Frankie And Albert - First Half

Frankie was a good woman As everybody knows She did all the work around the house And pressed her Albert's clothes He was her man, but he done her wrong Albert was a yeller man Coal-black curly hair Everybody up in St. Louis Thought he was a millionaire-- He was my son, and the only one Miss Frankie went to the barroom Called for a bottle of beer Says to the bartender: "Has Mister Albert been here? He is my man, and he's doin' me wrong." Frankie and Albert were lovers Oh, my God how they did love! Just like sisters and brothers The whore and her turtle dove For he was her man, but she shot him down The bartender says to Miss Frankie: "I cannot tell a lie; Mister Albert was here about a minute ago With a gal name Alkali He is your man, but he's doin' you wrong." Little Frankie went down the Broadway With her razor in her hand Says "Stand aside, you chippie I'm lookin' for my man He's a gamblin' man, won't treat me right." Miss Frankie went up the stairway She didn't go for fun; Underneath the ruffles of her petticoat She had a young Gatlin' gun He was her man an' he was doin' her wrong Miss Frankie opened the winder The gun she fired twice; The second shot she fired She took Mister Albert's life-- He was her man, but he was doin' her wrong Well, when Frankie shot Albert First, he fell to his knees Then he looked up in her face Says, "Frankie, please don't shoot me no mo' Please, babe, don't shoot me no mo'." She shot three bullets in him He staggered to the door He gasped, "Oh, Frankie, you can't play 'round 'Round this hop joint any more I was your man, but I done you wrong "Turn me over, Frankie Turn me over slow Turn me over easy on my left side So my heart won't overflow And kill me dead, and kill me dead." Took po' Albert to the graveyard Stuck him in the ground Frankie, she was singin' "I shot the sucker down-- He was my man, but he done me wrong." The people says to Frankie "Little Frankie, why don't you run? Yonder comes the Chief Police With a smokeless 44 gun You killed your man, wouldn't treat you right." "Well," says Miss Frankie I don't care if I die Take and hang me to a telegraph pole Hang me good and high-- He was my man but he done me wrong." Little Frankie went down Broadway As far as she could see And all she could hear was a two-string bow Playing, "Nearer, My God To Thee"-- All over the town, little Albert's dead Frankie went to Albert's mother Fell across her knees Said: "I'm sorry I killed your son Won't you excuse me please? He was my man, but he done me wrong." "I will forgive you, Frankie I will forgive you not You sho' shot Albert He's the only son I got He was my son, and the only one." Frankie says to the sheriff "Well, what do you think it'll be?" The sheriff said: "It looks like a case Of murder in the first degree; He was your man, but you shot him down." It was not murder in the first degree It was not murder in the third A woman simply dropped her man Like a hunter drops a bird He was her man, but she shot him down Frankie said to the sheriff "Oh, what do you think they'll do?" "Strap you in the 'lectric chair 'N' send thirty thousand volts through you Albert was your man, but you shot him down." Passin' through the jail house Went by Frankie's cell Asked her how she was feelin' She said, "Go to Hell." He was her man, but she shot him down Once more I saw Frankie She was sittin' in her chair Waitin' for to go an' meet her God With the sweat drippin' out her hair Albert was her man, but she shot him down Took Frankie to the graveyard And stuck her in the ground Now all that's left of Frankie Is a wooden cross and mound He was her man- both dead and gone Two little pieces of crape Hangin' on the door Show that lovin' Albert Ain't lovin' Albert no more Frankie shot her man, who was doin' her wrong