HIGHWAY PATROLMAN

Live 18 Nov 2006 version



My name's Joe Roberts, I work for the state
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville, barracks number eight
I always done an honest job, as honest as I could
Got a brother named Franky, Franky ain't no good

Ever since we was young kids, it's been the same come down
I get a call on the shortwave, Franky's in trouble downtown
If it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
But when it's your brother sometimes you look the other way

Yeah me and Franky laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood," I
Catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good

Well Franky went in the army back in 1965
I got a farm deferment, settled down, took Maria for my bride
Them wheat prices kept on droppin' till it was like we were gettin' robbed
Franky came home in '68 and me I took this job

Yeah me and Franky laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood," I
Catch him when he's strayin', like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good

Well the night was like any other, I get a call about quarter to nine
There was trouble in a roadhouse out on the Michigan line
There was a kid lyin' on the floor lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head
Was a girl cryin' at a table; it was Frank, they said

Well I went out and I jumped in my car, and I hit the lights
I musta done a hundred and ten through Michigan county that night
It was out at the crossroads, yeah, down 'round Willow bank
I seen a Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank

Well I chased him through those county roads
Till a sign said "Canadian border five miles from here"
I pulled over the side of the highway and watched his taillights disappear

Yeah, me and Franky laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood," I
Catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good

Help me!

Yeah, me and Franky laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood," I
Catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family, he just ain't no good

Thank you!


Info

The above lyrics are for the live 18 Nov 2006 performance of HIGHWAY PATROLMAN at Point Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, during The Seeger Sessions Tour. That was the only performance of the song on that tour. The live 18 Nov 2006 version of HIGHWAY PATROLMAN was released on the Live In Dublin album and home video in 2007.

Ticket stub for the 18 Nov 2006 show at Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
Ticket stub for the 18 Nov 2006 show at Point Theatre, Dublin, Ireland
(Taken from Brucebase)


Live In Dublin

At the end of the Seeger Sessions Tour, the three-night stand at Point Theater in Dublin, Ireland, (17-18-19 Nov 2006) was filmed with nine High Definition cameras. A selection of 23 songs from these three nights was officially released on 05 Jun 2007 on the Live In Dublin album and home video, credited to "Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band". "Seeger" was dropped from the band's name for this release, apparently due to the fact that many of the songs are Springsteen originals from his earlier records, or covers that are not related to Pete Seeger.

Live In Dublin is available in four formats: 2-CD set, standard DVD, 2-CD/1-DVD combo set, and Blu-ray disc.

Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band -- Live In Dublin (album cover art)
Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band -- Live In Dublin (album cover art)
Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band -- Live In Dublin (DVD cover art)
Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band -- Live In Dublin (DVD cover art)

The album charted in several countries, but only made it to #1 in Ireland.

Country Chart Peak position
Australia 40
Canada 31
Denmark 5
Ireland 1
Italy 4
New Zealand 14
Spain 3
Sweden 2
The Netherlands 4
UK 21
USA Billboard 200 23

The video was edited by Emmy- and Grammy-winner Thom Zimny, with audio mixed by Bob Clearmountain (including 5.1 surround) and mastered by Bob Ludwig.

Side 1:

  1. ATLANTIC CITY [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. OLD DAN TUCKER [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  3. EYES ON THE PRIZE [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  4. JESSE JAMES [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Side 2:

  1. FURTHER ON (UP THE ROAD) [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  3. ERIE CANAL [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  4. IF I SHOULD FALL BEHIND [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]

Side 3:

  1. MY OKLAHOMA HOME [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  2. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  3. MRS. MCGRATH [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  4. HOW CAN A POOR MAN STAND SUCH TIMES AND LIVE? [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Side 4:

  1. JACOB'S LADDER [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  2. LONG TIME COMIN' [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  3. OPEN ALL NIGHT [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Side 5:

  1. PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. GROWIN' UP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  3. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  4. THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  5. AMERICAN LAND [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Side 6:

  1. BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  2. LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE [Live 24 Oct 2006 version]
  3. WE SHALL OVERCOME [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]

Disc 1:

  1. ATLANTIC CITY [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. OLD DAN TUCKER [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  3. EYES ON THE PRIZE [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  4. JESSE JAMES [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  5. FURTHER ON (UP THE ROAD) [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  6. O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  7. ERIE CANAL [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  8. IF I SHOULD FALL BEHIND [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  9. MY OKLAHOMA HOME [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  10. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  11. MRS. MCGRATH [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  12. HOW CAN A POOR MAN STAND SUCH TIMES AND LIVE? [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  13. JACOB'S LADDER [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]

Disc 2:

  1. LONG TIME COMIN' [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. OPEN ALL NIGHT [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  3. PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  4. GROWIN' UP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  5. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  6. THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  7. AMERICAN LAND [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  8. BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  9. LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE [Live 24 Oct 2006 version]
  10. WE SHALL OVERCOME [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  1. ATLANTIC CITY [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  2. OLD DAN TUCKER [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  3. EYES ON THE PRIZE [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  4. JESSE JAMES [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  5. FURTHER ON (UP THE ROAD) [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  6. O MARY DON'T YOU WEEP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  7. ERIE CANAL [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  8. IF I SHOULD FALL BEHIND [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  9. MY OKLAHOMA HOME [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  10. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  11. MRS. MCGRATH [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  12. HOW CAN A POOR MAN STAND SUCH TIMES AND LIVE? [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  13. JACOB'S LADDER [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  14. LONG TIME COMIN' [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  15. OPEN ALL NIGHT [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  16. PAY ME MY MONEY DOWN [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  17. GROWIN' UP [Live 17 Nov 2006 version]
  18. WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  19. THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  20. AMERICAN LAND [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
  21. BLINDED BY THE LIGHT [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  22. LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE [Live 24 Oct 2006 version]
  23. WE SHALL OVERCOME [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
  • The last three songs are bonus tracks on the album release and the last two tracks are bonus tracks on the home video releases.
  • All songs were recorded during the three-night stand in Dublin except for LOVE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE which was recorded in Barcelona.
  • Five more songs recorded during the three-night stand in Dublin were exclusively released on the Bruce Springsteen With The Sessions Band PBS Exclusive promo EP:
    - BOBBY JEAN [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
    - THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
    - JOHNNY 99 [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
    - FOR YOU [Live 19 Nov 2006 version]
    - MY CITY OF RUINS [Live 17 Nov 2006 version].

Credits

Thanks Jake (ol'catfishinthelake at BTX and Greasy Lake) for the lyrics help.

Available Versions

List of available versions of HIGHWAY PATROLMAN on this website:

HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Album version]
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 05 Aug 1984 version]
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 20 Aug 1984 version]
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 19 Oct 1984 version]
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 07 Jan 1985 version]
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 25 Apr 1996 version]
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 23 Jun 2005 version]
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Live 18 Nov 2006 version]
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN [Johnny Cash's cover version]

Page last updated: 23 Jul 2010