I believe the Springsteen song you're thinking of is "Johnny 99": "Your honor, I do believe I'd be better off dead / So if you can take a man's life for the th

I believe the Springsteen song you're thinking of is "Johnny 99": "Your honor, I do believe I'd be better off dead / So if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head / Sit back in that chair and think it over, Judge, one more time / And have 'em shave off my hair and put me on that execution line."