My name's Joe Roberts, I work for the state
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville, barracks number eight
I always done an honest job, as honest as I could
Had a brother named Franky, Franky ain't no good
Ever since we was young kids, it's been the same come down
I get a call on the shortwave, Franky's in trouble downtown
If it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
When it's your brother sometimes you look the other way
Yeah, me and Franky laughin' and drinkin'
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria
As the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good
Well, Franky went in the army back in 1965
I got a farm deferment, settled down, took Maria for my bride
Them wheat prices kept on droppin' 'til it was like we were gettin' robbed
Franky came home in '68 and me I took this job
Yeah, me and Franky laughin' and drinkin'
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria
As the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good
Well, the night was like any other, I get a call about quarter to nine
There was trouble in a roadhouse out on the Michigan line
It was a kid lyin' on the floor lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head
Was a girl cryin' at a table, "It was Frank", they said
Well, I went out and I jumped in my car, and then I hit the lights
I must've done a 110 through Michigan county that night
It was out at the crossroads, yeah, down 'round Willow bank
I seen a Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank
Well, I chased him through those county roads
'Til a sign said, "Canadian border five miles from here"
Pulled over the side of the highway and watched his taillights disappear
Yeah, me and Franky laughin' and drinkin'
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria
As the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good
Yeah, me and Franky laughin' and drinkin'
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria
As the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good
Thank you
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