Brook Benton – Frankie & Johnny lyrics

Frankie and Johnny

- Artist: Brook Benton as sung on "The Satin Sound Brook Benton"
- Suffolk Marketing-Smi 2
- peak Billboard position # 20 in 1961
- traditional folk song with many lyrics variations
- charted by Ted Lewis (#9) and Frank Crumit (#18) in 1927
- charted by Guy Lombardo (#21) in 1942
- charted by Johnny Cash (#57) in 1959
- charted by Sam Cooke (#14) in 1963
- charted by The Greenwood County Singers (#75) in 1964
- charted by Elvis Presley (#25) in 1966

Little Frankie went down to the barroom, she asked for a glass of beer
She said, "Hey, bartender, has my Johnny been here?"
"He's my man but he's done me wrong"

The bartender said "Frankie, ya know I won't tell ya no lie"
"He left here about a minute ago with a gal named Alice Fry"
"He's your man, but he's doin' you wrong"

Frankie was a good little woman, surely everybody knows
She paid one hundred dollars for Johnny's new suit of clothes
She loved her man but he done her wrong

Well then Frankie went down Broadway with a razor in her hand
She said "Stand back, all you women, I'm here for my cheatin' man"
"Yes, he's my man but he's done me wrong"

It was on a Friday mornin' about a ha'past nine o'clock
Frankie pulled her 44 and fired three fatal shots
She shot her man 'cause he done her wrong

(Why don'tcha run, Frankie?) they said (Frankie why don't you run?)
'cause here come the Chief Of Police with the 44 smokeless gun
You killed your man, we know he done you wrong

Spoken while fading
Yeah, he done you wrong, Frankie
You shoulda shot him forty times
I'm a witness, Frankie, I was there
When you shot that man I saw

Transcribed by Robin Hood

These lyrics were transcribed from the specific recording mentioned above
And do not necessarily correspond with lyrics from other recordings, sheet
Music, songbooks or lyrics printed on album jackets.