Live 25 Apr 1996 version
My name is Joe Roberts, I work for the state
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville, barracks number 8
I always done an honest job, as honest as I could
I got a brother named Franky, Franky ain't no good
Ever since we was young kids, well it's been the same come down
I get a call on the shortwave, Franky's in trouble downtown
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 Franky 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 Franky 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' till it was like we were gettin' robbed
Franky gone home in '68, me I took this job
Yeah me and Franky 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 the night was like any other, well I got a call 'bout quarter to nine
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
Was a girl cryin' at a table, it was Frank, they said
Well I went out and I jumped in my car and then I hit the lights
Well I musta done a hundred and ten through Michigan county that night
It was out at the crossroads, way down 'round Willows bank
I seen a Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank
Well I chased him through them county roads
Till a sign said "Canadian border five miles from here"
Pulled over the side of the highway and watched his taillights disappear
Me and Franky 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, just ain't no good
The above lyrics are for the live 25 Apr 1996 performance of HIGHWAY PATROLMAN at Brixton Academy in London, England, during The Ghost Of Tom Joad Solo Acoustic Tour. This was the song's tour debut.
List of available versions of HIGHWAY PATROLMAN on this website:
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Album version]