FRANKIE AND JOHNNY

Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts

Lordy they were so in love

Swore to be true to each other

Till they went to the heavens above

He was her man but he done her wrong

 

Frankie bought Johnny a brand new suit

And a $100 Stetson hat

Frankie had no idea that her

Johnny was a wild tom cat

He was her man but he done her wrong

 

Johnny went down to the corner saloon

And met young Nellie Blye

Frankie she stayed up all night

And had a big ol’ cry

He was her man but he done her wrong

 

Frankie she got suspicious

That Johnny wasn’t being true

She stormed out of her boardinghouse

Carryin’ a mean ol’ 32

He was her man but he done her wrong

 

Frankie went to the barroom

Asked for whiskey and a chaser of beer

Said to that old bartender

Has my lover Johnny been here?

He’s my man but I think he’s doin’ me wrong

 

I ain’t gonna tell you no stories

And I ain’t gonna tell you no lies

I saw your boy Johnny an hour ago

With a girl called Nellie Blye

He’s may be your man but he’s doin’ ya wrong

 

Frankie wild eyed went all over town

With a razor in her hand

Yellin’ out she’s gonna kill

The whore who has her man

Gonna shoot them down for doin’ me wrong

 

Frankie climbed up the stairway

Peeked through a key hole in the door

All six shots blasted into

Johnny and Nellie laying on the floor

He was my man but he done me wrong

 

Frankie got murder in the first degree

And was sentenced forever to sleep

As she stood on the gallows she said

I pray the lord my soul to keep

I only killed my man cause he was doin’ me wrong

​

INTO THE NIGHT I STEAL

Headin’ out in the western wind

My hands can barely feel

There’s a brown eyed baby I’m a missin’

As into the night I steal

 

Into the night I steal boys

Into the night I steal

Missin’ that brown eyed gal of mine

For the love that we found was real

 

The love that we found was real boys

Our hearts they did grow as one

Til that mean ol’ sheriff made me run away

Into that mean ol’ sun

 

Into that mean ol’ sun boys

Into that mean ol’ sun

I’m missing that sweet lil’ girl of mine

Since the sheriff put me on the run

 

Often times I think of her

How by so much chance we did meet

I put a ring on her finger and a glove on her hand

And shoed her pretty little feet

 

But now whose gonna shoe her pretty little feet

Whose gonna glove her hand

Whose gonna kiss those sweet little lips

Whose gonna be her man?

 

Her Pappa’s gonna shoe her pretty little feet

And her Mamma’s gonna glove her hand

Her sister will wipe those tears from her lips

And she don’t need no man

 

She don’t need no man boys

She don’t need no man

She already had the best man that there was

No she don’t need no man

​

ON THE TRAIL OF THE KLONDIKE GOLD

 Come all you old time miners and listen to my song

About the pay dirt in The Yukon and it won’t take too long

It’s a tale as old as time and often’s been retold

So I set out for my fortune on the trail of the Klondike Gold

 

I had just got to Dawson City when a man came up to me

He said, “Hey Cheechako you are new to town I see”

His eyes were almost blind his body was withered and old

“Would you like to come work for me on the trail of the Klondike Gold”

 

“If you give me a season of labour you’ll have enough to retire

I’ll give you food and lodging and all that you require”

How many rounders fell for this…too many I’ve been told

You find their bones a-scattered on the trail of the Klondike Gold

 

It had only been a fortnight when I finally understood

This rich man Mr. Fawcett was up to no earthly good

I never met a man who could straight face lie so bold

But us workers became brothers on the trail of the Klondike Gold

 

The midnight sun was steady and we worked nearly all day

Again old man Fawcett was stingy with our pay

While he slept in his feather bed he left us to sleep out in the cold

We filled our heads with the promise of striking Klondike Gold

 

The grub rations were getting lower but he told us not to fear

That the season it was ending and that quitting time was near

Our blankets all had bedbugs and the tent walls were caked in mould

And we never earned a dollar in our quest for Klondike Gold

 

When you rip off all the workers you know how that story goes

It was on one autumn day when it all came to blows

That bastard Mr. Fawcett we laid his body low

And me and all my brothers split the haul of Klondike Gold

​

AN OLD STETSON HAT

It was on a Christmas Day Billy Lyons and Stagger Lee

Were in the Bill Curtis saloon and drank up all his whiskey

One man dead over one old Stetson hat

 

