Highway Patrolman Songtext
von Whitey Morgan and the 78’s

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

And ever since we were young kids, it's been the same come down
I′d get a call on the short wave, Frankie′s in trouble downtown
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

Yeah, me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin′
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin′ turns dancin' with Maria
As the band played "The 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, Frankie went into 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're gettin′ robbed
Frankie came home in '68, and me, I took this job


Yeah, me and Frankie laughin′ and drinkin'
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin′ turns dancin′ with Maria
As the band played "The Night of the Johnstown Flood"
Well, I catch him when he's strayin′, teach him how to walk in line
Man turns his back on his family, ain't no friend of mine

Well, the night was like any other, I got a call ′bout a quarter to 9
There was trouble in a roadhouse out on the Michigan line
There was a kid lyin' on the floor, lookin′ bad, bleedin' hard from his head
There's a girl cryin′ at a table, "It was Frankie," said

Well, I ran out and I jumped in my car, then I hit the lights
I must have done a hundred and ten through Michigan County that night
Well, it was out by the crossroads, down ′round Willowbank
There was a Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank

Well, I chased him through them county roads
'Til the sign said "Canadian border five miles from here"
Pulled over to the side out the highway and watched the 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 "The Night of the Johnstown Flood"
Well, I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain′t no good