Highway Patrolman (Live at Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ) Lyrics – Bruce Springsteen

Highway Patrolman (Live at Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank, NJ) Lyrics

[Verse 1]
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
I got a brother named Frankie
Frankie ain’t no good

[Verse 2]
Now ever since we was young kids
It’s been the same come down
I get a call on the shortwave
Frankie’s in trouble downtown
Well, if it was any other man
I’d put him straight away
When it’s your brother
Sometimes you look the other way

[Chorus]
Yeah, me and Frankie laughin’ and drinkin’
Nothing feels bеtter than blood on blood
Taking turns dancin’ with Maria
As the band played “Night of thе Johnstown Flood”
I catch him when he’s straying
Like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family
He just ain’t no good

[Verse 3]
Frankie went in the army
Back in 1965
I got a farm deferment
Settled down, took Maria for my wife
Them wheat prices, they kept on dropping
‘Til it was like we were getting robbed
Frankie came home in ’68
And me, I took this job

[Chorus]
Yeah, we’re laughin’ and drinkin’
Nothing feels better than blood on blood
Taking turns dancin’ with Maria
As the band played “Night of the Johnstown Flood”
I catch him when he’s straying
Teach him how to walk that line
Man turns his back on his family
He ain’t no friend of mine

[Verse 4]
Well, the night was like any other
I got a call ’bout quarter to 9
There was trouble in a roadhouse
Out on the Michigan line
Was a kid lyin’ on the floor, lookin’ bad
Bleedin’ hard from his head
Was a girl cryin’ at a table
And it was Frank, they said
[Verse 5]
Well, I went out and I jumped in my car
And then I hit the lights
Well, I must’ve 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 them county roads
‘Til a sign said “Canadian border five miles from here”
Pulled over on the side of the highway
And watched his tail lights disappear

[Chorus]
Yeah, me and Frankie laughin’ and drinkin’
Nothing feels better than blood on blood
Taking turns dancin’ with Maria
As the band played “Night of the Johnstown Flood”
I catch him when he’s straying
Like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family
He just ain’t no good