Frankie And Johnny

Written By: Traditional written by Bill Dooley, arranged by Sam Cooke    [Abkco Music Ltd 1963]

Information (From NPR.Org): "Frankie and Johnny" is a classic American ballad about a woman who shoots her lover for cheating. It's based on a true story and has been rewritten by countless writers and recorded by dozens of performers. Novelist Cecil Brown wrote an essay about the song for the new book The Rose and the Briar: Death, Love and Liberty in the American Ballad.

On October 15, 1899, 22-year-old Frankie Baker shot 17-year-old Albert Britt to death at 212 Targee Street. The shooting apparently was over another woman, Alice Pryor. The following night, Bill Dooley, a black pianist and songwriter composed "Frankie and Albert," a ballad which would later become famous as "Frankie & Johnny." The song was played in many black saloons and inspired a movie of the same name by Republic Pictures, starring Helen Morgan and Chester Morris. (Magnan) Frankie Baker is acquitted of the murder, claiming self-defense and leaves St. Louis. She sues Republic Pictures, claiming it is her story. During the trial, testimony shows that the story has been told in song and over 300 verses are known to exist. It is considered a folk song and Frankie loses her case. She dies in a mental institution in Portland, Oregon in 1950. (Source: History of St. Louis Page)

Studio Version

Recorded August 9, 1961 in RCA Studio A in New York

Produced by Hugo Peretta and Luigi Creatore

Orchestra Conducted By Ralph Burns

Billboard Review: There have been a lot of versions of Frankie & Johnnie but few with the feeling and fervor of this swinging arrangement by Sam Cooke. His vocal is groovy and the disk builds all the way, winding up in fiery fashion. - A billboard Pick. (July 20, 1963)

Charts    #4 R&B, #14 Pop

MP3 at Amazon.com

Singles RCA 8215 b/w Cool Train (Jul 9, 1963)

Albums:  

• All Hits  
• Forever  
• The Golden Age of Sam Cooke
• Hits!
• The Man Who Invented Soul (Box) 
• The One And Only Sam Cooke
• Sam's Soul   
• Takeoff   
• This Is Sam Cooke  
• 20 Golden Greats
• 20 Greatest Hits
• The Best Of (Paradiso)
• 20 Greatest Hits (TeeVee)

_{Live Version}

Musicians: Cliff White - guitar, Bobby "Valentino" Womack - guitar, June Gardner - drums, Harper Cosby - bass, Sticks Evans - percussion, Joe Mele's Copacabana Band

Produced By: Al Schmitt        Conductor: Rene Hall

Recorded live at the Copacabana, New York City, July 8, 1964

MP3 at Amazon.com

_{Albums:    Sam Cooke At The Copa}

Lyrics

Frankie & Johnny were sweethearts
at least, that's the way the story goes
Frankie bought everything for Johnny
from his sports-car to his Ivy League clothes
oh, he was a man allright,
oh, but he was doing a-wrong
just to show you what came happen

a friend came running to Frankie
said you know I wouldn't tell you no lie
I saw your man riding in his Jaguar
with a chick named Mary Bley
oh if he was your man honey
let me tell you he was doing you wrong
let me tell the story

Frankie ran around the corner
and peeked in a swinging place
and there she saw Johnny with a woman
he had his arm around her waist
oh he was a man alright
but Frankie could see that he was doing a-wrong
oh let me tell you

Frankie reached down in her pocketbook
and up with a long 44
she shot once, twice, three times
and Johnny fell on the hardwood floor
oh he was a man alright
but she shot him because he was doing a-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

Frankie you know good 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
I'm your man and I know I was doing a-wrong