when he'd be grown and someday he'd have a show of his own

Little Johnny wants to be a star...

One day he picked up his songs and his guitar he kissed his little mama goodbye