My name is Joe Roberts I work for the State 

I'm a sergeant out on Perenville barracks No 8 

I've always done an honest job honest as I could 

Got a brother named Frankie Frankie ain't no good 

Ever since we were young kids it's been the same come down 

I'd get a call on the short wave Frankie's in trouble downtown 

But if it was any other man I'd put him straight away 

But sometimes when it's your brother you look the other way 

Yeah me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin' nothin' feels better than blood on blood 

Takin' turns dancin' with Maria 

While the band played The Night Of The Johnstown Flood 

I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother should 

Man turns his back on his family he ain't no good 

Well Frankie went into the army back in 1965 

I got a farm deferment settled down took Maria for my wife 

But them wheat prices kept on droppin' till it was like we's gettin' robbed 

Frankie came home in '68 and me I took this job 

Yeah me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin' nothin' feels better than blood on blood 

Takin' turns dancin' with Maria 

While the band played The Night Of The Johnstown Flood 

I catch him when he's strayin' teach him how to walk that line 

Man turns his back on his family ain't no friend of mine 

The night was like any other I got a call bout the quarter of nine 

There was trouble at a roadhouse out on the Michigan line 

There was a kid on the floor lookin' bad bleedin' hard from his head 

There was a girl cryin' at a table it was Frankie she said 

I ran out and I jumped in my car then I hit the lights 

I must have done about a hundred and ten to Michigan County that night 

It was down by the crossroads out bout willow bank 

Seen the buick with Ohio plates behind the wheel was Frank 

Well I chased him through them county roads 

Till the sign said Canadian border five miles from here 

Pulled over the side of the highway ´nd watched his taillights disappeared 

Yeah me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin' nothin' feels better than blood on blood 

Takin' turns dancin' with Maria 

While the band played The Night Of The Johnstown Flood 

I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother should 

Man turns his back on his family ain't no good