"Highway Patrolman" is a song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen and was first released as the fifth track on his 1982 album Nebraska. The song tells the story of Joe Roberts, the highway patrolman of the title from whose viewpoint the song is written – and his brother, Franky, and is set in the 1960s. Franky is portrayed as unruly and frequently causing and encountering trouble, while Joe is the more mature, sensible (and likely elder) brother who always comes to his aid. In 1965, Franky joins the United States Army (and presumably is sent to Vietnam, though this is not made explicit), while Joe takes a farm deferment and marries a girl called Maria (who, it is implied, had attracted the attentions of both brothers). Within three years however, falling wheat prices cause Joe to leave the farm and take a job as a highway patrolman. Meanwhile, in 1968, Franky leaves the army and returns home. One night, Joe receives a call and visits a bar where a boy has been attacked and appears to be in a serious condition ("on the floor looking bad, bleeding hard from his head"), with a witness ("a girl crying at a table") identifying his attacker as Franky, who has fled. Joe chases Franky through rural Michigan until they reach - and Franky crosses - the Canada–US border, the implication being that Joe has allowed him to escape; as the lyrics suggest, "when it's your brother, sometimes you look the other way" and "I pulled over the side of the highway and watched his tail lights disappear." Like the rest of the album, the song was recorded on Springsteen's four-track cassette recorder with the intention of it being performed for the album with his full band; however, it was felt that the demo version of the song was superior to the eventual 'band cut' and was released on the album in its original form. It features the same stark, bleak atmosphere as the other songs on the album, and it consists of only vocals, very quiet harmonica and acoustic guitar. Springsteen featured the song only once on the "American Land" leg of his critically acclaimed tour with the Seeger Sessions band, and the version is featured on the 2007 release Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band: Live in Dublin. This version was praised by Rolling Stone critic Andy Greene as the "fantastic, maybe definitive" version of the song. "Highway Patrolman" (originally by Bruce Springsteen) My name is Joe Roberts, I work for the state I'm a sergeant out on Perenville barracks number 8 I've always done an honest job, honest as I could Got a brother named Frankie, Frankie ain't no good Ever since we were young kids, it's been the same come down I'd get a call on the short wave, Frankie's in trouble downtown Well, if it was any other man, I'd put him straight away But sometimes when it's your brother, you look the other way Yeah, me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood Takin' turns dancin' with Maria while the band played "The Night of the Johnstown Flood" I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother should Man turns his back on his family, he ain't no good Well, Frankie went into the army back in 1965 I got a farm deferment, settled down, took Maria for my wife But them wheat prices kept on droppin', 'til it was like we's gettin' robbed Frankie came home in '68, and me, I took this job Yeah, me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood Takin' turns dancin' with Maria while the band played "The 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 ain't no friend of mine The night was like any other, I got a call 'bout a quarter to nine There was trouble at a roadhouse out on the Michigan line There was a kid on the floor, lookin' bad, bleedin' hard from his head There was a girl cryin' at a table, it was Frankie, she said I ran out and I jumped in my car, then I hit the lights I must have done about a hundred and ten to Michigan County that night It was down by the crossroads, out by willow bank Seen the Buick with Ohio plates, behind the wheel was Frank Well, I chased him through them county roads, 'til the sign said Canadian border five miles from here Pulled over to the side out the highway, watched the taillights disappear Yeah, me and Frankie laughin' and drinkin', nothin' feels better than blood on blood Takin' turns dancin' with Maria while the band played "The Night of the Johnstown Flood" I catch him when he's strayin', like any brother should Man turns his back on his family, he ain't no good