PSALM23.21

'Frankie And Johnny'

15 different accounts of the infamous murder ballad

Any song covered by Elvis, Mae West, Nick Cave, Bob Dylan, Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Gene Simmons from Kiss has got to be a classic. ‘Frankie And Johnny’ is such a song. There are over 300 versions of this true (ish) story of loverlorn murder that have been rolled out over the past 100 years or so. The first came mere weeks after the original killing took place in 1899, the lyrics and the half dozen films that have been made loosely around the story have led to lawsuits, counter claims and even a restaurant chain.

Indeed, there is a fantastic website put together by Paul Slade of MOJO at www.planetslade.com/frankie-and-johnny1.html, where the story of Frankie Baker and Allen Britt (the Johnny here) is recounted, analysed and explored. Fact of the matter is, with the passage of time, facts have been twisted, descriptions have been altered and, well, Columbo would have a field day.

Frankie – a St Louis hooker who shot her alleged pimp, Allen, after he’d been out with another woman and had come home to threaten her (her side of the story) – was acquitted in the courts of self defence. The Allen side of the tale, told to his mother who he’d staggered to after being shot, was that she was the jealous lover who took umbrage when he took up with an 18-year old prostitute called Alice Pryar – who, for the sake of the song became Nelly Bly (but of course, not in every interpretation).

That the murder took place within two blocks of where Staggerlee killed Billy Lions and became the subject of another legendary murder ballad, made the occurrence and the song’s popularity even more poignant.

Reading Paul Slade’s site I became fascinated with the tale and began to dig around for versions that would stretch the boundaries. Contained here are jazz, blues and country readings of this famous event that blurred at the edges as the facts travelled across country.

Frankie and Johnny were lovers – absolutely for sure, but there’s dispute about where Frankie got the gun? How many times she shot Johnny (or Albert or Allen). And, indeed, when she took the film makers to court, she even disputed that it wasn’t a .44 but a .38 that she plugged him with. Accuracy has a price.

The readings here have her in a silk kimono or a gingham dress. Sightings were at least varied. And the musical interpretation of the song’s melody line is completely adapted so that the whole album sounds like a syncopated piece, an orchestration of poor behaviour and its resultant outcome, rather than 15 people doing the same karaoke piece.

Lena Horne has a mellow film noir feel about her story and some  sympathy for Frankie, Erroll Garner takes the melody on a fantastic journey as does Duke Ellington on his elongated take. Blues, jazz, hillbilly and folk music are all infused into the mix to make nigh on an hour of tawdry red top sleaze into a glorious testament to a song that just keeps on asking questions.

Frankie Baker walked free from court and spent years feuding with the perpetrators of the legendary tune. She died, according to Slade’s site, aged 75, a befuddled anti-heroine who knew one thing for sure – she shot Johnny once not three times - but reportedly very little else. She did, indeed, shoot a man for doing her wrong. And you can’t argue with that.

TRACKLISTING

1 Frankie And Johnny (Parts 1 and 2)            5:15            Lena Horne

2 Frankie And Johnny Fantasy            2:59            Erroll Garner           

3 Frankie And Johnny            4:06            Louis Armstrong

4 Frankie And Johnny             2:10            Big Bill Broonzy

5 Frankie And Johnny            3:23            Champion Jack Dupree

6 Frankie And Albert             3:21            Jewell Long

7 Frankie And Johnny             2:44            Fate Marable's Society Syncopators

8 Frankie And Johnny            3:16            Benny Goodman

9 Frankie And Johnny            2:56            Bunny Berigan And Bunny Berigan And His Orchestra

10 Frankie Baker            4:56            Tommy Jarrell, Oscar Jenkins And Fred Cockerham

11 Frankie And Johnnie            2:53            Jimmie Rodgers

12 Frankie And Johnny            3:10            Ethel Waters

13 Frankie And Johnny            3:08            King Oliver

14 Frankie and Johnny            9:25            Duke Ellington And His Orchestra

15 Frankie And Johnny             3:12            Isham Jones Orchestra

“Murder’s out of tune, And sweet revenge grows harsh.”

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE