Railroad Blues

All aboard, track seventeen - all aboard

Yee-ha!

This song is dedicated to all the hardworking pioneers of this country

Settin' out discoverin' the West

Bringing the railroad to where no man has ever been before

[Chorus]

Johnny, he worked on the railroad

Pounding on iron and steel

Working his way out west now

The only sure thing's his next meal

America was young

But she was a-growing

Layin' tracks across the prairie

Not knowing where they're goin'

His momma didn't want him leaving

But now he's headin' out west

She said "Please don't go" but he said

"If I don't I'll never rest"

It wasn't always easy

Some of the boys died

Johnny wrote her letters

But he received no replies

[Chorus]

Johnny, he worked on the railroad

Pounding on iron and steel

Working his way out west now

The only sure thing's his next meal

Johnny reached San Francisco

Tired and broke without a dime

Started panning for gold

Just a-hoping he would find

The gold wasn't a-rushin'

But Johnny kept on minin'

Trying to send his momma somethin'

With the letters he was signin'

And one day Johnny finally got a reply

When he opened Momma's letter, he began to cry

She's a-writing from her deathbed and this is what she said:

"Please don't be mad at me, son, cause tomorrow I'll be dead"

[Chorus]

Johnny, he worked on the railroad

Pounding on iron and steel

Working his way out west now

The only sure thing's his next meal

Ah-ha!

Ah-ha!

Ha!