Highway Patrolman

My name is Joe Roberts and I work for the state
I'm sergeant out of Perrineville barracks number eight
I always done an honest job, as honest as I could
I got a brother named Frankie, and Frankie ain't no good

Now, ever since we was young kids, it's been the same comedown
Get a call on the shortwave, Frankie's in trouble downtown
Well, if it was any other man, I'd put him in straight away
But when it's your brother, sometimes you look the other way

Yeah, me and Frankie, 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
Well, he just ain't no good

Well, Frankie went in the army back in 1965
I got a farm deferment, settled down, took Maria for my wife
But them wheat prices kept on droppin' 'til it was like we was gettin' robbed
Frankie came home in '68, me, I took this job

Yeah, we're 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'
Teach him how to walk that line
Man turns his back on his family
He ain't no friend of mine

Well, that night was like any other, I got a call 'bout a quarter to nine
There's trouble in a roadhouse out on Michigan line
There's a kid lyin' on the floor, lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head
There's a girl cryin' at the table, "It was Frank," they said

Well, I went out and jumped in my car, and I hit the lights
Well, I must've done a 110 through Michigan County that night
It was out at the crossroads, down round Willow Bank
Seen a view with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank

Yeah, me and Frankie, we're 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
Well, he just ain't no good

I chased him through the country roads
'Til a sign said, "Canadian border, five miles"
Over the side of the highway
And watched his taillights disappear

Yeah, me and Frankie, 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
Well, he just ain't no good