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Frankie and Johnny
Old-Time, Fiddle Tune and Ballad, US- Widely known.
ARTIST: Guy Lombardo version
CATEGORY: Fiddle and Instrumental Tunes DATE: Melody 1904 (Copyright as "He Done Me Wrong" by Hughie Cannon)- Early 1900’s.
OTHER NAMES: "Frankie and Albert"; "Maggie Was a Lady;" "Leaving Home," (Charlie Poole); “Joking Henry;” “You're Gonna Miss Me,”
RECORDING INFO: Bluegrass Messengers, “Frankie and Johnny” (Diggin’ Up Roots); Mississippi John Hurt, "Frankie" (OKeh 8560, 1928; on AAFM1, RoughWays2); Riley Puckett, "Frankie and Johnny" (Columbia 15505-D, 1930) (Bluebird B-8277, 1939); Roscoe Holcomb, "Frankie and Johnny" (on Holcomb2); Dykes Magic City Trio, "Frankie" (Brunswick 127, 1927; on RoughWays1); Pete Seeger, "Frankie and Johnny" (on PeteSeeger17); Carter, Helen. Original Carter Family in Texas - Vol 2, Old Homestead OHCS 112, LP (1978), cut#B.05; Cook, Oscar "Red". Washington Traditional Fiddlers Project. Vol. 1, Northwest Folklife, Cas (1993), cut# 9; Daniels, Charlotte; and Pat Webb. Charlotte Daniels and Pat Webb, Prestige International INT 13037, LP (196?), cut#A.03; Darby & Tarlton. White Country Blues, 1928-36 - A Lighter Shade of Blue. Vol. 1, Columbia Legacy CT47920, Cas (1993), cut# 7 (Frankie Dean); Darby & Tarlton. Ballads and Breakdowns of the Golden Era, Columbia CS 9660, LP (196?), cut#A.07 (Frankie Dean); Darling, Erik. True Religion, Vanguard VRS 9099, LP (196?), cut# 11; Ford, Brownie. Stories from Mountains, Swamps & Honky-Tonks, Flying Fish FF 90559, Cas (1990), cut#A.13; Foreacre, Louise. Stoneman Family Old Time Songs, Folkways FA 2315, Cas (1957), cut# 13 (Frankie Was a Good Girl); Hinton, Sam. Singing Across the Land, Decca DL 8108, LP (196?), B.01b; Houston, Cisco. Cisco Houston - A Legacy, Disc D 103, LP (1964), cut# 3; Hurt, Mississippi John. Anthology of American Folk Music, Smithsonian/Folkways SFW 40090, CD( (1997), cut# 21 (Frankie); Hurt, Mississippi John. 1928 Sessions, Yazoo L-1065, LP (197?), cut# 7; Hurt, Mississippi John. Mississipi John Hurt, A Legacy, Piedmount CLPS-1068, LP (1975), cut#B.05 (Frankie and Albert); Jenkins, Snuffy; and Pappy Sherrill. Crazy Water Barn Dance, Rounder 0059, LP (1976), cut# 7; Kingston Trio. Goin' Places, Capitol ST 1564, LP (1961), cut#A.01 (You're Gonna Miss Me); Mahal, Taj. Oooh So Good 'n Blues, Columbia KC 32600, LP (197?), cut#A.04 (Frankie and Albert); Marion, Carlie. Going Across the River to Hear my Banjo Ring, Marimac 9018, Cas (1988), cut# 7; McCurdy, Ed. Blood, Booze 'n Bones, Elektra EKL-108, LP (1956), cut#A.02 (Josie); McCurdy, Ed. Folk Festival at Newport. Vol. 3, Vanguard VRS 9064, LP (1960?), B.07; Montgomery, Chris. Folk Favorites, Clodhopper, Cas (1989), cut# 6; Pine Island. Live Inside, Fretless FR 124, LP (1977), cut#B.04 ; Rascoe, Moses. Blues, Flying Fish FF-454, LP (1987), cut# 9; Rodgers, Jimmie. My Old Pal, ASV AJA 5058, LP (1989), cut# 3; Seeger, Mike. Old Time Country Music, Folkways FA 2325, LP, cut# 7 (Frankie); Sexton, Morgan. Shady Grove, June Appal JA 0066C, Cas (1992), cut# 19 (Little Frankie); Sexton, Morgan. Rock Dust, June Appal JA 0055, LP (1989), cut# 3 (Little Frankie); Sigmon, Larry Lee. 52nd Annual Old Fiddlers Convention Galax, Va 1987, Heritage (Galax) 704, LP (1988), cut# 13; Sky, Patrick. Two Steps Foreward - One Step Back, Leviathan SLIF 2000, LP (197?), cut#a.05 (Frankie/Frankie's Blues); Van Ronk, Dave. Just Dave Van Ronk, Mercury SR 60908, LP (196?), cut#a.02 (Frankie/Frankie's Blues); Watson, Doc. Doc Watson's Favorites, Liberty LN-10201, LP (1983), cut#A.03; Watson, Doc and Merle. Then and Now, Poppy 0598, LP (1973), cut#B.01; West, Hedy. Hedy West, Vanguard VRS 9124, LP (1963), cut# 13 (Frankie); White, Josh. Josh White Stories, Vol. 1, ABC Paramount ABC 124, LP (1956/196?), cut# 5.
