Album: various (1904)

• Frankie and Johnny was sweethearts
  at least thats the way the story goes
  Frankie bought everything for Johnny
  from his sports car to his Ivy League clothes
  
  He was a man alright, oh but he was doing her wrong
  just to show you what can happen
  
  A friend came running to Frankie
  she said you know I wouldn't tell you no lie
  I saw your man riding in his Jaguar
  with a chick named Nellie Blye
  
  He was your man honey, oh and he was doing you wrong
  let me tell the story
  
  Frankie ran around the corner
  and peeked in a swinging place
  there she saw Johnny with the woman
  he had his arms around her waist
  
  aw...he was a man alright but Frankie could see that he was
  doing her wrong. And oh let me tell you
  
  Frankie reached down in her pocketbook
  and up with a long forty-four
  she shot once, twice, three times and
  Johnny fell to the hard wood floor
  
  aw...he was a man alright but Frankie shot him because he was
  doing her wrong
  
  But the last thing he told her was
  Frankie, you know I love you
  Why? Honey why did you do that?
  Frankie.. I was telling her about you
  Frankie.. you know I love you
  Frankie.. you know that I love you
  yeah, yeah , yeah, yeah
  Now Frankie, you know darn well that I love you
  Frankie.. I'll always love you baby
  Frankie.. you know I can't do without you
  Frankie.. you know I love you
  and I know, I know I was doing
  you wrong..wrong..wrong..wrong
  Now Frankie..you know darn well that I love you
  Frankie.... Lyrics from a song in Public Domain

Comments: 8

• Terry from Kent, WashingtonJust watched Red-Headed Woman starring Jean Harlow from 1932. In one scene, this song is playing on a phonograph. It is creditted to be sung by Cliff Edwards. I just wanted to find out just how old this song was.
  
  
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1966 {April 8th} Elvis' twentieth featured film, 'Frankie and Johnny', premiered at the Victoria Theatre in London, England...
  At the time Elvis' "Frankie and Johnny" was in it's first week on the United Kingdom's Official Top 40 Singles chart as position #36, four weeks later it would peak at #21 {for 1 week} and it spent eight weeks on the Top 40 chart...
  Between 1957 and 2002 'The King' had sixteen #1 records on the U.K. Singles chart, in addition from 1956 to 1969 he had nine 'just misses' when nine of his records peaked at #2...
  He had fourteen posthumous records make the UK Singles chart.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 5th 1963, the 'Sam Cooke and Dion' tour appeared at the Keil Opera House in St. Louis, Missouri...
  At the time Sam Cooke's version of "Frankie and Johnny" was at #47 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart, it was also its 11th and final week on the chart; one month and five days earlier on September 1st it had peaked at #14 {for 2 weeks}...
  It reached #4 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
  His next three releases; "Little Red Rooster", "Good News", and "Good Times"; would all peak at #11 on the Top 100 chart, and they each spent 10 weeks on the chart...
  Sadly, Mr. Cooke passed away on December 11th, 1964 at the young age of 33...
  May he R.I.P.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyBrook Benton came the closest to matching Cooke's success with his version, he peaked at No. 20 in 1961 while Elvis reached No. 25 in 1966!!! {Sam peaked at No. 14}
• Musicmama from New York, NyThis is a great song. Even though it's traditional, I think of this as Sam Cooke's song in much the same way that I think of "Hey Joe" as Jimi Hendrix's song. Yes, Sam did the best--and most original and unique version because, well, he was Sam Cooke. Nobody can be compared to him.
  
  
  
  
  
  You may be interested to know that Laura Nyro also did a version of this song on her "New York Tendaberry" album.
• Memphis "piano" Joe from Los Angeles, CaYOUTUBE...I just completed a piano-instrumental video of Frankie and Johnny. Search at YouTube for - - Memphis Piano Joe Frankie and Johnny - - or cut and paste into your browser:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzpGJqECAaY
  Thanks, and hope you like it,
  Joe
• Pie from Vegas, United Statesi rule!!!
• Htrdj from Htdjyt, Ilthis song is amazing Sam Cooke is a legend

More Songfacts:

Let It GoIdina Menzel

The Frozen song "Let It Go" was recorded in 42 different languages for the movie's foreign releases. This earned it an entry in the 2016 Guinness World Records publication for "Most Languages Featured on a Single."

AirplanesB.o.B

"Airplanes" by B.o.B was written by Lupe Fiasco, who recorded it but decided to pass.

Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)Billy Ocean

Billy Ocean's "Caribbean Queen" was originally released as "European Queen," and it underperformed. When it was issued in America as "Caribbean Queen" it went to #1 and revived his career.

Boot Scootin' BoogieBrooks & Dunn

Ronnie Dunn wrote "Boot Scootin' Boogie" before he teamed up with Kix Brooks to form Brooks & Dunn. It was originally recorded by the country group Asleep At The Wheel, but Brooks & Dunn did it themselves when it got its own line dance.

White IversonPost Malone

Post Malone came up with "White Iverson" after getting braids in his hair and thinking they looked like basketball legend Allen Iverson's signature cornrows.

The Lion Sleeps TonightThe Tokens

"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is an English version of a Zulu hunting song from the 1930s.

Editor's Picks

Randy HouserSongwriter Interviews

The "How Country Feels" singer talks Skynyrd and songwriting.

Cy Curnin of The FixxSongwriter Interviews

The man who brought us "Red Skies" and "Saved By Zero" is now an organic farmer in France.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?

How "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Moss" Became Rock's Top ProverbSong Writing

How a country weeper and a blues number made "rolling stone" the most popular phrase in rock.