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!