I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
[L.D.]
We'll take it a bit slower
This is, this is the, huh, this is the first song I ever learned, actually
Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts
Lordy, how they could love
Swore to be true to each other
Yeah, true to the skies above
He was her man, wouldn't do her no wrong
And Frankie and Johnny went walkin'
And Johnny had on a new suit
Yeah, Frankie spent one-hundred dollar notes
Just to make her man look cute
He was her man, he wouldn't do her no wrong
Frankie went over to the barroom
Stopped for a bottle of beer
Said to the old bartender man
Has my lover Johnny man been here?
He was my man, Lord, but he'd been doin' me wrong, so wrong.
Yeah Frankie looked over the transom door
And then to her great surprise
There sat her lover man Johnny
Makin' love to Nellie Bly
He was her man, but he was doin' her wrong
Well Frankie lifted up her kimono dress
And she drew (ladaladalala) out a little .44
She shot once, twice, three times (three times) she shot him
And through that hardwood (door) floor
Yeah she shot her man (yeah he was her man)
Well but he been doin' her wrong yeah
He said, roll me over so careful ah
Roll me over so slow,
Oh roll me on to my left hand side,
Because your bullet hurt me so,
I was your man, but I been doin' you wrong.
Play it Chris!
Well they sent for Frankie's mother
Come down to Huddy's saloon
To see what's the matter with her boy
She come down, Frankie looked up at her
Here what she said:
She said, Oh Mrs. Johnson, oh forgive me please
Well I killed your lovin' son, Johnny
But I'm down on my bended knee
I shot your man, 'cause he was doin' me wrong. ah
She said, I'll forgive you Frankie,
She said, I'll forgive you not, not
For killin' my lovin' son Johnny,
He's the only support that I've got,
'Cause you shot my man and he was doin' you wrong.
Well the last time I seen Frankie
She was a-sittin' in a dungeon cell
She would be there moanin', herself
With no one there to care
She shot her man, a he'd been doin' her wrong, so wrong
Well bring out the overtime hearse all day long
You gotta bring out the pony and truck hey
They're gonna take Johnny, Johnny to the cemetery (graveyard)
And they ain't never coming back
Oh he was her man, oh but he been doin' her wrong, so wrong
Well the story ain't got no moral, Lordy
But the story ain't got no end
Well the story only goes to show
That there ain't no damn good in men
He was her man, but he was doin' her wrong
Yeah, ba-da-ba-ba-da-ba-ba-da-ba-ba-ba-ba
We'll take it a bit slower
This is, this is the, huh, this is the first song I ever learned, actually
Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts
Lordy, how they could love
Swore to be true to each other
Yeah, true to the skies above
He was her man, wouldn't do her no wrong
And Frankie and Johnny went walkin'
And Johnny had on a new suit
Yeah, Frankie spent one-hundred dollar notes
Just to make her man look cute
He was her man, he wouldn't do her no wrong
Frankie went over to the barroom
Stopped for a bottle of beer
Said to the old bartender man
Has my lover Johnny man been here?
He was my man, Lord, but he'd been doin' me wrong, so wrong.
Yeah Frankie looked over the transom door
And then to her great surprise
There sat her lover man Johnny
Makin' love to Nellie Bly
He was her man, but he was doin' her wrong
Well Frankie lifted up her kimono dress
And she drew (ladaladalala) out a little .44
She shot once, twice, three times (three times) she shot him
And through that hardwood (door) floor
Yeah she shot her man (yeah he was her man)
Well but he been doin' her wrong yeah
He said, roll me over so careful ah
Roll me over so slow,
Oh roll me on to my left hand side,
Because your bullet hurt me so,
I was your man, but I been doin' you wrong.
Play it Chris!
Well they sent for Frankie's mother
Come down to Huddy's saloon
To see what's the matter with her boy
She come down, Frankie looked up at her
Here what she said:
She said, Oh Mrs. Johnson, oh forgive me please
Well I killed your lovin' son, Johnny
But I'm down on my bended knee
I shot your man, 'cause he was doin' me wrong. ah
She said, I'll forgive you Frankie,
She said, I'll forgive you not, not
For killin' my lovin' son Johnny,
He's the only support that I've got,
'Cause you shot my man and he was doin' you wrong.
Well the last time I seen Frankie
She was a-sittin' in a dungeon cell
She would be there moanin', herself
With no one there to care
She shot her man, a he'd been doin' her wrong, so wrong
Well bring out the overtime hearse all day long
You gotta bring out the pony and truck hey
They're gonna take Johnny, Johnny to the cemetery (graveyard)
And they ain't never coming back
Oh he was her man, oh but he been doin' her wrong, so wrong
Well the story ain't got no moral, Lordy
But the story ain't got no end
Well the story only goes to show
That there ain't no damn good in men
He was her man, but he was doin' her wrong
Yeah, ba-da-ba-ba-da-ba-ba-da-ba-ba-ba-ba
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
Frankie and Johnny Lyrics as written by Traditional Kris Ife
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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