Frankie and Johnny (traditional song, version of “Frankie and Albert”)
~ Song
Annotation
"The familiar "Frankie and Johnny were lovers" lyrics first appeared (as "Frankie and Albert") in On the Trail of Negro Folksongs by Dorothy Scarborough, published in 1925; a similar version with the "Frankie and Johnny" names appeared in 1927 in Carl Sandburg's The American Songbag."
***previous editor's annotation ***
This is essentially the same song as "Frankie & Albert", but with the name 'Johnny' replacing the name 'Albert'.
“In 1899, popular St Louis balladeer Bill Dooley composed "Frankie Killed Allen" shortly after the Baker murder case. The first published version of the music to "Frankie and Johnny" appeared in 1904, credited to and copyrighted by Hughie Cannon, the composer of "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey"”
Annotation last modified on 2025-10-31 04:00 UTC.
Relationships
| publisher: | Hughie Cannon (in 1904) Carl Sandburg (in 1927) |
|---|---|
| lyricist, writer and composer: | [traditional] (special purpose artist) |
| part of: | Roud Folk Song Index (number: 254) (order: 151) |
|---|
| SecondHandSongs: | https://secondhandsongs.com/work/33251 [info] |
|---|---|
| Wikidata: | Q1445112 [info] |
| later translated versions: | Baled yr Eneth Eithafol Frankie et Johnny (French version by Boris Vian) |
|---|---|
| later versions: | Frankie & Albert (Bob Dylan arrangement) Frankie and Johnny (Sidney Bechet arrangement) Frankie and Johnny (Leighton brothers and Ren Shields version, published 1912) |
| is based on: | You’re My Baby |
| is the basis for: | Frankie and Johnny (Guy Lombardo's Frankie and Johnny, published 1942, adapted from "Bill, You Done Me Wrong") Hold Me Back |
| arrangements: | Frankie & Albert (Hans Theessink arrangement) Frankie and Johnnie (Sam Cooke arr.) Frankie and Johnnie (Vincent adaption) Frankie and Johnny (Jerry Lee Lewis version) Frankie and Johnny (Elvis arrangement) Frankie and Johnny (Clarence Paul arr.) Frankie and Johnny Frankie and Johnny (Rod Stewart version) Frankie’s Man, Johnny (Johnny Cash arr.) |