Boomers Story
(traditional, adapted by ry cooder)
Come and gather all around me
Listen to my tale of woe
Got some good advice to give you
Lots of things you oughta know
Take a tip from one whos travelled
And never stopped a-ramblin round
cause once you get the roamin fever
You never want to settle down, boy
You never want to settle down
I met a little gal in frisco
And I asked her to be my wife
Told her I was tired of roamin
Goin to settle down for life
Then I heard the whistle blowin
And I knew it was the red ball train
And I left that gal beside the railroad
And I never saw the gal again, boy
I never saw the gal again
Saw the gal again
I never saw the gal again
Left that gal beside the railroad
And I never saw the gal again
Travelled all over the country
Ive travelled everywhere
I been on every branch line railroad
And I never paid a nickel fare
I been from maine to californy
And from canada to mexico
I never tried to save no money
And now I got no place to bo, boy
Now I got no place to go
Listen to a boomers story
Pay attention to what I say
Well, I hear another train a-comin
Guess Ill be on my way
If you wanna do me a favor
When I lay me down and die
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So I can hear the trains go by, boys
So I can hear the trains go by
Hear the trains go
Hear the trains go by
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So I can hear the trains go by
song performed by by Ry Cooder
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Related quotes
Trains
Here I am at the end of the day
With a cup of cold coffee
From the station buffet.
On trains, on trains I seem
To spend my life on trains.
See the blue suit banker in the ticket line.
Got an evening standard with playboy
Hidden behind.
On trains, on trains he seems
To spend his life on trains.
Time after time.
Was I just dreaming?
Did I help you aboard?
Full passenger service ---
Let me help with the door.
Sit down take the weight off your feet.
Theres a train full of people Id like
You to meet.
On trains, on trains we love
To spend our lives on trains.
Join the secret world of trains.
Feel the pleasure. touch the pain.
Drift into yesterday.
Once and again
I was just thinking.
We could meet sometime
On the 17.30 where
I usually find
My friends at the end of the day.
May we pay your fare, lady?
We should like you to stay
In our train. on trains ---
Youll have to spend your life
On trains.
I hear theres an office party on the 18.05.
Youll be home for christmas if they
Take you alive from the train.
Those trains, we have to spend our lives
On trains.
Once and again
I was just thinking.
We could meet any time
On number two platform
Where I usually find
My friends at the end of the day.
On trains, trains, trains.
song performed by by Jethro Tull
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Good Morning Mr. Railroad Man
(traditional)
Good morning, mr. railroad man
What time do your trains roll by ?
"at 9:16 and 2:44 and 25 minutes 'till 5"
"at 9:16 and 2:44 and 25 minutes 'till 5"
Thank you, mr. railroad man
I want to watch your trains go by
Standing on a platform, smoking a cheap cigar
And waiting for an old freight train that carries an empty car
Well, i pulled my hat down over my eyes
And i walked across the tracks
And i caught me the end of an old freight train
And i never did come back
Well, i sat down in a gamblin' game
But i could not play my hand
I was thinkin' about the woman i loved
Run away with another man, poor boy
Run away with another man
I was thinking about the woman that i loved
Run away with another man
song performed by by Ry Cooder
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Railroad Days
Jan would climb up so high on the foul screen
Down below I would yell to watch out
When we'd play ? was always the winner
He was brave never listened to me shout
Afternoons playin' ball by the old wall
Hidin' out and of course be the star
Kept my records in old looseleaf notebooks
And today I think I still know where they are
Oh, Railroad days
Railroad days
Railroad days
When I was young, in my prime
On my way
When the rain never got in my way
oh in my younger railroad days
Some nights, Drifters playin' on the hi-fi
Talkin' 'bout girls, or preposterous lies
Laughin hard, watchin' Soupy at eleven
Skonkin' down, one of Mom's lemon pies
Ten o'clock, bringin' groceries from the market
Singin songs, to the darkness of the night
Even sang the parts the instruments were playing
Life was freer, dreams were really quite all right
Oh, Railroad days
Railroad days
Railroad days
When the sun seemed to smile on it's way
When the darkness was easier to play yeah
oh in my younger railroad days
Yesterday, I heard they shut the trains down
The ones than ran, by the field where I would play
Said the folks want new and faster transportation
It's just like me, I'll be obsolete one day
Oh, Railroad days
Railroad days
Railroad days
When I was young, in my prime
On my way
When the rain never got in my way
oh in my younger railroad days
song performed by by Bob Seger
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Rumblin' Ramblin'
I hear the train a-calling me,
I hear the engine and the steam.
