Bruce Springsteen - Highway Patrolman

My name's 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 Frankie, and Frankie ain't no good

Now ever since we was young kids it's been the same come down
I get a call on shortwave Frankie'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

Me and Franky laughin' and drinkin' 
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played 
"Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would
Man turns his back on his family he just ain't no good

Well Frankie 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 droppin' 
Till it was like we were gettin' robbed
Frankie came home in '68, and me, I took this job

Yea, me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin' 
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played 
"Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin', each night i 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 lyin' on the floor lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head 
Was a girl cryin' at a table, and it was Frank, they said

Well I went out and I jumped in my car and I hit the lights
I must've done a hundred and ten 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 those county roads till a sign said 
Canadian border five miles from here 
Pulled over the side of the highway 
And watched his tail lights disappear

Me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin'
Nothin' feels better than blood on blood
Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played 
"Night of the Johnstown Flood"
I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would 
Man turns his back on his family he just ain't no good