Leaving home

Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts.
They had a quarrel one day.
Johnny vowed he'd leave her.
He said he was going away.
Never coming home, going away to roam.

Frankie she begged and pleaded,
saying, oh my Johnny, please stay.
Oh, now, my honey, I've done you wrong

but, please don't go away.
And Johnny sighed while Frankie cried,

Oh, I'm going away.

I'm a-going to stay.

I'm never coming home.
You're gonna miss me, honey,

in the days to come
when the winter winds begin to blow,

the ground is covered up with snow,
When you think of me,

you're gonna wish me back,

your loving man.
You're gonna miss me honey

in the day they say's to come.

Frankie says to her Johnny,
"Say, man, your hour has come."
From beneath her silk kimono,
she drew a .44 gun.
These love affairs are hard to bear.

Johnny fled down the stairway,
Saying "oh now, Frankie, don't shoot.
Frankie took aim with the .44.
as the gun went rooty-toot-toot.
As Johnny fell, then Frankie yelled,

Send for your rubber-tired hearses.
Call for a double-seated hack.
Carry old Johnny to the graveyard.
I've shot him in the back
with a great big gun. Has the preacher begun?

Call for some policemen
to take me right away.
Lock me up in the dungeon cell
and throw the key away.
My Johnny's dead, because he said...

-Charlie Poole

Rebecca Shilt: guitar and vocal. Bruce Ling: mandolin and vocal. Nick Kroes: guitar and vocal.

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Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts. They had a quarrel one day. Johnny vowed he'd leave her. He said he was going away. Never coming home, going away to roam. Frankie she begged and pleaded, saying, oh my Johnny, please stay. Oh, now, my honey, I've done you wrong but, please don't go away. And Johnny sighed while Frankie cried, Oh, I'm going away. I'm a-going to stay. I'm never coming home. You're gonna miss me, honey, in the days to come when the winter winds begin to blow, the ground is covered up with snow, When you think of me, you're gonna wish me back, your loving man. You're gonna miss me honey in the day they say's to come. Frankie says to her Johnny, "Say, man, your hour has come." From beneath her silk kimono, she drew a .44 gun. These love affairs are hard to bear. Johnny fled down the stairway, Saying "oh now, Frankie, don't shoot. Frankie took aim with the .44. as the gun went rooty-toot-toot. As Johnny fell, then Frankie yelled, Send for your rubber-tired hearses. Call for a double-seated hack. Carry old Johnny to the graveyard. I've shot him in the back with a great big gun. Has the preacher begun? Call for some policemen to take me right away. Lock me up in the dungeon cell and throw the key away. My Johnny's dead, because he said... -Charlie Poole Rebecca Shilt: guitar and vocal. Bruce Ling: mandolin and vocal. Nick Kroes: guitar and vocal.
Listen Now	Download Song
This is streaming audio in mono or stereo, if you have a high speed connection. The tune should play fairly soon after you click the link. If it doesn't, you may need to install Real Player. More Info.	This is better sounding MP3 audio in stereo. Clicking above will download this entire piece to your computer. It takes a while, but it's worth the wait if you like the tune.
Listen to all the selections in Real Audio Choosing this option will stream all of the tunes posted on this site, one by one. This is for the best because hearing them simultaneously can make your brain hurt. The music should start fairly soon after you click the link. If it doesn't work, you may need to install Real Player. More Info.