Highway Patrolman
My name is 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
But I got a brother named Frankie, and Frankie ain't no good
Now ever since we was young kids, it's been the same come down
I'd get a call on the short wave, Frankie's in trouble down town
Well if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
But when it's your brother, sometimes you look the other way
Me an Frankie laughin and drinkin
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria
As the band plays "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 into the Army, back in 1965
Me, I got a farm deferment, settled down, took Maria for my wife
But them wheat prices kept on droppin'
Till it was like we was getting robbed
Frankie came home in 68
And 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 plays "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
The night was like any other, got a call 'bout a quarter to nine
There was trouble in a roadhouse
Out on the Michigan Line
There was a kid lyin' on the floor
Lookin' bad, bleeding hard from his head
There was a girl cryin' at a table
"It was Frank", they said
Well, I went out and I jumped in my car
And I hit the lights
I musta done a hundred and ten
Through Michigan County that night
It was out at the crossroads, down round Willow Bank
Seen a Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank
Well I chased him through those country roads
Till a sign said, "Canadian Border 5 miles from here"
I pulled over the side of the highway, and I watched his tail lights disappear
Me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin'
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria
As the band plays "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