[Verse 1]
My name is Joe Roberts
I work for the state
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville
Barracks number eight
I've always done an honest job
As honest as I could
I got a brother named Frankie
And Frankie ain't no good

[Verse 2]
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
But when it's your own brother
You look the other way

[Chorus]
Yeah, with Frankie laughing and drinking
Nothing feels like blood on blood
Taking turns dancing 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 family
Well, he just ain't no good
[Verse 3]
Frankie went in the army
Back in '65
I got a farm deferment
Took Maria for my wife
But wheat prices kept on dropping
'Til it was like we was getting robbed
Frankie came home in '68
And me, I took this job

[Chorus]
Yeah, when we're laughing and drinking
Nothing feels like blood on blood
Taking turns dancing with Maria
As the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's straying
Teach him to walk that line
Man turns his back on his family
He ain't no friend of mine

[Verse 4]
The night was like any other
I got a call about a quarter to nine
There was trouble in a roadhouse
Out on the Michigan line
There was a kid lying on the floor
Bleeding hard from his head
There was a girl crying at a table
And it was Frank, they said
[Verse 5]
Well, I went out and jumped into my car
And I hit the lights
I must've done one hundred and ten
Through Michigan County that night
It was out at the crossroads
Down 'round Willow Bank
Seen a car with Ohio plates
Behind the wheel was Frank

[Verse 6]
I chased him through them county roads
'Til a sign said "Canadian border five miles"
I pulled to the side of the highway
And watched his taillights disappear

[Chorus]
Frankie laughing and drinking
Nothing feels like blood on blood
Taking turns dancing 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
Well, he just ain't no good
[Outro]
Man turns his back on his family
Well, he just ain't no good
Well, he just ain't no good