Me, I prefer the original. No hokey little recitations to 'set up' lyrics that don't need any explanation. And Jimmie's putting the title line fourth instead of second suits me too -- more country. Or maybe it's just whatever one first hears -- I learned the JR version:

All around a water tank,
Standing in the rain.
I'm a thousand miles away from home,
Waiting for a train...

I don't know what the sales figures were, but I always introduce the tune as the first giant C&W hit -- it was covered ny practically everybody.

James in Bristol, RI (not in the Savoie, which is in France)