C
Frankie and Johnny were lovers
C C7
Oh lord how they could love
F
They swore to be true to each other
F Cdim7 C
Just as true as the stars above
A7 D7 G7
He was her man
C ( C7 F Fm C ) G7
But he did her wrong
C
Frankie went down to the bar room
C C7
To buy her Johnny a beer
F
Said to the bartender
F Cdim7 C
Has my ever-lovin' Johnny been here?
A7 D7 G7
He is my man
C ( C7 F Fm C ) G7
But he's doin' me wrong.
C
I cannot tell you no story
C C7
I cannot tell you no lie
F
Johnny left about an hour ago
F Cdim7 C
With a gal named Nellie Bly
A7 D7 G7
He is your man
C ( C7 F Fm C ) G7
But he's doin' you wrong.
C
Frankie went down The Broadway
C C7
With a forty four in her hand
F
Said "Stand aside all you chorus gals
F Cdim7 C
I'm a-lookin' for my man!"
A7 D7 G7
He is my man
C ( C7 F Fm C ) G7
But he's doin' me wrong.
C
The first time she shot him he staggered
C C7
The next time she shot him he fell
F
The last time she shot him oh lord
F Cdim7 C
There was another man's face in hell
A7 D7 G7
He was her man
C ( C7 F Fm C ) G7
But he did her wrong.
This is how I play it...with a bit of the melody cross-picked over the chords.
The lyrics are a variant on one of those collected by John and Alan Lomax and
the chords are a little jazzier than the standard versions.
