Learn to play "Highway Patrolman" on your guitar with our chord guide. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.
For easier playing, use our Simplify Chords feature to remove difficult chords like barre.
C# F# C# My name is Joel Roberts I work for the state I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville barracks G# number eight C# F# C# I always done an honest job as honest as I could G# I got a brother named Frankie and Frankie C# ain't no good Now, ever since we was young kids, it's been the same comedown I get a call on the 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 Chorus: F# C# Yeah me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin' F# C# Nothin' feels better than blood on blood F# C# Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band G# Played "Night of the Johnstown Flood" C# I catch him when he's strayin' F# C# like any brother would G# Man turns his back on his family well C# 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 dropping till it was like we were getting robbed Frankie came home in '68, and me, I took this job Chorus: 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 A 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 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 them county roads Till a sign said "Canadian border, five miles from here" I pulled over on the side of the highway And watched his taillights disappear Chorus: Me and Frankie 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 A man turns his back on his family Well, he just ain't no good You can simplify chords by removing barre | TransposeReset Font SizeReset Guitar Chord DiagramsC# F# G# Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably. |
If you are also interested in learning how to play "Highway Patrolman" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Highway Patrolman" by Bruce Springsteen.