You know there's only one person leaving, and that's me.
I need to find a new world,
With all the riches and the girls,
You know they say that I'm a ramblin' man, that's me.
Rumblin' ramblin' down that mountain,
Railroad track, I'm never coming back,
There ain't enough places in the world for a ramblin' man.
I'm walking through the windy beach,
Now I can feel a chilly breeze,
You know Sweden or Mexico looks good to me.
The captain shouted 'All aboard',
And now I'm looking to the port,
You know where that captain's sailing to suits me.
Rumblin' ramblin' down that mountain,
Railroad track, I'm never coming back,
There ain't enough places in the world for a ramblin' man.
Rumblin' ramblin' down that mountain,
Railroad track, I'm never coming back,
There ain't enough places in the world for a ramblin' man.
song performed by by Zutons
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Railroad
Up each morning at five oclock,
Seem like the noon-day sun aint never gonna stop.
The work is hard in a railroad yard,
Hey, hey, gotta make it today to punch a time card.
Workin on the railroad.
Chorus
Oh, you know, the railroad is a mighty good line,
Come on and ride the railroad, one more time.
Oh, you know, the railroad is a mighty good line,
Come on and ride the railroad, one more time.
Dirt and sweat, runnin down my back,
Workin on the railroad.
Work all day long up and down the railroad tracks.
Workin on the railroad.
Im a God fearing man, and with many I stand,
Workin on the railroad.
And with God weve been working, all hand in hand.
Workin on the railroad.
Chorus
Oh, you know, the railroad is a mighty good line,
Workin on the railroad.
Come on and ride the railroad, one more time.
Workin on the railroad.
Oh, you know, the railroad is a mighty good line,
Come on and ride the railroad, one more time.
song performed by by Grand Funk Railroad
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Thr Railroad Tracks
Who lived across the railroad tracks?
A few of us whites, but mostly blacks.
These railroad tracks without even knowing
separated my town and kept it growing
into a segregated place.
I used to listen for the sound of the train.
As it rolled on by, it would never remain.
It just kept rolling to where it was going.
The engineer waved. The smoke kept blowing
into a segregated place.
Even when the trains stopped the rolling
the tracks will still there.They were controlling
the thinking of the people in our town.
So they kept the tracks there, never tore them down
in our segregated place.
Some were on the right side of the tracks, you see.
Some were on the wrong side of the tracks, like me.
They never took the tracks down from 60 years ago.
And the town I grew up in doesn't want to know
it's a segregated place.
