Frankie was a good woman
Everybody knows
She gave her loving man Johnny a hundred dollar bill
Just to buy one suit of clothes

Frankie went down to the barroom
She ordered herself one glass of beer
She asked that loving bartending man
"C'mon, tell me, has my sweet Johnny been here?"

He said, "Frankie, I ain't gonna tell you no stories, gal"
He said, "Frankie, I ain't gonna tell you no lies"
He said, "Frankie, I saw your man Johnny, just about one hour ago
He was heading over, going to see Miss Nellie Bly"

She cried, "Hold me back!
Hold me back, take away my gun
Hold me back, hold me back
Somebody won't you please hold me back
Don't let me do what must be done"

Frankie went on over to that coke joint
She stood outside, she rang that bell
She said, "Alright, now, Johnny, you're my loving man
And if I find you in here I'm gonna shoot you
Hey I'm gonna shoot you sure as hell"
Well, well looky here

Sure enough there Johnny was with Miss Nellie Bly
He seen the gun in Frankie's hand, he say
"Oh Frankie baby, I swear I won't treat you wrong no more"
Ha! That's for sure, 'cause by the time she was done
With that there gun her loving man
Was not gonna treat her wrong no more
Hold me back!

Hold me back!
Hold me back, take away my gun
Hold me back, hold me back
Somebody won't you please hold me back
Don't let me do what must be done
Hold me back, somebody

Roll out your rubber tired carriages
Roll out your rubber tired hacks
There's twelve men going to that graveyard
There's eleven men, oh, coming back
Hold me back!

Hold me back!
Hold me back, take away my gun
Hold me back, hold me back
Somebody please hold me back
Don't let me do what must be done
Hold me back

Hold me back!
Hold me back, take away my gun
Hold me back, hold me back
Somebody won't you please hold me back
Don't let me do what must be done
Don't let me do what must be done
Don't let me do what must be done