ADD: New Frankie and Johnnie Song (Silverstein)

Subject: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: kendall
Date: 19 Mar 00 - 06:43 PM

Does anyone have the words for Shel Silversteins version of Frankie & Johnnie?

Also see New Frankie and Johnny

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: Art Thieme
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 01:04 AM

Mr. K.,

I do believe the one you mean is the same one that Bob Gibson sang years ago...

Frankie---was a fine lookin' woman--had a man named Johnny and she loved him,
Paid a hundred dollars for a suit o' clothes---you can see them,
Walkin' arm and arm down alonng Canal Street,
Frankie loved Johnny, goodness, only heaven knows.

Goes something like that (from memory). Sound right to you? Lemme know and I'll strive to find it for you.

Art

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: kendall
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 07:38 AM

Thats it Art...give!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 10:06 AM

you could try www.banned-width.com/shel.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: GUEST,janramar
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 11:25 PM

I have the lyrics by Boyd Bunch. I didn't know there was a different version. Could you use it? Let me know.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: Jacob B
Date: 21 Mar 00 - 10:27 AM

I remember once hearing, as part of some TV variety show in the 60s or 70s, a version that started

Now Frankie
She was wild in love with a man named Johnnie
And Lord knows
Spend a hundred dollars for his suit of clothes

Does this sound like a version that anyone else has heard?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: kendall
Date: 21 Mar 00 - 11:42 AM

The few words Art posted are the ones my friend wants.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: tar_heel
Date: 21 Mar 00 - 01:59 PM

frankie silver was the first and only women sentenced to death by hanging in the state of n.c.. she was hanged a the courthouse in morganton,n.c.. her grave site is in burke couty,near by,but local residents will not take you to the spot. too many souvenier hunters chipping away at the tombstone. i have been in the old jail cell,where she was held until her demise,in the old courthouse there,and also visited the grave site. the old courthouse is now a museum and the FRANKIE and JOHNNY story is much a big part of the attraction for tourist,visiting the area. i lived in morganton for about 4 years and worked in a tv news bureau there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore
Date: 21 Mar 00 - 03:07 PM

I looked on Banned width and did not find the song. Seems we haven't found the lyrics yet.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: raredance
Date: 21 Mar 00 - 11:30 PM

The song by Gibson and Silverstein that Art recalled a bit of, is sometimes called "The New Frankie and Johnnie Blues" if that helps someone hunting for it. I have a couple recordings somewhere, but I probably won't get around to transcribing it realy soon.

rich r

Subject: ADD: Shel Silverstein's Frankie and Johnnie
From: Art Thieme
Date: 24 Mar 00 - 10:52 PM

Kendall,

Sorry for the delay----All I could find is below:

Frankie, she was a fine lookin' woman -- had a man named Johnny -- and she loved him,
Laid down a hundred for a suit o' clothes -- don't you see them
Walkin' arm in arm down along Canal Street,
Frankie loved Johnny, Lord, everybody knows.

...you know my candy man wouldn't treat me wrong,
And she sat there -- had a few more beers -- shed a few more tears,
Said I'm tired of gettin' that mean old run around.

Well now, Frankie got into a taxi at the corner of Clark Street,
She looked up -- saw Johnny and Annabelle just swingin' there,
Well, she pulled out -- took deadly aim with her .44 pistol,
She shot her Johnny in the middle of his big affair.

Well, you've heard -- heard the story 'bout Frankie and her man named Johnny,
And you know -- well, that was a game should've never been played,
Now the moral -- of this sad tale I'm tellin' you --
If you're gonna fool around then you better pull the shades.

'Cause Frankie -- she was a fine lookin' woman -- had a man named Johnny,
She loved him -- Laid down a hundred for a suit of clothes,
Don't you see them -- walkin' arm in arm down along Canal Street,
Frankie loved Johnny, lord, everybody knows.

