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Frankie's Gun Lyrics
My car goes, Chicago,
Every weekend I pick up some cargo
I think I know the bloody way by now, Frankie
Turn the god damn radio down, thank you
Pull over, count the money
But don't count the thirty in the glove box buddy
That's for to buy Lucille some clothes
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Work zones, double fines
Don't pass the double lines
Trailer McDonald's rest stop trailer double wide
I saw a man hit my mom one time, really
I hurt him so damn bad I had to hide in Jersey
Called my mama told her
In the dresser
There's ten or twenty dollars but there ain't no lesser
That's for to take my sister to the picture show
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Sha nay na sha nay na na na ...
(Mumbling)
Slip make a fender shine
Frankie you're a friend of mine
Got me off a bender after long legged Brenda died
I thought we might be on a roll this time Frankie
I could have swore the box said Hollywood blanks but
You see my mama
Please tell her
I left a little rock in a box in the cellar
That's for to wear till kingdom come
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Sha nay na sha nay na na na ...
Yodle ay hee hooo!
Every weekend I pick up some cargo
I think I know the bloody way by now, Frankie
Turn the god damn radio down, thank you
Pull over, count the money
But don't count the thirty in the glove box buddy
That's for to buy Lucille some clothes
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Don't pass the double lines
Trailer McDonald's rest stop trailer double wide
I saw a man hit my mom one time, really
I hurt him so damn bad I had to hide in Jersey
Called my mama told her
In the dresser
There's ten or twenty dollars but there ain't no lesser
That's for to take my sister to the picture show
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Sha nay na sha nay na na na ...
Frankie you're a friend of mine
Got me off a bender after long legged Brenda died
I thought we might be on a roll this time Frankie
I could have swore the box said Hollywood blanks but
You see my mama
Please tell her
I left a little rock in a box in the cellar
That's for to wear till kingdom come
(He shot me down Lucille)
Bang bang bang went Frankie's gun
(He shot me down Lucille)
He shot me down
(He shot me down)
Sha nay na sha nay na na na ...
Song Info
Submitted by
shayborg On Mar 21, 2008
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Really cool song. Learning how to play it on my guitar :)
It's about Frank Nitti, one of Al Capones top henchman, who later kill him self.
Check it out!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Nitti
These guys are the next "Bob Dylan."
These guys are the next "Bob Dylan."
Nice try, but I don't think it's about Frank Nitti (who, near as I can tell, never went by "Frankie"). I think it's set in modern times, based on the reference to McDonald's and that it would cost "ten or twenty" to take his sister to the picture show...
Nice try, but I don't think it's about Frank Nitti (who, near as I can tell, never went by "Frankie"). I think it's set in modern times, based on the reference to McDonald's and that it would cost "ten or twenty" to take his sister to the picture show...
I found it interesting that when I saw these guys live (for the second time) they changed the line: "You see my mama/Please tell her/I left a little rock in a box in the cellar." The show was a live radio hour here in Louisville, KY, and instead they sang, "You see my BABY/Please tell her..." Which makes more sense to me. I would see giving a sweetheart a ring to wear forever as more likely than giving one to your mother...
some people call their "baby" mamma
some people call their "baby" mamma
I always thought, actually, that it was "that's for the way to kingdom come" - and that, therefore, by "rock" he meant cocaine. This would be either so that she could sell it or use it to forget about his death. But I actually really like mntecky's interpretation too. And, like kjoyo says, by "mama" he probably doesn't literally mean his mother.
I always thought, actually, that it was "that's for the way to kingdom come" - and that, therefore, by "rock" he meant cocaine. This would be either so that she could sell it or use it to forget about his death. But I actually really like mntecky's interpretation too. And, like kjoyo says, by "mama" he probably doesn't literally mean his mother.
Yeah, before the show I had only heard the CD version of "mama."
Yeah, before the show I had only heard the CD version of "mama."
I don't think it's about Frank Nitti specifically, it's about a guy travelling with him on the drug or booze runs.
The guy is obviously creaming money off the top of the payments being made to him and Frankie hence
"don't count the thirty in the glove box buddy"
and
"in the dresser, there's ten or twenty dollars but etc"
The guy is taking a bit for himself here and there and I think it's fair to assume that Capone or Frankie found out and "bang, bang, bang went Frankie's gun" he delivered their kind of justice.
Whether they sing "mama" or "baby" is irrelevant, the important thing is that he "hid a little rock". Hid is the operative word because once again he's been taking from Capone.
Very clever lyrics I reckon.
Imlearning this on guitar as well and sort of scared that there is a lost verse, a verse about how Frankie later went to get the "rock in the cellar" and killed his mom and sister.
Great song, this band is amazing!!!!
I think its about driving to Chicago to pick up drug shipments or something. Also the hard rougish life of dealing in drugs maybe.
Some kind of scheme has gone wrong here. Hollywood blanks are fake bullets. The narrator put the wrong shells in Frankie's gun and takes three slugs to the chest, just as he thought the two had finally hit on a way to break through, make that big score.
Some kind of scheme has gone wrong here. Hollywood blanks are fake bullets. The narrator put the wrong shells in Frankie's gun and takes three slugs to the chest, just as he thought the two had finally hit on a way to break through, make that big score.
More importantly the man, drug runner that he may be, has a heart of gold. He engages in unethical, illegal business but his primary concern is taking care of his loved ones, his mother, sister and Lucille. No matter the situation they remain first in his mind, expressed through always leaving them...
More importantly the man, drug runner that he may be, has a heart of gold. He engages in unethical, illegal business but his primary concern is taking care of his loved ones, his mother, sister and Lucille. No matter the situation they remain first in his mind, expressed through always leaving them a little something to care for themselves when he can't be there.