☮ Highway Patrolman 

by Bruce Springsteen 

on Nebraska, 1982

Sean Penn based the screenplay of his 1991 directorial debut The Indian Runner on the song's story. 

Penn also directed a music video of the song that appears on Video Anthology / 1978-88.

- wikipedia

...

My name is Joe Roberts I work for the state 

I'm a sergeant out of Perrineville barracks number 8 

I always done an honest job as honest as I could 

I got a brother named Franky and Franky ain't no good 

Now ever since we was young kids it's been the same come down 

I get a call over the radio Franky's in trouble downtown 

Well if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away 

But when it's your brother sometimes you look the other way 

Me and Franky laughin' and drinkin' nothin' feels better than blood on blood 

Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood" 

I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would 

Man turns his back on his family well he just ain't no good 

Well Franky went in the army back in 1965 I got a farm deferment settled 

down took Maria for my wife 

But them wheat prices kept on droppin' till it was like we were gettin' robbed 

Franky came home in '68 and me I took this job 

Yea we're laughin' and drinkin' nothin' feels better than blood on blood 

Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood" 

I catch him when he's strayin', teach him how to walk that line 

Man turns his back on his family he ain't no friend of mine 

The night was like any other, I got a call 'bout quarter to nine 

There was trouble in a roadhouse out on the Michigan line 

There was a kid lyin' on the floor lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head there 

was a girl cryin' at a table, it was Frank they said 

Well I went out and I jumped in my car and I hit the lights 

I must of done 110 through Michigan county that night 

It was out at the crossroads down round Willow bank 

Seen a Buick with Ohio plates behind the wheel was Frank 

Well I chased him through them county roads till a sign said Canadian border 5 miles from here 

I pulled over the side of the highway and watched his taillights disappear 

Me and Franky laughin' and drinkin' nothin' feels better than blood on blood 

Takin' turns dancin' with Maria as the band played "Night of the Johnstown Flood" 

I catch him when he's strayin' like any brother would 

Man turns his back on his family well he just ain't no good

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN LYRICS