2 good ol’ boys whoppin’ it up livin’ in the sticks

When the talk turned into an argument when they brought up politics

One man dead over one old Stetson hat

 

Billy and Stack went round for round that’s when trouble began to brew

Stagger Lee took Billy’s derby hat so Billy took Stagger’s too

One man dead over one old Stetson hat

 

Stack-A-Lee told Billy de Lyons you better give it back

Stack-O-Lee drew his gun and went on the attack

One man dead over one old Stetson hat

 

Willy Lyons lay there bleeding all over the floor

Lee Sheldon then walked gracefully right of the door

One man dead over one old Stetson hat

 

Billy took a gunshot right into his side

He was taken to the Dispensary where he finally died

One man dead over one old Stetson hat

 

Stagger Lee got charged with murder and they gave him 25 years

But he got out after 12 and he never even shed a tear

One man dead over one old Stetson hat

​

GOOD N' GREASY

I’m going down the road

Gonna get me a sack of flour

And cook hot cakes by the hour

Keep my skillet good n’ greasy when I’m gone X2

 

Gonna get me jug of rum

And gonna give my baby some

Keep her good and drunk and goosey all the time X2

 

Gonna me a jug of whiskey

Make my baby frisky

Keep her good and drunk and goosey all the time X2

​

I’m going down the road

Gonna get me a sack of flour

And cook hot cakes by the hour

Keep my skillet good n’ greasy when I’m gone X2

​

THE GOLDEN EAGLE

Well the golden eagle is pretty bird

Good fortune on you when she flies

And she robs you of your troubles

When she wanders 'cross the sky

 

You may have you a log cabin

On a mountain so high

Cookin' yer food on a open fire

Your life your aimin' to simplify

 

Well her blessings bring the harvest

With your true love by your side

As you both sit in wonder

And on life's journey together ride

 

Well be warned all you rounders

Whose deck of cards is your trade

You'll die alone and broken

Cold and hungry and afraid

 

Well the golden eagle is pretty bird

Good fortune on you when she flies

And she robs you of your troubles

When she wanders 'cross the sky

​

YANKEE DOLLAR

I don’t want your Yankee Dollar

I don’t want your ill got gains

All I want is your love darlin’

So won’t you take me back again

 

I was born on the lonesome prairie

Way up north I did go

There I spied a fine young maiden

Love’s true colours were starting to show

 

Well her hair was gold in colour

Her eyes were bright and full of life

And her laugh light as a feather

I courted her to be my wife

 

I don’t want your Yankee Dollar

I don’t want your ill got gains

All I want is your love darlin’

So won’t you take me back again

 

On her breast she wore white flowers

That’s where I long to lay my head

Well that gal is my salvation

Without her love I might be dead

 

I’d rather die in some lonesome valley

Where the sun refused to shine

Than to see you wed another

When you promised to be mine

 

I don’t want your Yankee Dollar

I don’t want your ill got gains

All I want is your love darlin’

So won’t you take me back again

​

THE GAMBLER GOES A-ROVIN’ NO MORE

I’ve been a rovin’ gambler since I can recall

I up and go somewhere new when I’m hounded by the law

Hounded by the law (x2)

 

I’ve never met a bottle or a deck of cards that hasn’t been a friend

I believe I’ll gamble and drink until I meet my end

Until I meet my end (x2)

 

I had not been in Keno City many more weeks than 3

When I fell in love with a pretty little gal and she fell in love with me

Fell in love with me, she fell in love with me

 

I’ve done my share of ramblin’ I’ve been a rovin’ all my life

Now I plan to settle down and take myself a wife

Take myself a wife (x2)

 

She went to see her mother who wasn’t my biggest fan

She said so sly and winked her eye I love that gamblin’ man

I love that gamblin’ man (x2)

 

Daughter oh fool daughter how can you be so naïve

I know one day that gamblin’ man will pack his cards and leave

He’ll pack his cards and leave (x2)

 

Now don’t you worry mother I’ll visit when I can

Just know that each time I do I’ll be with that gamblin’ man

With that gamblin’ man (x2)

 

Daughter oh dear daughter troubles you’ll soon know well

You’re gonna end up all along while he rots in a jail cell

Rots in a jail cell (x2)

 

But I ain’t never been in jail and I have to plans to be

Come along now pretty little gal and run away with me

Run away with me (x2)

 

I’m a rambler I’m a gambler but I’m the most honest man in town

Only gonna play one more game then I’m gonna lay my cards down

Lay my cards down (x2)

​

YA CAN'T TREAT ME THIS WAY

I’m goin’ down this dirty road x3

Ya ain’t gonna be treatin’ me this a-way

 

I’m going where the whiskey flows x3

Ya ain’t gonna be treatin’ me this way

 

I wonder where I’m bound x3

Cause they ain’t gonna be treatin’ me this a-way

 

Goin’ down that dirt road

I’m blowin’ down that old dirt road x2

Cause they ain’t gonna be treatin’ me this way

 

I wonder where those clouds roll

I wonder where those dark clouds roll

I’m wonderin’ where those clouds roll, roll

But they ain’t gonna be treatin’ me this way

 

I’ve had some fun in my day x3

Lord so they ain’t gonna be treatin’ me this a-way

 

So I’m blowin’ down that dusty road x2

I’m blowin’ down that old dusty road Lord

Cause they ain’t gonna be treatin’ me this way

No they ain’t gonna be treatin’ me this way

​

SPIRIT CANYON BLUES

From this canyon they say you are leavin’

Oh how lonely and dreary it will be

Do you think of this heart you’ll be breakin’

While you’re out there roamin’ by the sea

 

Come and stay by my side if you love me

Please don’t hasten to  bid me adieu

Just remember our time in Spirit Canyon

And the Sourdough that loved you so true

 

When you go the sunshine will follow

All my tears will flood this valley like rain

I will sit all alone with our mem’ries

And wonder if we’ll ever meet a-gain

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

Oh my darlin’ do you still remember

Where in this canyon the sweet love we did make

I’ll pray to the lord for our reunion

It’s a love that I never would forsake

 

REPEAT CHORUS

 

CARIBOU CROSSING MORGUE BLUES

It was down in Big Jim’s Juke Joint

Cross the street from The Painted Square

The usual suspects were a-drinkin’

Trynna forget how they wound up there

 

Lefty Lou was standing by me

When German George rang the bell

Said the next round he was buying

And this story he started to tell

 

I was down in Caribou Crossing

My face turned grey as my hair

Saw my baby on an old oak table

Lookin’ so cold, so white, so fair

 

Let her go, let her go god bless her

Wherever her spirit may be

One day we gonna meet in heaven

And be together for eternity

 

When I die oh when I die please don’t bury me

Put my ashes in an old tobacco can

Get a turntable and my favorite records

Give em all to my biggest fan

 

Get together a barroom full of rounders

Drinkers, gamblers and a groovin’ band

Make sure they all got a bottle and some greenery

Let my songs ring out o’er The Yukon land

 

Now that I’ve told you all about it

I’ll take a Kokanne and a shot of booze

And if anybody here has got a guitar

Play me any version of St. James Infirmary Blues

 

Let her go, let her go god bless her

Wherever her spirit may be

One day we gonna meet in heaven

And be together for eternity

 

PRETTY POLLY

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly o’er yonder she stands x2

She’s a lookin’ for a husband with a golden wedding band

 

I told her so deeply of my undying love x2

I showed her the ring and she took off her glove

 

Oh my dear Charlie she spoke as she smiled x2

I beg you to wed me as I am with child

 

Oh Polly, Pretty Polly come take a walk with me x2

There’s a secret meadow I want you to see

 

Oh she knelt down before him and what did she spy x2

But a freshly dug grave where she was bound to lie

 

Pretty Polly, Oh Polly your guess is ‘bout right x2

There’s no use in begging as your life ends tonight

 

With a cold flash of steel her life blood did flow x2

And I covered her up where the wild roses grow

 

I was out late walkin’ and what did I spy x2

But the ghost of Pretty Polly come passing by

 

Sayin’ Charlie, Oh Charlie you killed your wife and child x2

I’ve come to bring discomfort and to leave your mind beguiled

 

You won’t sleep any and you won’t trust your mind x2

Now I’ll take any peace you happened to find

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