On the Railroad
The Longest Johns * Track #4 On Written in Salt
Download "On the Railroad"
Album Written in Salt
- #1Barge Ballad
The Longest Johns
- #2Eliza Lee
The Longest Johns
- #3The Grey Funnel Line
The Longest Johns
- #4On the Railroad
The Longest Johns
- #5Anne Louise (Instrumental)
The Longest Johns
- #6Old Maui
The Longest Johns
- #7Three Score and Ten
The Longest Johns
- #8Randy Dandy-O
The Longest Johns
- #9John Paul Jones is a Pirate
The Longest Johns
- #10All at Sea
The Longest Johns
- #11The Curse
The Longest Johns
- #12The Milkmaid
The Longest Johns
- #13Drunken Sailor
The Longest Johns
On the Railroad by The Longest Johns
Release Date
Performed by
The Longest JohnsAbout
On the Railroad is a Longest Johns original. It is a worker’s anthem/folk song, sang in rhythm with the work performed on the railroad. The song is sung from the perspective of the laborers working their way to San Francisco bay.
On the Railroad Lyrics
Give me a spade and I'll give you a hole
(Way-O on the railroad)
Dirt on my brow but steel in my soul
(Way-O on the railroad)
Picking up coal and we're picking up speed
Shovel as much as the engine needs
Sweat and blood gonna earn my pay
All the way to 'Frisco Bay
Blowing through hills trying to make up time
(Way-O on the railroad)
Ain't nothing gonna stand in the way of our line
(Way-O on the railroad)
Picking up coal and we're picking up speed
Shovel as much as the engine needs
Ain't no slave but we slave away
All the way to 'Frisco Bay
Bossman says that a mile a day's the pace
(Way-O on the railroad)
I'll make two for the look on his face
(Way-O on the railroad)
Picking up coal and we're picking up speed
Shovel as much as the engine needs
Ain't no slave but we slave away
All the way to 'Frisco Bay
Surveyor's trying to plan which route is best
(Way-O on the railroad)
Just draw a straight line from East to West
(Way-O on the railroad)
Picking up coal and we're picking up speed
Shovel as much as the engine needs
Ain't no slave but we slave away
All the way to 'Frisco Bay
Spare no quarter and we'll spare no man
(Way-O on the railroad)
Just pray we don't run in to the Cheyenne
(Way-O on the railroad)
Picking up coal and we're picking up speed
Shovel as much as the engine needs
Sweat and blood gonna earn my pay
All the way to 'Frisco Bay
Picking up coal and we're picking up speed
Shovel as much as the engine needs
Ain't no slave but we slave away
All the way to 'Frisco Bay
Picking up coal and we're picking up speed
Shovel as much as the engine needs
If I should fall leave me where I lay
On the railway to 'Frisco Bay
On the Railroad Q&A
When did The Longest Johns release On the Railroad?
The Longest Johns released On the Railroad on Sat Jun 18 2016.