poem by Edwina Reizer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Railroad Bill
Railroad bill were gonna railroad bill
He never works and he never will
Im gonna ride on a railroad bill
Im gonna ride on a railroad bill
Railroad bill he was a mighty bad man
Kill anybody that he think he can
Gonna ride old railroad bill
Gonna ride old railroad bill
Im singin railroad bill,
Im talkin railroad bill, uh-huh-huh
He never worked and he never will
Im gonna ride on railroad bill, yeah
(cmon) Im gonna ride on railroad bill
Well old railroad bill he done stole my wife
Im gonna check him down Im gonna take his life
Gonna ride on railroad bill
Gonna ride railroad bill
Im singin railroad bill
On a railroad bill
He never worked and he never will
Im gonna ride on railroad bill
Im gonna ride on railroad bill
Railroad bill he was a mighty bad man
Kill anybody that he think he can
Gonna ride old railroad bill
Gonna ride railroad bill
Im talkin railroad bill
I love him railroad bill
Uh-huh-huh
He never worked and he never will
Gonna ride on railroad bill
Yeah, gonna ride on railroad bill
Well Im goin up the mountain
Yes Im goin out west
I got a mighty big pistol
Stickin out of my vest
Gonna ride old railroad bill
Gonna ride (alright)
Railroad bill, I love that railroad bill
Uh-huh-huh
He never works and he never will
Im gonna ride on a railroad bill
Im gonna ride on railroad bill
song performed by by Van Morrison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Railroad Man
I feel like an old railroad man
Ridin' out on the Bluemont Line
Hummin' along Old Dominion Blues
Not much to see, and not much left to lose
And I know I can walk along the tracks
It may take a little longer
But I know how to find my way back
I feel like an old railroad man
Who's really tried the best that he can
To make his life add up to something good
But this engine no long burns on wood
And I guess I may never understand
The times that I live in
Are not made for a railroad man
I feel like an old railroad man
Gettin' on board at the end of an age
The station's empty and the whistle blows
Things are faster now
This train is just too slow
And I know I can walk along the tracks
It may take a little longer
But I know how to find my way back
song performed by by Eels
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Folsom Prison Blues
(johnny cash)
Well I hear that train a comin
Its rollin around the bend
I aint seen the sunshine
Since I dont know when
Well Im stuck in folsom prison
And time keeps draggin on
That train keeps rollin
On down to san antone
When I was just a baby
My mama told me, son,
Always be a good boy
Dont you ever play with guns
But I shot a man in reno
Just to watch him die
When I hear that lonesome whistle
I hang my head and cry
Well I bet theres rich folks eating
In a fancy dinin car
I bet theyre taking mushrooms
And smokin big cigars
Well I know I had it comin
I know I cant be free
Those people keep movin
And thats what tortures me
If they free me from this prison
If that railroad train was mine
You bet Id move it on
A little farther down the line
Yeah, far from folsom prison
Thats where I want to be
Well those people keep movin
Goddammit, thats what tortures me
If theyd free me from this prison
If that railroad train was mine
You bet Id move it on
A little farther down the line
Yeah, far from folsom prison
Thats where I want to be
Well those people keep movin
Goddammit thats what tortures me
song performed by by Gin Blossoms
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Folsom Prison Blues
I hear that train a-rolling, it's a-rolling round the bend
I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when
I'm stucked in Folsom Prison and time keeps dragging on
And I hear that whistle blowing all down to San Antone
When I was just a baby my mamma told me: son
Always be a good boy, don't ever play with guns
But I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die
When I hear that train a-pulling I hang my head and cry
I bet there's rich folks in their fancy shining cars
They're probably drinking coffee and smoking big cigars
But I know I had it coming, I know I can't be free
But I keep on keep a-moving, well that's what tortures me
If they'd free me from this prison, if that railroad train was mine
You bet I moved it on a little further down the line
Far from Folsom Prison that's where I long to stay
And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Midnight Train
The Midnight Train to nowhere is boarding-
My life-long luggage has already been brought on-
The tracks of non-mobility are ready and waiting-
To sings its droning railroad song;
Its quite catchy to the ears they tell me-
As the trains roars itself in place upon the tracks-
Bidding my final farewells to everyone-
Turning my head-with plans to never look back;
They say that this train will get you nowhere-
And you know i believe this to be true-
Non-riding the tracks-ignoring the facts-
I'm on my way back home to you;
You are at the end of my nowhere-
Been there for so very long-
Just biding your time with your prose and rhyme-
While i write this here Railroad Song;
Oh -the Midnight Train to nowhere is not flyin'-
In stationary movement upon its nowhere tracks-
Hummin' its Chatanooga Choo Choo melody-
And me-vowing never to look back;
Staying in one place-stationary-
Really movin' nowhere in real time-
Know that you are there waitin' on me-
Writin' your rhyme at the end of the line;
Just A Silly Poem.
June 22,2010
poem by Theodora Onken
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Railroad
Im packin my bags and goin home
I been here too long
So happy , Ill get there on my own , mmm..
