G
WELL ST. FRANKIE WAS A MANDOLIN PLAYER
G D
‘FORE HE GAVE ‘WAY EVERYTHING HE HAD
D
WISH I COULDA HEARD HIM PLAY
D
MAYBE I WILL SOMEDAY
D G
HE’S UP THAR IN HEAVEN’S BLUEGRASS BAND
G
WHERE THOSE LITTLE HARPS THEY SOUND JUSS LIKE BANJOS
G C
AND THEM ANGELS THEY YODEL REAL GOOD TOO
C Em
AND FRANKIE PLAYS THAT MANDOLIN FAST AS WHITE LIGHTNIN’
A D G
JUSS LIKE OL’ FRANKIE USED TO DO
G
NOW FRANKIE HE WAS THE LIFE OF THE PARTY
G D
WE SURE DID HATE TO SEE HIM GO
D
BUT HE ENLISTED IN THE CRUSADES ARMY
D G
WENT OFF TO FIGHT THAT HOLY WAR
G
BUT FRANKIE HE WENT AND HE CAUGHT A FEVER
G C
CAUGHT A VISION UPSIDE HIS HEAD
C Em
‘SAID REBUILD MY CHURCH, SON, IT’S FALLIN’ DOWN
A D G
AND WHEN HE COME HOME HERE’S WHAT FRANKIE DID
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ALONE, HE PUT HIS HAND TO STONE
HE TOOK TO MASONRY WITH A FERVER
HE HELPED OL’ FATHER DAMION AND ALL THE OTHERS TOO
AND HE WANTED TO GO ON EVEN FURTHER
‘TILL THE BOSS HAD A TALK WITH OL’ FRANKIE
HE SAID SON, I THINK YOU MISUNDERSTOOD
MY CHURCH AIN’T NO BUILDIN’ THAT’S MADE OUTTA STONE
IT’S THE PEOPLE, GO HELP ‘EM IF YOU WOULD
‘CAUSE OL’ FRANKIE WAS A MANDOLIN PLAYER
AFORE HE GAVE AWAY EVERYTHING HE OWNED
NOW HE’S UP THERE IN HEAVENS BLUEGRASS BAND
WHERE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC ABOUNDS
AND THOSE LITTLE HARPS THEY SOUND JUSS LIKE BANJOS
AND JESSIE PLAYS THE BASS AND CALLS THE TUNES
AND FRANKIE PLAYS THAT MANDOLIN FAST AS WHITE LIGHTNIN’
JUSS LIKE OL’ FRANKIE USED TO DO
NOW HE TALKED TO THE WOLF AND THE BIRDS OF THE AIR
AND EVEN THE FISH OF THE SEA
HE’D SPREAD THAT GOOD NEWS WHEREVER HE’D GO
NOT IN WHAT HE’D SAY BUT WHAT IN HE’D BE
AND SOME FOLKS COULDN’T UNDERSTAND HIM
BUT THE CHILDREN HAD NO PROBLEM AT ALL
ALL HE SAID WAS TO SHARE, BUT EVEN MORE TO CARE
‘CAUSE JESSE HE DONE TOOK CARE OF OUR FALL
NOW ONE DAY FRANKIE SAT THERE
A PRAYIN’ AND A THINKIN’
WONDERIN’ ‘BOUT WHAT JESSIE WENT THROUGH
BEIN’ LYNCHED LIKE A CROOK AND NAILED TO A TREE
AIN’T SUMTHIN’ THAT’S PLEASANT TO DO
AND THEN OL’ FRANKIE REALIZED
JESSIE HAD TO DO IT
TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT JUSTICE WAS DONE
[or T’BE HOLY IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE]AND JESSIE CAME RIGHT TO HIM THAT VERY SAME MOMENT
SAID C’MON BOY, TIME FOR YOU TO JOIN THE FUN
(AND THEN HE MADE FRANKIE HOLY TOO)