What happened here 
As the New York sunset disappeared 
I found an empty garden among the flagstones there 
Who lived here 
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot 
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop 
And now it all looks strange 
It's funny how one insect can damage so much grain 
 
And what's it for 
This little empty garden by the brownstone door 
And in the cracks along the sidewalk nothing grows no more 
Who lived here 
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot 
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop 
And we are so amazed we're crippled and we're dazed 
A gardener like that one no one can replace 
 
And I've been knocking but no one answers 
And I've been knocking most all the day 
Oh and I've been calling oh hey hey Johnny 
Can't you come out to play 
 
And through their tears 
Some say he farmed his best in younger years 
But he'd have said that roots grow stronger if only he could hear 
Who lived there 
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot 
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop 
Now we pray for rain, and with every drop that falls 
We hear, we hear your name 
 
Johnny can't you come out to play in your empty garden