FRANKIE AND ALBERT

Questions?
Song Title
FRANKIE AND ALBERT
Writers
Ledbetter, Huddie, Lomax Alan, Lomax John A
Publisher
Essex Italiana Edizioni Musicali SRL
% Publisher Controls
100%
Territory Controlled
Italy
Themes/Keywords
Adultery, Bar, Bullets, Cheating, Death, Forgiveness, Gun, Lies, Lord, Men, People, Slavery, Sneaky, Son, Woman
Lyrics
Frankie was a woman,
Ev’rybody know,
Made a hundred dollars,
Buy her man a suit of clothes.
Was her man but he done her wrong.

(Spoken) Albert was out all night long. When he come on home that morning just before day, he lied down to go to sleep. Frankie was working in the white folks’ kitchen, and she told him—she said, “Now listen, baby, you stay here. I’m going and cook, baby, then I’ll be right back.” And he had a six-shooter under his pillow. No sooner had Frankie left home than Albert got up and walked away. But Frankie didn’t stay long. She felt like the rascal wasn’t gonna stay there. And when she got back home he was gone. And she knowed just about where she’d find him, but she got his six-shooter and on his cold trail. And he [Albert] went down to the bartender. And he told the man, “If Frankie come and ask for me, don’t tell her where I am.” Frankie got his six-shooter…

Frankie went a-walkin’,
Did not go for fun.
Had under her apron
Albert’s 41—
“[Gonna] kill my man ‘cause he done me wrong.”

Frankie went down to the Hughes’s Saloon,
Called for a bottle of beer.
Asked the loving bartender,
“Has my loving man been here?
He’s my man but he done me wrong.”

(Spoken) The bartender looked at Frankie and he walked up to her.

“I ain’t gonna tell you no story,
I ain’t gonna tell you no lie.
Albert left here an hour ago
Woman named Alice Fry.
He’s your man, Lawd, he done you wrong.”

Frankie went by her house,
Did not give no alarm,
Looked through the window glass,
Albert’s sittin’ in the woman’s arms.
“There’s my man and he done me wrong.”

Frankie, she shot Albert,
Fell upon his knees.
“Oh, policeman,
Don’t let that woman kill me!
I’m her man and I done her wrong.”

(Spoken) Frankie walked back again a-cryin’. And she hauled off and shot him again.

Frankie she shot Albert,
Fell all in a knot.
“Oh, Mrs. Johnson,
See where your son is shot!
I’m your son and the only one.”

(Spoken) Onliest child Mrs. Johnson had in the world. And Frankie went to Mrs. Johnson,
Fell down on her knees after she done shot Albert.

Frankie went to Mrs. Johnson,
Fell down on her knees,
Crying, “Oh, Mrs. Johnson,
Will you forgive me please?
Killed your son ‘cause he done me wrong.”

(Spoken) Mrs. Johnson looked at Frankie and she wondered, could she forgive her?

“I’ll forgive you Frankie,
I’ll forgive you not,
Killed poor Albert,
Only son I’ve got.
He’s my son and the only one.”

(Spoken) After Frankie she shot Albert, the policemens all heard it. One truck of the
policemens came down. Policemens come down and hold an inquest over Albert. And they
liked Mrs. Johnson, they liked Albert, and the liked Frankie. They wanted to make everything
better for poor Albert’s mother and here’s what they said…

“Rubber-tired hearse,
Rubber-tired hack,
Hearse to carry Albert to the graveyard,
Hack to bring his mother back,
Was her son and the only one.”

(Spoken) When Mrs. Johnson got to Albert just before he died, Albert spoke one word to his
mother and this is what he said…

“Turn me over, mother,
Turn me over slow,
Turn me over for your last time,
This bullet it hurt me so.
I’m your son and the only one.”

(Spoken) Mrs. Johnson went and turned him over. She commenced crying:

O boy! (4)

(Spoken) She began to think about the Good Lord in the sky that might help her son…

O Lawd! (4)

(Spoken) She came and sat on his knee…

Have mercy! (4)

Taken Albert to the graveyard.
When they let him down,
Frankie was a-holl’in’
With a doneful sound,
“Kilt you, man ‘cause you done me wrong.”

(Spoken) Frankie, after they done buried Albert, she goes and fell down on the headboard on her knees.

Frankie went to the graveyard,
Fell down on her knees.
“Speak one word, Albert,
Give my heart some ease.
Kilt you, babe, ‘cause you done me wrong.”

(Spoken) Frankie went to the graveyard and fell down on her knees.

Good-bye! (4) Farewell! (4)

(Spoken) Mrs. Johnson walked around the graveyard alone, going

O Lawd! (8) My son! (4)

Recordings

Recording Artist Genre Mood Arrangement Era iTunes
Lead Belly Acoustic Blues Confrontational, Nostalgic, Sad, Soulful Acoustic Guitar, Vocal 1930's Buy >

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