SOURCES: Laws I3, "Frankie and Albert;" Randolph 159, "Frankie and Johnny;" Randolph-Legman I, pp. 477-484, "Frankie and Johnny;" Eddy 108, "Maggie Was a Lady;" Leach, pp. 761-765, "Frankie and Albert (Johnnie)" Friedman, p. 211, "Frankie and Albert (Frankie and Johnny);" Cray, pp. 137-149, "Frankie and Johnnie;" PBB 113, "Frankie and Albert;" Sandburg, pp. 76-77, "Frankie and Albert"; 77-81, "Frankie and Johnny"; 82-82, "Frankie Blues"; 84-85, "Josie"; 86, "Sadie;" Lomax-FSUSA 88, "Frankie and Albert;" Lomax-FSNA 305, "Frankie;" Lomax-ABFS, pp. 103-110, "Frankie and Albert;" Asch/Dunson/Raim, p. 58 "Frankie" Arnett, pp. 148-149, "Frankie and Johnny;" Spaeth-ReadWeep, pp. 31-36, "Frankie and Johnnie" JHJohnson, pp. 33-38, "Frankie and Johnnie;" Courlander-NFM, pp. 182-184, "(Frankie and Albert)" JHCox 46, "Maggie Was a Lady;" PSeeger-AFB, p. 64, "Frankie And Johnny;" Silber-FSWB, p. 177, "Frankie And Johnny;" Fuld-WFM, pp. 233-235, "Frankie and Johnny;" Native American Balladry, Amer. Folklore Society, Bk (1964), p247; Hurt, Mississippi John. Book of Guitar Tunings, Amsco, Sof (1972), p42 (Frankie); Hurt, Mississippi John. Country Blues Guitar, Oak, Sof (1968), p 45 (Frankie); American Ballads and Folk Songs, MacMillan, Bk (1934), p.103 (Frankie and Albert); Read 'Em and Weep, Arco, Sof (1959/1926), p 31; American Songbag, Harcourt Brace Jovan..., Sof (1955), p 76 (Frankie and Albert); American Songbag, Harcourt Brace Jovan..., Sof (1955), p 78; American Songbag, Harcourt Brace Jovan..., Sof (1955), p 79; American Songbag, Harcourt Brace Jovan..., Sof (1955), p 82 (Frankie/Frankie's Blues); American Songbag, Harcourt Brace Jovan..., Sof (1955), p 84 (Josie); Anthology of American Folk Music, Oak, Sof (1973), p 58 (Frankie); Peterson, Julia. American Songbag, Harcourt Brace Jovan..., Sof (1955), p 86 (Sadie); Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc;
NOTES ON FRANKIE SILVERS: Various theories have been proposed to explain the origin of the “Frankie and Johnny” ballad. One theory connects it with the story of Frankie Silvers [Laws E13]. On Dec. 22, 1831, Charles Silver was murdered at his cabin in Burke County, N.C. His body was dismembered and parts subsequently found at various locations in and around the cabin. On Jan. 10, 1832, his wife, Frances ("Frankie") Stewart Silver, her mother Barbara Stewart,and brother Blackstone Stewart were taken to Morganton, N.C., and charged with the crime. Barbara and Blackstone Stewart were released on Jan. 17 due to insufficient evidence, but Frankie was indicted by the grand jury in March 1832 and tried later that month. She was convicted on April 2, and sentenced to be hanged on July 27 of the same year. Documents were sent to the N.C. Supreme Court for appeal, but oral arguments were not made on her behalf. The verdict was upheld, and Frankie Stewart Silver was hanged in Morganton on July 12, 1833. Charlie Silver is buried behind the Old Kona Baptist Church in Mitchell County, N.C., in three separate graves. Frankie Silver is buried about nine miles west of Morganton. Speculation that the “Frankie” ballads based on the murder became the basis of the “Frankie and Johnny” are only warranted because the ballad is said by some scholars to have been in oral circulation before the St. Louis murder in 1899.
