Frankie was a good girl, everybody know,
Paid one hundred dollars for Albert's new suite of clothes.
He was her man, but he done her wrong.
Albert said, "I'm leaving you, won't be gone for long.
Don't wait up for me, a-worry about me when I'm gone."
He was her man, but he done her wrong.
Frankie went down to the corner saloon, get a bucket of beer,
Said to the bartender, "Has my loving man been here?"
He was her man, but he done her wrong.
"Well, I ain't gonna tell you no story, I ain't gonna tell you no lie,
I saw Albert an hour ago with a gal named Alice Fry
1."
He was her man, he done her wrong.
Frankie went down to Twelfth Street, look up through the window high,
She saw her Albert there a-loving up Alice Fry.
He was her man, he done her wrong.
Frankie pulled out a pistol, pulled out a .44
2,
Gun went off a-rootie-toot-toot
3 and Albert fell on the floor.
He was her man, but he done her wrong.
Frankie got down upon her knees, took a-Albert into her lap,
Started to hug and kiss him, but there was no bringing him back.
He was her man, he done her wrong.
"Give me a thousand policemen, throw me into a cell,
I shot my Albert dead and now I'm going to hell.
He was my man, but he done me wrong."
Judge said to the jury, "Plain as a thing can be,
A woman shot her lover down, murder in the second degree."
He was her man, but he done her wrong.
Frankie went to the scaffold calm as a girl could be,
Turned her eyes up towards the heavens, said, "Nearer, my God, to Thee."
He was her man, but he done her wrong.
1
Traditionally, the woman that Albert has an affair with has had varying last names, such as "Bly" and "Fry". In this version, Dylan seems to be saying "Fry".
2
Pronounced "forty-four".
3
Somewhat arbitrary description of the sound the gun makes when fired.