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The Saga of Frankie and Johnny
The traditional American song, "Frankie and Johnny," about infidelity and vengeance, is retold in woodcut illustrations.
49 pages
Published January 1, 1972
1 person want to read
About the author
John Held Jr.
26 books1 followerJohn Held Jr. was an American cartoonist, wood block artist and illustrator. One of the best known magazine illustrators of the 1920s, Held created cheerful art showing his characters dancing, motoring and engaging in fun-filled activities. The drawings defined the flapper era so well that many people are familiar with Held's work today. He also produced woodcuts that depicted a Victorian era that was dark with violence and abuse.
Born in Salt Lake City, he was a son of Annie (Evans) and John Held. His father was born in Geneva, Switzerland and was adopted by Mormon educator John R. Park, who brought him to Salt Lake City. His maternal grandfather, James Evans, was an English convert to Mormonism. He always claimed that his only art training came from his father and from sculptor Mahonri M. Young, a grandson of Brigham Young.
Held showed a talent for the arts at a young age, selling his first wood print at only nine years old. He worked as a cartoonist at the Salt Lake City Tribune and eventually married Myrtle Jennings, the editor.
Held illustrated many covers for Life prior to its 1936 purchase by Henry Luce. In addition to his archetypical flapper illustrations, Held also drew cartoons in a 19th-century woodcut style. From 1925 to 1932, his woodcut cartoons and faux maps were published frequently in The New Yorker, founded by his high school classmate Harold Ross. Held created the iconic "Wise Men Fish Here" sign which hung above the door of the Gotham Book Mart for the life of the store.
His post-1930 works are not as well known, but he was versatile enough to earn a living through the Great Depression and beyond. By 1952, the nostalgia market featured 1920s designs, and Held's earlier works enjoyed a revival.
Born in Salt Lake City, he was a son of Annie (Evans) and John Held. His father was born in Geneva, Switzerland and was adopted by Mormon educator John R. Park, who brought him to Salt Lake City. His maternal grandfather, James Evans, was an English convert to Mormonism. He always claimed that his only art training came from his father and from sculptor Mahonri M. Young, a grandson of Brigham Young.
Held showed a talent for the arts at a young age, selling his first wood print at only nine years old. He worked as a cartoonist at the Salt Lake City Tribune and eventually married Myrtle Jennings, the editor.
Held illustrated many covers for Life prior to its 1936 purchase by Henry Luce. In addition to his archetypical flapper illustrations, Held also drew cartoons in a 19th-century woodcut style. From 1925 to 1932, his woodcut cartoons and faux maps were published frequently in The New Yorker, founded by his high school classmate Harold Ross. Held created the iconic "Wise Men Fish Here" sign which hung above the door of the Gotham Book Mart for the life of the store.
His post-1930 works are not as well known, but he was versatile enough to earn a living through the Great Depression and beyond. By 1952, the nostalgia market featured 1920s designs, and Held's earlier works enjoyed a revival.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 25, 2023
I know the ballad of "Frankie and Johnny" from the Johnny Cash song, "Frankie's Man, Johnny." But it turns out that that song about "sweethearts" that ends with, "He was Frankie's man and he still ain't done her wrong," was a highly sanitized take on earlier lyrics.
Actually, it's hard to nail down the lyrics for the song as its origins are a bit murky, with some claiming it first appeared early in the 19th century and others pointing to an actual murder in 1899 in St. Louis as the inspiration. Like many folk songs, there are dozens of variations floating around, though most agree that Frankie and Johnny (who is sometimes Albert) were lovers, but he done her wrong, and so the woman scorned shot him with a forty-four.
In this illustrated version, Frankie is a sex worker who gives her man Johnny money for clothes and a watch. She hears he's running around and buys a gun, then catches him in bed with Nelly Bly and fires away. The song continues on through her imprisonment, trial, execution, and this haunting conclusion:
This story has no moral.
This story has no end.
This story only goes to show
You can't trust no God-damned men.
For he was her man, and he done her wrong.
The woodcut illustrations of John Held, Jr., are a bit cartoonish and bawdy, making light of the heavy themes as the lyrics themselves do. Anyone who has read Rick Geary's books of murder and mayhem will find it very familiar in look and tone.
An aside: I first became aware of this 1930 book when I added a 1972 reprint to Goodreads for friend Drew Canole. It looked so intriguing, mixing an old favorite song with my love of illustrated books, that I quickly ordered a copy when I found it for sale on Thriftbooks for just ten dollars. Imagine my surprise when the reprint I expected turned out to be a lightly flaking first edition, " . . . limited to two thousand and fifty copies . . . " and issued " . . . in December, nineteen hundred and thirty . . . " in its original, fraying slipcase. Lucky day!
Actually, it's hard to nail down the lyrics for the song as its origins are a bit murky, with some claiming it first appeared early in the 19th century and others pointing to an actual murder in 1899 in St. Louis as the inspiration. Like many folk songs, there are dozens of variations floating around, though most agree that Frankie and Johnny (who is sometimes Albert) were lovers, but he done her wrong, and so the woman scorned shot him with a forty-four.
In this illustrated version, Frankie is a sex worker who gives her man Johnny money for clothes and a watch. She hears he's running around and buys a gun, then catches him in bed with Nelly Bly and fires away. The song continues on through her imprisonment, trial, execution, and this haunting conclusion:
This story has no moral.
This story has no end.
This story only goes to show
You can't trust no God-damned men.
For he was her man, and he done her wrong.
The woodcut illustrations of John Held, Jr., are a bit cartoonish and bawdy, making light of the heavy themes as the lyrics themselves do. Anyone who has read Rick Geary's books of murder and mayhem will find it very familiar in look and tone.
An aside: I first became aware of this 1930 book when I added a 1972 reprint to Goodreads for friend Drew Canole. It looked so intriguing, mixing an old favorite song with my love of illustrated books, that I quickly ordered a copy when I found it for sale on Thriftbooks for just ten dollars. Imagine my surprise when the reprint I expected turned out to be a lightly flaking first edition, " . . . limited to two thousand and fifty copies . . . " and issued " . . . in December, nineteen hundred and thirty . . . " in its original, fraying slipcase. Lucky day!
January 28, 2023
First published in 1930 in a very limited edition. It was thought to be a bit to risque for a wide-release. This beautiful hardcover edition was done in the 1970s, and as the introduction points out - it's more charming than risque.
The book is a set of woodcut drawings illustrating a popular folk song about a woman killing her man "because he done her wrong".
I had no idea this song was so popular. Johnny Cash, Elvis, Bob Dylan... Wikipedia says over 250 recordings.
Taj Mahal has the best version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZHYo...
The illustrations are wonderful.
The book is a set of woodcut drawings illustrating a popular folk song about a woman killing her man "because he done her wrong".
I had no idea this song was so popular. Johnny Cash, Elvis, Bob Dylan... Wikipedia says over 250 recordings.
Taj Mahal has the best version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZHYo...
The illustrations are wonderful.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews