"History"
Newman I. White, American Negro Folk-Songs, 1925, says: "Note that in all the "Delie" songs, which are closely connected with "Frankie and Albert," if not originally the same song, the situation is reversed and the woman is shot by the man, instead of vice-versa."

There are probably several tunes used with the song; the meter varies from song to song.

See the explanation by Garst in thread 11867, an attempt to tie the song to an event. But note that the Delia's-Delie are quite different from one song to another. More than one Delia?
Another old song, "All I got's done gone," may be mixed in here as well.