I know you know this one. Frankie is a woman – she caught her Johnny, or is it her Albert, with another woman and she shot him down. Like many murder ballads, this one may have origins in an actual murder. The song has been around for some time, and it has been recorded, if we are to believe Wikipedia, at least 256 times. I will hold back and only offer up a few choice versions.

Let’s start with a very young Johnny Cash

Big Bill Broonzy

The Omer Simion Trio did it up with style…no singing necessary. We know the story.

We need a banjo version. I’m sending this one, by David Hurt, out to Salvelinas

Let’s go back to the Harry Smith Anthology and hear Mississippi John Hurt once again