ROCK ISLAND LINE
(Traditional / Huddie Ledbetter / Arr: Johnny Cash)
Johnny Cash - 1956


SPOKEN:
Now this here's a story about the Rock Island Line
Well the Rock Island Line she runs down into New Orleans
There's a big tollgate down there and you know
If you got certain things on board when you go through the tollgate
Well you don't have to pay the man no toll
Well a train driver he pulled up to the tollgate
And a man hollered and asked him what all he had on board and 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 all right boy you don't have to pay no toll
You can just go right on through so he went on through the toolgate
And as he went through he started pickin' up a little bit of speed
Pickin' up a little bit of steam
He got on through he turned and looked back at the man he said
Well I fooled you I fooled you I got pigiron I got pigiron I got old 
pigiron
Down 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 ride you got to ride it like you finally get your ticket 
At the station for the Rock Island Line

Looked cloudy in the west and it looked like rain
Round the curve came a passenger train
North bound train on the southbound track 
He's alright a leavin' but he won't be back

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 ride you got to ride it 
Like you finally get your ticket 
At the station for the Rock Island Line

Oh I may be right and I may be wrong 
But you gonna miss me when I'm gone
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

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 ride you got to ride it 
Like you finally get your ticket 
At the station for the Rock Island Line