NOTES ON FRANKIE & ALBERT: Another basis for the origin is the murder of Allen Britt ("Al Britt"= "Albert") by Frankie Baker in St. Louis, MO, on Oct. 15, 1899 (she was jealous of his relationship with Alice Pryor). Frankie Baker shot Allen "Al" Britt in St. Louis on Sunday, October 15, 1899. He died two days later. The song was "Frankie and Albert" until a popular arrangement by the Leighton Brothers and Ren Shields was published in 1912. Evidently they though "Albert" to be too sedate and replaced "him" with "Johnny." It is easy to see how "Al Britt" quickly became "Albert."
Like most ballads of this nature, "Frankie" soon strayed wildly from the facts of the case, if it ever adhered to them. Al was shot around 3 a.m. when he came home and found Frankie sleeping in the wrong bed. She said she'd been sick and came in where she could get more air. He pulled his knife and started to cut her, she said. She ran her hand under her pillow, got a pistol, and shot him once. Hardly the barroom (or hop-house or wherever) scene that is depicted in the song. (This murder was documented in the October 19, 1899 edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.) Versions have shown a tendency to take on local color and even be connected with local events.
Legman offers extensive documentation for the ballad in Randolph-Legman I. Researcher Rusty David, of St. Louis, suggests that while the details of the current ballad support the Frankie Baker/Allen Britt story, in fact the ballad predates this murder, and describes a killing that took place in the same red-light district of St. Louis sometime around 1865-70. When the Baker/Britt killing took place, according to David, the earlier ballad was modified to fit the new events. He bases this suggestion on having found traces of the ballad before 1899. Randolph catalogs authors who date the origins of the song before 1899, listing:
* Thomas Beer (who offers a date before 1863, and cites a date in the
1840s for the original murder).
Belden finds no authority for these claims
* Sandburg (claims widespread currency by 1888)
* Niles (claims it predates 1830, but without evidence)
* Orrick Johns (early 1890s)
* Tyrrel Williams (pre-Civil War)
* George Milburn ("long before 1899," using names other than
Frankie and Albert)
Fuld, however, lists the first occurrence of the tune as 1904
(with documentation).
The "Frankie and Johnny were lovers" version first appears in 1925.
ORIGIN OF THE TUNE: It is interesting to note that the tune of the barroom ballad “Frankie and Johnnie” appeared in a popular song of 1904. “He Done Me Wrong,” written by Hughie Cannon, the white “black-face” comedian who wrote “Bill Bailey Won’t You Please Come Home.” It was a sort of sequel to “Bill Bailey” and deals with his death. The words bear no resemblance to “Frankie and Johnnie” except the line “He done me wrong”. In 1908 the Leighton Brothers wrote “Bill You Done Me Wrong,” similar to Cannon’s song, but using the words “He was my man, but he done me wrong.” In 1912 the Leighton Brothers and Ren Shields collaborated on a fairly authentic version of “Frankie and Johnny” that could be presented to the public. For those who think that “folk music” is better than Tin Pan Alley music, there is a folk music version of the tune in “My Baby In A Guinea Blue Gown” in R. Emmet Kennedy’s book “Mellows.”
