Johnny Cash - Highway Patrolman lyrics

My name is Joe Roberts, I work for the state I'm a sergeant out on Perenville barracks number 8 I've always done an honest job, honest as I could Got a brother named Frankie, Frankie ain't no good Ever since we were young kids, it's been the same come down I'd get a call on the short wave, Frankie's in trouble downtown Well, 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 Frankie laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood Takin' turns dancin' 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, Frankie 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', 'til it was like we's gettin' robbed Frankie came home in '68, and me, I took this job Yeah, me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood Takin' turns dancin' 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 kid on the floor, lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head There was a girl cryin' at a table, it was Frankie, she said I ran out and I jumped in my car, then I hit the lights I must have done about a hundred and ten to Michigan County that night It was down by the crossroads, out by willow bank Seen the Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank Well, I chased him through them county roads, 'til the sign said Canadian border five miles from here Pulled over to the side out the highway, watched the taillights disappear Yeah, me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood Takin' turns dancin' 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