Frankie
Mississippi John Hurt Lyrics
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She pay one hundred dollars for our one suit of clothes
He's a man and he done me wrong.
Frankie went down to the corner saloon, didn't go to be gone long
She peek through one of the keyholes and spied Albert in Alice's arms
He's my man and he done me wrong.
Frankie called Albert, Albert says "I don't hear."
"If you don't come to the woman you love, gonna haul you out of here"
You's my man and you done me wrong."
Frankie shot old Albert and she shot him three or four times
Says "Stroll back, I'd smoke my gun, let him see Albert dying
He's my man and he done me wrong."
Frankie and the judge walked down on the stand, walked out side to side
The judge says to Frankie "You're gonna be justified
For killing a man and he done you wrong."
Dark was the night, cold was on the ground
Little last word I heard Frankie say "I'd done laid old Albert down
He's my man and he done me wrong."
I ain't gonna tell no story and I ain't gonna tell no lie
Well an hour past about an hour ago, the girl called out his pride
He's your man and he done you wrong.
The song "Frankie" tells the story of a woman who finds out that her lover, Albert, is cheating on her with another woman, Alice. Despite loving him deeply, she decides to take matters into her own hands and shoots him in a fit of rage. The lyrics are straightforward and evoke a sense of sorrow and desperation, with the repeated line "he's my man and he done me wrong" underscoring the pain and betrayal that Frankie feels.
What makes this song particularly interesting is its roots in the Southern blues tradition, as it tells a story that was likely all too common in the segregated South. The song was first recorded by Mississippi John Hurt in 1928, but it has been covered by countless artists over the years, including Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. Some have even argued that "Frankie" is one of the original murder ballads, a term used to describe songs that feature violent or tragic themes.
Despite its dark subject matter, "Frankie" remains a beloved classic in the blues canon, in large part because of the emotional resonance of the lyrics. The line "he's my man and he done me wrong" is instantly recognizable to anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak, and the gritty storytelling of the song has fascinated generations of listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Frankie was a good girl everybody know
Frankie was known to be a respectable woman
She pay one hundred dollars for our one suit of clothes
Frankie spent a lot of money on her and her man's clothing
He's a man and he done me wrong.
Frankie's man betrayed her
Frankie went down to the corner saloon, didn't go to be gone long
Frankie went to the bar for a short while
She peek through one of the keyholes and spied Albert in Alice's arms
Frankie saw her man with another woman
He's my man and he done me wrong.
Frankie's man betrayed her
Frankie called Albert, Albert says "I don't hear."
Frankie tried to talk to her man, but he ignored her
"If you don't come to the woman you love, gonna haul you out of here"
Frankie threatened to make a scene if her man did not talk to her
You's my man and you done me wrong."
Frankie's man betrayed her
Frankie shot old Albert and she shot him three or four times
Frankie shot her man several times
Says "Stroll back, I'd smoke my gun, let him see Albert dying
Frankie wanted her man to see what she had done to him
He's my man and he done me wrong."
Frankie's man betrayed her
Frankie and the judge walked down on the stand, walked out side to side
Frankie went to court with the judge
The judge says to Frankie "You're gonna be justified
The judge believed Frankie was justified in her actions
For killing a man and he done you wrong."
Frankie's man betrayed her
Dark was the night, cold was on the ground
The weather was dark and cold
Little last word I heard Frankie say "I'd done laid old Albert down
Frankie reminisced about killing her man
He's my man and he done me wrong."
Frankie's man betrayed her
I ain't gonna tell no story and I ain't gonna tell no lie
Frankie is being truthful
Well an hour past about an hour ago, the girl called out his pride
Someone insulted Frankie's man
He's your man and he done you wrong.
Frankie's man betrayed her
Lyrics © WYNWOOD MUSIC CO. INC., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN S HURT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@satyanpatel6403
Real music. So humble.
@rooseveltdavis9559
A legend in his own time.
@Senkino5o
had this song for a good while, mighty fine, mighty fine
@AdilsonAndrade
Hi, I´m from Brazil. Well, I was taking an online course on photography and one of the videos had this song as background music and I searched for it and found it here. Very nice by the way. Unfortunately, I couldn´t understand some of the lines and the lyrics don´t match so they didn´t help me much. Thanks for posting it. Appreciated.
@misterbamboostick
Oh, the lyrics don't match? I'll check them when I find some time. Thanks for your reaction. Regards from Belgium.
@Senkino5o
sure right buddy, fine ol' song
@oldbladderhorn
this is one tricky tune to play just right, I have a sneaking suspicion that Mississippi might have down tuned
his guitar strings really low to a C# standard tuning = C#F#BEG#C# sneaky blighter (he he, good one John )
it must have driven many a copy-cat up the curtain trying to get that sweet tonality he has in this version
and that quirky bass thump is the icing on the cake ...
sounds a real simple tune to play I guess it is if it's done the right way.the only hard bit is the singing of it?
that perfect vocal
@Dulcimerea
Wasn't this one of the ones he recorded in the late 20's?
@bobhohi
john sosman It was!
@recoignishonWON
+john sosman 1928 to be exact