Dan Zanes Follow

Miscellaneous
ROCK ISLAND LINE
(Huddie Ledbetter)

Now this here is the story about the Rock Island Line

Well, the Rock Island Line she runs down into New Orleans

There's a big toll-gate down there

And you know when you got certain things on board

When you go through the toll-gate

Well, you don't have to pay the man no toll

Well, a traindriver, he pulled up to the toll-gate

And the man hollered nicely what all he had on board

And he said:

I got live stock, I got live stock

I got cows, I got pigs, I got sheep

I got mules, I got all live stock

Well, they said, you're all right boy

You don't have to pay no toll

You just go right on through

So, he went on through the toll-gate

And as he went through...

He started pickin' up a little bit of speed

Pickin' up a little bit of steam

He got on through and he turned to look back at the man

And he said:

Well, I fooled you, I fooled you

I got pig iron, I got pig iron

I got all pig iron

Down the Rock Island Line, she's a might good road

Rock Island Line it's the road to ride

Rock Island Line is a mighty good road

Well if you ride it you gotta ride it like you find it

Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line

Oh, cloudy in the west and it looks like rain

Around the curve comes a passenger train

Northbound train on a southbound track

He's already leaving, but he won't be back

Well the Rock Island Line, she's a might good road

Rock Island Line it's the road to ride

Rock Island Line is a mighty good road

Well if you ride it you gotta ride it like you find it

Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line

Oh, I may be right and I may be wrong

But you're gonna miss me when I'm gone

Well the engineer said before he died

There are two more drinks that he'd like to try

The doctor said, what could they be

A hot cup of coffee and a cold glass of tea

Well the Rock Island Line, she's a might good road

Rock Island Line it's the road to ride

Rock Island Line is a mighty good road

Well if you ride it you gotta ride it like you find it

Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line

Miscellaneous
ROCK ISLAND LINE