Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts
Oh what a couple in love
Swore to be true to each other
True as the stars above
He was her man but he done her wrong
Frankie went down to the corner
A bucket of beer to buy
The bartender told her that Johnny
Was making love to Nellie Bly
He was her man he was doing her wrong
Frankie went home in a hurry
She didn’t go there for fun
Frankie went home just to get a hold
Of her own .44
He was her man but he done her wrong
Frankie peeked in on the party
She got a surprise when she saw
Nellie and Johnny making love
Sipping something through a straw
She caught her man, he was doing her wrong
Johnny in a panic mounted the staircase
Screaming ‘Oh, Frankie please don’t do it!’
She pulled that trigger and rooty-toot-toot
Three times she did shoot
He was her man but he done her wrong
Now bring ‘round your crêpe and your flowers
Bring round your rubber-tired hack
Taking my man to the graveyard
I ain’t gonna bring him back
He was my man but he done me wrong
This story has no moral
And this story has got no end
This story just goes to show you women
That there ain’t no good in men
He was her man but he done her wrong