Highway Patrolman

(album: Nebraska - 1982)

My name is Joe Roberts I work for the state
I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville barracks number 8
I always done an honest job as honest as I could
I got a brother named Franky and Franky ain't no good

Now ever since we was young kids it's been the same come down
I get a call on the short wave Franky's in trouble downtown
Well if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away
But when it's your brother sometimes you look the other way

Yeah, me and Franky laughing and drinking nothing feels better than blood on blood
Taking turns dancing with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's straying like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family well he just ain't no good

Well Franky went in the army back in 1965 I got a farm deferment settled down took Maria for my wife
But them wheat prices kept on dropping 'til it was like we were getting robbed
Franky came home in '68 and me I took this job

Yeah we're laughing and drinking nothing feels better than blood on blood
Taking turns dancing with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's straying, teach him how to walk that line
Man turns his back on his family he ain't no friend of mine

Well, the night was like any other, I got a call 'bout quarter to nine
There was trouble in a roadhouse out on the Michigan line
There was a kid lying on the floor looking bad, bleeding hard from his head
There was a girl crying at a table, and it was Frank they said
Well I went out and I jumped in my car and I hit the lights
Well, I must've done 110 through Michigan County that night

It was out at the crossroads down round Willow Bank
Seen a Buick with Ohio plates behind the wheel was Frank
Well I chased him through them county roads 'til a sign said Canadian border 5 miles from here
I pulled over the side of the highway and watched his taillights disappear

Me and Franky laughing and drinking nothing feels better than blood on blood
Taking turns dancing with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's straying like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family well he just ain't no good