Down on Pico, a sailor on leave
finds a tattoo parlor, rolls up his sleeve
Man takes his money, says, "What's it gonna be?"
Kid says, "A big red heart, signed 'Forever Marie'"
He'll probably want to change it in a year or two
But now it makes him happy so what can you do?

Hour later, man says, "It's all done"
Sailor takes a look and says, "This ain't the one
You wrote Martha, but her name is Marie"
The man says, "Yeah, this one's on me
Here's your money, I'm sorry about it
but I've had a lot on my mind that just won't quit"

Chorus:
American hearts, American souls,
living on American rock and roll
Turn the radio up, cruising with your friends
Tomorrow after work, we'll do it all again
We're just American hearts, American souls,
living on American rock and roll
Life ain't always easy, but it's always alright
And Johnny got a new tattoo tonight

Well, long-distance to his sweet Marie
says, "You'll never guess what happened to me"
Tells the story, every word
Marie starts laughing at the tales she's heard
She says, "That's all right, you did them no harm
It's what's in your heart, not the heart on your arm"

CHORUS
A new tattoo tonight

Well, things worked out just according to plan
You see Martha came back to the tattoo man
Standing in the doorway in a haze of smoke
she said, "I hadda come home before you went flat broke
Reading my name all around on
every poor sailor brand new in town"

American hearts, American souls,
living on American rock and roll
Turn the radio up, cruising with your friends
Tomorrow after work, we'll do it all again
We're just American hearts, American souls,
living for American rock and roll
Life ain't always easy, but it's always alright
for a wanna-be Brando with his jeans on tight

CHORUS
He got a new tattoo
Johnny
Johnny
got a new tattoo