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