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

Now ever since we were young kids, it's been the same come down
I get a call on the shortwave, Franky's in trouble downtown
now if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
but sometimes, when it's your brother, you look the other way

Yeah me and Franky laughin' and drinkin'
nothin' feels better than blood on blood
taking turns dancing with Maria
while the band played the Night of the Johnstown Flood
I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother should
man turns his back on his family, he ain't no good

Well Franky 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' till it was like we was gettin' robbed
Franky came home in '68, and me, I took this job

Yeah me and Franky laughin' and drinkin'
nothin' feels better than blood on blood
taking turns dancing with Maria
while the band played the 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, ain't no friend of mine

The night was like any other, I got a call 'bout a quarter to nine
there was trouble at a roadhouse out on the Michigan line
there was a kind on the floor lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head
there was a girl cryin' at a table, it was Franky she said

I ran out and I jumped in my car, then I hit the lights
I must have done about a 110 through Michigan county that night
it was down by the crossroads, out by Willow Bank
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 tail lights disappear

Yeah me and Franky laughin' and drinkin'
nothin' feels better than blood on blood
taking turns dancing with Maria
as the band played the Night of the Johnstown Flood
I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother should
man turns his back on his family, he ain't no good

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