Frankie and Johnnie were sweethearts
They had a quarrel one day
Johnny vowed he would leave her
He said he was going away
Never coming home, goin' away to roam

Frankie begged and she pleaded
"My love Johnny please stay"
"Now, oh, my honey, I've done you wrong
But please don't go away"
Then Johnny sighed, while Frankie cried

Oh, I'm a-going away, I'm a-goin' to stay
Never coming home
You're gonna miss me, honey, in the days to come
When the winter winds begin to blow, the ground is covered up
And when you think of the way, you're gonna wish me back
Your lovin' man
You're gonna miss me, honey, in the day they say's to come

Frankie done said to her Johnny
"Now man your hour done come"
'Cause from behind her kimono
She drew her .44 gun
These love affairs are hard to bear
Johnny, he fled down the stairway
"My love, Frankie, don't shoot"
Frankie done aimed the .44
While the town went rooty-toot-toot
As Johnny fell, then Frankie yelled

Oh, I'm a-going away, I'm a-goin' to stay
Never coming home
You're gonna miss me, honey, in the days to come
When the winter winds begin to blow, the ground is covered up
And when you think of the way, you're gonna wish me back
Your lovin' man
You're gonna miss me, honey, in the day they say's to come

Send for your rubber tired Hearses
Send for your rubber tired hacks
Carry old Johnny to the graveyard
I've shot him in the back
With a great big gun as the preacher begun
Send for some policeman to take me right away
Lock me down in the dungeon cell
And throw the key away
My Johnny's dead because he said

Oh, I'm a-going away, I'm a-goin' to stay
Never coming home
You're gonna miss me, honey
In the days to come
When the winter winds begin to blow
The ground is covered up
And when you think of the way
You're gonna wish me back, your lovin' man
You're gonna miss me, honey
In the day they say's to come

Copyright: CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Writer(s): Dave Guard, John Cohen, Mike Seeger, Tom Paley