something about
that long black train
a whistle that blew
a hundred miles
about not going home
this a-way this a-away
penniless hoping
leave a dime for beer
spike driver sings
of a love left and lost
you can hear that KC moan
Doppler-shifting through the night
so take the A-train
keep it rolling cannonballing
if you’re howling and you’re trusting
and you’re getting pushed around
something about
that old glory train
don’t need any luggage they say
if you’re tired of transportation
in the back of a hack
might hear that train a-coming
hear the whistle see the smoke
too bad you had to leave this town but
that’s just the way it goes
on the New Delhi freight train
or that last one to Clarkesville
mean ol’ ‘Frisco Marrakesh bound
Wabash too or maybe Alabam
Casey Jones John Henry
Reuben and his buddy Railroad Bill
don’t you tell a-one of them
which train you’re on so
they won’t know where you’ve gone
something about
a brokedown engine
and the lack of a driving wheel
you shouldn’t be here trying
to sing these railroad blues
to all concerned dead or alive
at yet another whistle stop
where the locos will arrive
followed her to the station
suitcase in your hand
no one heard you crying
a-woo-hoo let a poor boy ride
so doggone blue to listen
to that old smokestack
when there’s two trains running
just one coming back
Richard Foreman