Frankie and Johnny were lovers, O Lordy, how they could love
They swore to be true to each other, Just as true as the stars above
He was her man but he done her wrong

Frankie went down to the corner, Stopped in to buy her some beer
Says to the burly bartender, “yo my Johnny boy been here?”
He was her man but he done her wrong

Well, I ain’t going to tell you no story, Ain’t going to tell you no lie
Johnny went by ’bout an hour ago, With a girl named Nellie Bly
He is your man but he’s doing you wrong

Frankie lit off in a fury, Grabbed her a gun on the fly
Went out and found Johnny lovin’ up, w that low rent Nellie Bly
He was her man but he done her wrong

Johnny saw Frankie a-comin’, Out the back door he did scat
But Frankie all up with her pistol, And the gun went rat-a-tat-tat
She shot her man, ‘cause he done her wrong

[aint got no bridge; ain’t got no chorus; ain’t no release; this is starting to bore us;
So we added this] B- D F#- G E

O, roll me over so easy, been done in by my goil
Roll me over easy ima shuffle off this moital coil
I was her man but I done her wrong

Bring out your rubber-tired carriage, Drive out your rubber-wheeled hack
Thirteen men to the graveyard, Twelve men comin’ back
He was her man but he done her wrong

Frankie now looks on damnation, A murder done cost her her soul
She’ll suffer the requisite punishment, That’s how murder ballads roll
She shot her man, so she’s gotta go down.

…cause them’s the rules