CHARLIE POOLE’S VERSION: The song "Leaving Home," recorded by Charlie Poole and others (and properly called "Frankie and Johnny"), is not actually a "Frankie and Johnny" text; it was written by the Leighton Brothers and Ren Shields and copyrighted in 1912. If it entered oral tradition, it is as a result of the Poole recording or some such similar source. It is, however, included under this entry because it is based on "Frankie and Johnnie" and often treated as a variant of that song. Versions of "Leaving Home," the Charlie Poole song: Cohen/Seeger/Wood, pp. 144-145, "Leaving Home;" Rorrer, p. 72, "Leaving Home" Versions of "Leaving Home," the Charlie Poole song: Charlie Poole and the North Carolina Ramblers, "Leaving Home" (Columbia 15116-D, 1926; on CPoole01, CPoole05); New Lost City Ramblers, "Leaving Home" (on NLCR02, NLCRCD1)
FRANKIE FILMS: The song has inspired a number of films over the past 75 years, including Her Man (1930, Pathe, with Helen Twelvetrees), Frankie and Johnnie (1936, Republic, with Helen Morgan), and the 1966 Elvis Presley vehicle Frankie And Johnny (UA). The most recent effort is the 1991 release Frankie and Johnny starring Al Pacino and Michelle Pfeiffer, a film based on Terrence McNally's play "Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune." The original two-actor stage play featured Kathy Bates and F. Murray Abraham, and was a considerably darker tale than the version fashioned for the screen. Frankie Baker (1876-1952) eventually sued Hollywood because of their treatments of the Frankie legend.
FINAL NOTES: Whatever the earlier history, it seems certain that a Frankie and Albert emerged from the Frankie Baker (1876-1952) and Al Britt (1882/3-1899) affair. The Leighton/Shields song supplied the names "Frankie and Johnny," which are now well-established. Frankie Baker, in her trial, claimed that Al Britt threatened her with a knife, and she shot him in self-defence. She was acquitted, but later left the area to try to find peace, and worked odd jobs for the rest of her life.
The tune is listed as a fiddle tune in Kuntz, Fiddler's Companion, http://www.ceolas.org/tunes/fc and was recorded for the Library of Congress by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's. The diversity and popularity of “Frankie and Johnny” is immense. Bruce Buckley's dissertation, Frankie and Her Men (Indiana U., 1962) lists 410 verses of "Frankie," 256 of which are substantially different, in his analysis.
LYRICS:
Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts,
And oh, what a couple in love,
Frankie was loyal to Johnny,
Just as true as the stars above,
He was her man, but he was doin' her wrong.
Frankie went down to the drug store,
Some ice cream, she wanted to buy,
And the soda jerk told her that Johnny
Was makin' love to Nellie Bly...
He was her man, but he was doin' her wrong.
Now, Frankie's dad was a policeman,
So she stole his old .44 gun,
And then back to the drug store she beat it,
Just as fast as she could run,
After the man who was doin' her wrong.
And Frankie peeked in on the party,
She got a surprise when she saw,
Nellie and Johnny were makin' love,
And sippin' soda through a straw;
He was her man, but he was doin' her wrong.
So Frankie flew into a tantrum,
Then she whipped out that long .44,
And, roo-ta-ti-toot, that gal she did shoot,
Through that hardwood swingin' door,
She shot her man, 'cause he was doin' her wrong.
So bring on your crepe and your flowers,
And bring on your rubber-tired hack,
'Cause there's eight men to go to the graveyard,
But only seven are comin' back.
She got her man, 'cause he was doin' her wrong.
So this is the end of my story,
And this is the end of my song.
Frankie is down in the jailhouse,
And she cries the whole night long:
"He was my man, but he done me wrong."
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