Been here for reasons right or wrong
So Im packin my bag and Im gettin home
So Ill walk by the railroad anytime, anytime
Walk by the railroad anytime
Tell my brother and my sister that evrythings gone wrong
But Im walkin by that railroad till Im home
Theres been lies told in my story
But aint juiced none of that glory
But still, I served my time
And theres no use in cryin
cause Im walkin by that railroad till Im home
So Ill walk by the railroad anytime , anytime
Walk by the railroad anytime
Tell my women that I missed her
That I cant wait to kiss her
So Im walkin by that railroad till Im home
Yes Ill walk by the railroad anytime , anytime
Walk by the railroad anytime
Tell my women that I missed her
And I cant wait to kiss her
cause Im walkin by that railroad till Im home
Yes Im walkin by that railroad till Im home
song performed by by Bee Gees
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Let It Rock
In the heat of the day, down in mobile, alabama
Workin on the railroad with a steel drivin hammer
Tryin to get some money, get some brand new shoes
Tryin to find a lady, chase away my blues
Hot and wasted lord sweatin in the sun
cause Im not a foreman till my work is all done
Later in the evening when the sun is sinking low
Ill be out there waitin for the whistle to blow
Sittin in the teepee smokin out on the track
Rollin them bones (meaning dice) till my foreman get back
Suddenly I hear the breakman up and shout
Theres a non-stop train comin two miles out
Everybody jumpin and a scrambling around
Tryin to get the line an get the teepee down
Railroad owners bout to go insane
Tryin to get the workers out the way of the train
Here come the engineer honk his horn
He got a non-stop train, we got to let it roll on!
song performed by by Bob Seger
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Orange Blossom Special
Look a-yonder comin'
Comin' down that railroad track
Hey, look a'yonder comin'
Comin' down that railroad track
It's the Orange Blossom Special
Bringin' my baby back
Well I'm goin down to Florida
And get some sand in my shoes
Or maybe Californy
And get some sand in my shoes
I'll ride that Orange Blossom Special
And lose these New York blues
Say man, when you going back to Florida?
When am I goin' back to Florida? I don't know, don't reckon I ever will
Aint you worried about getting your nourishment in New York?
Well, I don't care if I do-die-do-die-do-die-do-die
Hey talk about a-ramblin'
She's the fastest train on the line
Talk about a-travelin'
She's the fastest train on the line
It's that orange blossom special
Rollin' down the seaboard line
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Railroad Boy
Hear the whistle blowin so long
Tellin me I gotta move along
Coast to coast gonna steal highway
Railroad boy up in the guiding daybreak
Get no sleep in a boxcar
Get no piece of line
They catch you jumpin a freight train
They give you such a hard time
Movin fast as my time runs out
Coal is something I can live without
Railroad fever got me a route
Like tumblweed I aint got no roots
You know no peace in a boxcar
Just cant sleep on a line
They catch you jumpin a freight train
They give you such a hard time
(lead)
East coast towns they are
Dark and cold
West coast ladies
They get right to my soul
But you know
Cant stand long
Bet all rairoaders
Are singin my song
(sweet, charlton, agnew, mccafferty)
Nazsongs/panache music
1976 nazareth (dunfermline) ltd.
song performed by by Nazareth
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Travel
The railroad track is miles away,
And the day is loud with voices speaking,
Yet there isn't a train goes by all day
But I hear its whistle shrieking.
All night there isn't a train goes by,
Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming,
But I see its cinders red on the sky,
And hear its engine steaming.
My heart is warm with friends I make,
And better friends I'll not be knowing;
Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take,
No matter where it's going.
poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Jenny Dreamed Of Trains
This song was first released on the all aboard! album. it is the only album it has been released on.
