Highway Patrolman

[Verse 1]

My name is Joe Roberts

I work for the state

I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville

Barracks number eight

I've always done an honest job

As honest as I could

I got a brother named Frankie

And Frankie ain't no good

[Verse 2]

Ever since we was young kids

It's been the same come down

I get a call on the shortwave

Frankie's in trouble downtown

Well, if it was any other man

I'd put him straight away

But when it's your own brother

You look the other way

[Chorus]

Yeah, with Frankie laughing and drinking

Nothing feels like blood on blood

Taking turns dancing with Maria

As the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"

I catch him when he's straying

Like any brother would

Man turns his back on family

Well, he just ain't no good

[Verse 3]

Frankie went in the army

Back in '65

I got a farm deferment

Took Maria for my wife

But wheat prices kept on dropping

'Til it was like we was getting robbed

Frankie came home in '68

And me, I took this job

[Chorus]

Yeah, when we're laughing and drinking

Nothing feels like blood on blood

Taking turns dancing with Maria

As the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"

I catch him when he's straying

Teach him to walk that line

Man turns his back on his family

He ain't no friend of mine

[Verse 4]

The night was like any other

I got a call about a quarter to nine

There was trouble in a roadhouse

Out on the Michigan line

There was a kid lying on the floor

Bleeding hard from his head

There was a girl crying at a table

And it was Frank, they said

[Verse 5]

Well, I went out and jumped into my car

And I hit the lights

I must've done one hundred and ten

Through Michigan County that night

It was out at the crossroads

Down 'round Willow Bank

Seen a car with Ohio plates

Behind the wheel was Frank

[Verse 6]

I chased him through them county roads

'Til a sign said "Canadian border five miles"

I pulled to the side of the highway

And watched his taillights disappear

[Chorus]

Frankie laughing and drinking

Nothing feels like blood on blood

Taking turns dancing with Maria

As the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"

I catch him when he's straying

Like any brother would

Man turns his back on his family

Well, he just ain't no good

[Outro]

Man turns his back on his family

Well, he just ain't no good

Well, he just ain't no good