HIGHWAY PATROLMAN

Johnny Cash's cover version

My name is Joe Roberts, I work for the state
I'm a sergeant out in Perrineville, barracks number 8
I've always done an honest job, 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
Well if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
But sometimes when it's your brother you look the other way

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

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

Yeah me and Franky laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria while the band played "The Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin', teach him how to walk that line
Man turns his back on his family, ain't no friend of mine

The night was like any other, I got a call about quarter to nine
There was trouble at a roadhouse out on the Michigan line
There was a kid on the floor lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head
There was a girl cryin' at a table, it was Frank, she said

I ran out and I jumped in my car and I hit the lights
I must've done about a hundred and ten through Michigan County that night
It was down by the crossroads, out by Willow bank
Seen a Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank

Well I chased him to them county roads
Till a sign said "Canadian border five miles from here"
Pulled over the side of the highway, watched the taillights disappear

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

Info

The above lyrics are for Johnny Cash's cover version of Bruce Springsteen's HIGHWAY PATROLMAN. It was released on Cash's 1983 album Johnny 99. The album also includes a cover of Bruce Springsteen's JOHNNY 99.

Johnny Cash -- Johnny 99

LP - Columbia (FC 38696) - USA, 1983

Includes two Bruce Springsteen covers: HIGHWAY PATROLMAN and JOHNNY 99.

Hoyt Axton sings background on Johnny Cash's cover version of HIGHWAY PATROLMAN. Johnny 99 was recorded in April 1983 and was produced by Brian Ahern. It was released in September 1983 on Columbia Records.

In addition to HIGHWAY PATROLMAN and JOHNNY 99, Johnny Cash also recorded and released Bruce Springsteen's I'M ON FIRE and FURTHER ON (UP THE ROAD).

Appearance in Movies

Johnny Cash's cover version HIGHWAY PATROLMAN appears in one movie.

Texasville

It was used in the 1990 film Texasville, directed by Peter Bogdanovich and starring Jeff Bridges and Cybill Shepherd. No soundtrack album was released for this film.

Available Versions

List of available versions of HIGHWAY PATROLMAN on this website:

Page last updated: 25 May 2014