When jenny was a little girl, she only dreamed of trains
She never played with dolls or lacy kinds of things
Jenny counted boxcars instead of counting sheep
She could go anywhere when she went to sleep
All she ever talked about was getting on to ride
She was living in another time you could see it in her eyes
And every day after school shed head down to the track
Waiting for the train that was never coming back
Jenny dreamed of trains
When the nighttime came
Nobody knew how she made it come true
Jenny dreamed of trains
The depots been boarded up, the rails have turned to rust
There hasnt been a train through here since the mill went bust
No one believed her when she said she heard the train
Said she was just a little girl acting kind of strange
Jenny dreamed of trains
When the nighttime came
Nobody knew how she made it come true
Jenny dreamed of trains
Jenny laid a penny on the track one day
In God we trust she walked away
The very next morning all she could find
Was a little piece of copper squashed flatter than a dime
Jenny dreamed of trains
When the nighttime came
Nobody knew how she made it come true
Jenny dreamed of trains
Nobody knew how she made it come true
Jenny dreamed of trains
Words and music by vince gill and guy clark
song performed by by John Denver
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Freight Train Blues
(first releasetraditional, arranged by bob dylan)
I was born in dixie in a boomers shack,
Just a little shanty by the railroad track
Freight train was it taught me how to cry,
The holler of the driver was my lullaby.
Ive got the freight train blues (hee, hee, hoo)
Oh, lawdy mama got em on the bottom of my ramblin shoes
And when the whistle blows, I gotta go
Baby dont you know
It looks like Im never gonna lose
The freight train blues.
Well, my daddy was a fireman and my mama hear
She was the only daughter of the engineer
My sweetheart loved the brakeman and that aint no joke
Its a shame the way she keeps a good man broke.
I got the freight train blues (hee, hee, hoo)
Oh, lawdy I got em in the bottom of my ramblin shoes
And when the whistle blows, I gotta go
Oh mama dont you know
Well it looks like Im never gonna lose
The freight train blues.
Well, the only thing that makes you laugh again
Is a south bound whistle on a south bound train
Every place I want to go
I never can go because you know
Because I got the freight train blues (hee, hee, hoo)
Oh, lawdy mama, got em on the bottom of my ramblin shoes
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Railroad Lady
By: jimmy buffett, jerry jeff walker
1973
Shes a railroad lady
Just a little bit shady
Spendin her days on the trains
Shes a semi-good looker
But the fast rails they took er
Now shes tryin, just tryin to get home again
South station in boston to the freightyards of austin
From the florida sunshine to the new orleans rain
Now that the railpacks
Has taken the best tracks
Shes tryin, just tryin to get home again
Shes a railroad lady
Just a little bit shady
Spendin her life on a train
Once a pullman car traveller
Now the brakeman wont have er
Shes tryin, just tryin to get home again
Once a high ballin loner he thought he could own er
Bought her a fur and a big diamond ring
She hocked em for cold cash
Left town on the wabash
Never thinkin, never thinkin of home way back then
But the rails are now rusty
The dinin cars dusty
Gold plated watches have taken their toll
Yeah the railroads are dyin
And the lady shes cryin
On a bus to kentucky and home thats her goal
Shes a railroad lady
Just a little bit shady
Spendin her life on a train
Shes a semi-good looker
But the fast rails they took er
Now shes tryin, just tryin to get home again
Coda:
Yes on a bus to kentucky and home once again
song performed by by Jimmy Buffett
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Freight Train Fever
He put the handcuffs on me
behind my back,
threw me in the car
right beside the railroad tracks;
got in
and started sayin,
somethin bout ridin a train
without payin;
I didn't hear
anything else he said,
cause I was already 1,000 miles away
inside my head;
out there catchin
the next west-bound freight,
headin on
for another free state.
But now, here I am lyin with the drunks
on a cold jailhouse floor,
lookin through long steel bars
to the freedom waitin just beyond the door;
there's no one I could call
on the telephone,
so I'll just have to do my time
while tryin to find some words for a new poem;
gazing out through
a one by one window pane,
I hear the thunder
and see the dark rain;
wonderin why I do this
over and over again,
I can't come up with one good reason why it is
I must go chasin that same old wild-wind;
I guess it's just the way I am
somethin I've gotta do,
when my mind gets heavy
and my soul turns blue;
hitchin down the road
lookin for a ride to anywhere,
takin trails and boxcars
far away from mad worldly cares.
It's a fever
that I can't seem to explain...
why it is I love to ramble
and hop aboard lonely-moanin old trains.
poem by Smoky Hoss
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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