Art Thieme (that's all I've got.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: kendall
Date: 25 Mar 00 - 08:26 AM

ok thanks a lot

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: kendall
Date: 25 Mar 00 - 11:12 AM

so, we are still missing the first line of the 3rd verse

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: Jacob B
Date: 27 Mar 00 - 09:44 AM

I think this is the same version that I was misremembering.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE NEW FRANKIE AND JOHNNIE SONG^^
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 03:58 AM

THE NEW FRANKIE AND JOHNNIE SONG
(words and music by Shel Silverstein and Bob Gibson)

1. Frankie, she was a fine 1ookin' woman, had a man named Johnnie
And she loved him, Lord, she laid down a hundred for a suit of clothes.
Don't you see them walkin' arm in arm down along Canal Street,
Frankie loved Johnnie, Lord, everybody knows.

2. Now Frankie came home one evening just a little bit early
And she said, "Think I'm gonna stop and have me a beer."
So she went and she told her troubles to the fat bartender
Says, "Tell me, fat daddy, has my Johnnie man been here?"

3. He said, "Frankie, I'm sorry you asked me that personal question,
But you know that I'm about as honest as a man can be.
I seen Johnnie, he was clippin' and collidin' and a-slippin' and a slidin',
And a flippin' and a flyin' with a girl named Annabel Lee."

4. Frankie said, "No, no, no, it can't be so,
'Cause I know— My Johnnie man wouldn't treat me bad."
So she sat—and had a couple more beers and shed a couple more tears—
Says, "I'm the best damn woman that scoundrel ever had."

5. Frankie got into a taxi and she said to the driver,
"Listen—Don't stop for nothin' all the way downtown.
'Cause I got a forty.five right here and I'm makin' it clear
That I'm lookin' for the man who's givin' me the runaround."

6. Frankie got out at South Clark Street and looked in the window,
She saw Johnnie and Annabel swingin' there.
Then Frankie took deadly aim on that deadly game
And she shot her man right in the middle of his big affair.

7. Bango—the first time she shot him, he stood right up.
And bango—he leaned right over and he clutched his side.
Then bango—he started kickin' and a-screamin' and a-screamin' and a-kickin',
When bing—bong bango—Johnnie rolled over and died.

8. Now you heard the story 'bout Frankie and her man named Johnnie,
And you know that was a game never should've been played.
And the moral of this sad tale I'm tellin' you,
If you're gonna fool around—then you better pull the shade.

9. Frankie, she was a fine 1ookin' woman, had a man named Johnnie
And she loved him, Lord, she laid down a hundred for a suit of clothes.
Don't you see them walkin' arm in arm down along Canal Street,
Frankie loved Johnnie, Lord, everybody knows, hey, hey.
Frankie loved Johnnie, Lord, everybody knows.

©1962, Hollis Music, Inc.
JRO ^^

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: Bud Savoie
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 06:25 AM

I heard on some educational TV show some time ago that Frankie was a black prostitute and Albert (not Johnny) was her, er, manager. As is often the case, she considered him her property, and when she discovered him in flagrante with another woman, she shot him to death. Can anyone amplify or correct?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: Art Thieme
Date: 16 Aug 00 - 12:27 PM

Gibson recorded rhis on his album Bob Gibson--Where I'm Bound on Elektra Records. EKL-239

The last 2 verses that Joe posted above are not included. And a few lines are different. Other than that, it's pretty much it. I'd worn out my copy of the LP but just managed to find a pristine used copy of it. I do think this was probably the BEST album Bob ever made of non-trad songs. Most of the songs were composed by Gibson and Shel Silverstein. "Sweet Betsy From Pike" is here too, but it's a re-write by Bob Gibson that you'd never recognize. Still, I love it. (SEE, I do like things other than traditional songs. But to call 'em folk is just wrong from where I sit!)

Art Thieme

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 03:33 AM

Please I desperately want the words to these songs: 1) Put my little shoes away.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: Chris in Wheaton
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 10:45 AM

I tried to read the Gibson bio, but it is a sad story - but still like the music - Folkstage had an archive posted of an old Gibson-Camp-Smith concert - sweet stuff.
Chris in Wheaton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Shel Silversteins Frankie &Johnnie
From: EBarnacle
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 09:58 PM

Just to roll things along, how often have you heard songs written by known authors described as trad or anon? Once it enters the tradition, it becomes folk. Aargh.