Never been to New York City, spent a week in ole London town
I'm gonna now tell you a story: love gone wrong, and murder gone down
He was her man, but he done her wrong
Frankie and Johnny were lovers, oh Lordy, how they could love
They swore to be true to each other, just as true as the stars above
He was her man but he done her wrong
Johnny said, "I've got to leave you, but I won't be very long
Don't you wait up for me, honey, don't worry while I'm gone
He was her man but he done her wrong
Frankie went down to the corner, stopped in to buy her some beer
Says to that bartender, Has my Johnny man been her
He was her man, but he done her wrong
Well, I ain't gonna tell you no stories, ain't gonna tell you no lie
Johnny went buy 'bout an hour ago, with a gal named Nellie Bly
He is your man, ask me, he's doin' you wrong
Frankie went home in a hurry, she didn't go there for fun
She hurried home to get a hold of Johnny's shooting gun
He was her man, but he's doing her wrong
Frankie went down to South Clark Street, looked in a window so high
Saw Johnny, her main, a lovin' up that high-brow Nellie Bly
He was her man but he's done her wrong
Johnny saw Frankie a-coming, out the back door he did scoot
But Frankie took aim with her pistol, and the gun went roota-toot-toot
He was her man but he done her wrong
O, roll me over so easy, roll me over so slow
Roll me over boys, easy, 'cause my wounds they hurt me so
I was her man but I done her wrong
Now you bring me your long black coffin, bring out your funeral clothes
Johnny's gone an' cashed his chips, to the graveyard I must go
He was her man but he done her wrong
Drive out your rubber tired carriage, drive out your rubber tired hack
There's twelve men going to the graveyard, but, count 'em, eleven comin' back
He was her man but he done her wrong
The sheriff arrested poor Frankie, he took her to jail the same day
He locked her up in the dungeon cell, and he threw the key away
He was her man, but he done her wrong
This story got no moral, this story got no end
This story just goes to show, that there ain't no good in men
He was her man and he's done her wrong