ROCK ISLAND LINE
(Traditional / Huddy Ledbetter / Arr. Lonnie Donegan)
Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group - 1956
(Bass : Chris Barber)


Now this heres a story about the rock island line
now the rock island lines a rail road line
and runs down into new orleans
and just out side new orleans is a big toll gate
now all the trains that go through the tool gate
gotta pay the man some money
unless of course they got certain things on board
then they okay they dont gotta pay the man nothin
right now we see a train she comin on down the line
when she gets up to the toll gate the deport shouts down to the
driver
he wants to know whathe got on board so he say
er.. `what you got on board there boy'
and the driver he shouts right back down the depoy
tells him what he got on board
I got sheep, i got cows, i got horses, i got pigs i got all live
stock
i got all live stock i got alll liiive stock
and the man he say your all right there boy you aint gotta pay nothin
just get um on through so the train goes through the tunnel
and as he goes through he gets up a little bit of steam
he gets up a little bit of speed
and when hes saftley on the other side of the toll gate
the driver he shouts back to the man
he dont care what he says now hes goin home
he goin down to rock island line he says
i fooled you i fooled you
i got pig iron i got pig iron i got allllll pig iron
he said i tell you where im goin boy
im goin down to rock island line
yes yes shes a mighty good road

the rock island line shes a mighty good road
the rock island line is the road to ride
the rock island line shes a mighty good road
and if you wanna ride it you gotta ride it like you find it
get your ticket at the station on the rock island line

well i may be right i may be wrong
i no your gonna miss me when im gone

and the rock island line shes a mighty good road
the rock island line is the road to ride
the rock island line shes a mighty good road
and if wanna ride it you ride like you find it
get your ticket at the station on the rock island line

ABCWHYZ cats in the cupboard but he dont see me

the rock island line is a mighty good road
the rock island line is the road to ride
the rock island line shes a mighty good road
and if you wanna ride it you gotta ride it like you find it
get your ticket at the station on the rock island line

im seen gonna be while before you see me again there comein and

the rock island line is a mighty good road
the rock island line is the road to ride t
he rock island line shes a mighty good road
and if you wanna ride it you gotta ride it like you find it
get your ticket at the station on the rock island line.



(Contributed by Shay Griffiths - April 2004)