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Rock Island Line Lyrics
Now, this here’s 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, y’ know, if 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, the train driver, he pulled up to the toll gate
and The man hollered and asked him what all he had on board, and he said
I got livestock, I got livestock
I got cows, I got pigs, I got sheep, I got mules, I got all livestock
Well, he said, you’re alright, boy
You don’t have to pay no toll
You can just go right on through
So, he went on through the toll gate, and as he went through
He started picking up a little bit of speed
Picking up a little bit of steam
He got on through he turned a look back to the man, 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 mighty good road
The Rock Island Line, it’s a road to ride
The Rock Island Line, it’s a mighty good road
Well, if you could ride you gotta ride like you find it
Get your ticket at the station called the Rock Island Line
It was cloudy in the west, and it looked like rain,
round the curve come-a passenger train.
North-bound train on the south-bound track,
You were all right a-leavin but he won’t be back
Well, the Rock Island Line she's a mighty good road
The Rock Island Line, it’s a road to ride
The Rock Island Line, it’s a mighty good road
Well, if you could ride you gotta ride like you find it
Get your ticket at the station of the Rock Island Line
well I may be right and I may be wrong
But you’re gotta miss me when I’m gone
Well, the engineer said before he died,
that There were two more drinks that he’d like to try,
Conductor said “what could they be”
“a hot cup of coffee and cold glass of tea”
Well, the Rock Island Line she's a mighty good road
Rock Island Line, it’s a road to ride
Rock Island Line, it’s a mighty good road
Well, if you could ride you gotta ride like you find it
Get your ticket at the station called the Rock Island Line
Well, The Rock Island line, she runs down into New Orleans
There’s a big toll gate down there
And, y’ know, if 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, the train driver, he pulled up to the toll gate
and The man hollered and asked him what all he had on board, and he said
I got livestock, I got livestock
I got cows, I got pigs, I got sheep, I got mules, I got all livestock
Well, he said, you’re alright, boy
You don’t have to pay no toll
You can just go right on through
So, he went on through the toll gate, and as he went through
He started picking up a little bit of speed
Picking up a little bit of steam
He got on through he turned a look back to the man, he said
Well, I fooled you, I fooled you
I got pig iron, I got pig iron
I got all pig iron
The Rock Island Line, it’s a road to ride
The Rock Island Line, it’s a mighty good road
Well, if you could ride you gotta ride like you find it
Get your ticket at the station called the Rock Island Line
round the curve come-a passenger train.
North-bound train on the south-bound track,
You were all right a-leavin but he won’t be back
The Rock Island Line, it’s a road to ride
The Rock Island Line, it’s a mighty good road
Well, if you could ride you gotta ride like you find it
Get your ticket at the station of the Rock Island Line
But you’re gotta miss me when I’m gone
that There were two more drinks that he’d like to try,
Conductor said “what could they be”
“a hot cup of coffee and cold glass of tea”
Rock Island Line, it’s a road to ride
Rock Island Line, it’s a mighty good road
Well, if you could ride you gotta ride like you find it
Get your ticket at the station called the Rock Island Line
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This song describes a train derailment that happened in real life. The train started speeding up after the engineer lied to the toll man about his cargo. The train went too fast around the curve and derailed.
The part that goes:
Well the engineer said before he died There were two more drinks that he'd like to try The conductor said what could they be A hot cup of coffee and a cold glass of tea
Always gets me. In his last moments, the only thing he wanted was the most basic reminders of life. Love this song.