Rock Island Line

(album: American Folk Songbook - 2011)

Now this here's a story of the Rock Island Line
Now the Rock Island Lines runs down into New Orleans
And just outside of New Orleans is a big toll gate
Now all the trains that go through the toll gate
Well, they gotta pay the man some money
Now of course if you just have certain things on board
Then you don't have to pay the man nothing
Well, just now we see a train making its way down the line
And when she gets come up to the toll gate
The driver, he shouts down to the man and he says:
"I got pigs, I got horses, I got cows, I got sheep
I got all livestock, I got all livestock, I got all livestock"
And the man says: "Well, you're all right then, you got on through
You don't have to pay me nothin'"
And the train goes through
And when he goes through the toll gate
The train gets up a little bit of steam
And a little bit of speed
And when driver think he's safely on the other side
He shouts back down the line to the man, and he said:
"I fooled you, I fooled you
I got pig iron, I got pig iron, I got all pig iron"

Well, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road (Is a mighty good road)
The Rock Island Line is the road to ride (Is the road to ride)
The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road (Is a mighty good road)
If you want to ride it, gotta ride it like you flying
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line (Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line)

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

Well, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road (Is a mighty good road)
The Rock Island Line is the road to ride (Is the road to ride)
The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road (Is a mighty good road)
If you want to ride it, gotta ride it like you flying
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line (Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line)

Hallelujah, I'm saved from sin
The good Lord is coming for to see me again

Well, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road (Is a mighty good road)
The Rock Island Line is the road to ride (Is the road to ride)
The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road (Is a mighty good road)
If you want to ride it, gotta ride it like you flying (If you want to ride it, gotta ride it like you flyin')
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line (Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line)

A-B-C, double-X-Y-Z
Thee cats in the cupboard but it don't see me

Well, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road (Is a mighty good road)
The Rock Island Line is the road to ride (Is the road to ride)
The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road (Is a mighty good road)
If you want to ride it, gotta ride it like you flying (If you want to ride it, gotta ride it like you flyin')
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line (Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line)

The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road (Is a mighty good road)
The Rock Island Line is the road to ride (Road to ride)
The Rock Island Line is a mighty good road
If you want to ride it, gotta ride it like you flying (If you want to ride it, gotta ride it like you flyin')
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line (Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line)