WRECK OF THE TENNESSEE GRAVY TRAIN
(Uncle Dave Macon)
The people of Tennessee want to know who wrecked our gravy train
The one we thought was run so well and now who can we blame
They want to know who greased the track and started it down the road
This same ol' train contained our money to build our highway roads

Chorus:
But now we're up against it and no use to raise a row
But of all the times I've ever seen, we're sure up against it now
The only thing that we can do is to do the best we can
Follow me, good people, I'm bound for the promised land

Now, I could be a banker without the least excuse
But look at the treasurer of Tennessee and tell me what's the use
We lately bonded Tennessee for just five million bucks
The bonds were issued and the money tied up and now we're in tough luck

Chorus

Some lay it all on parties, some lay it on others you see
But now that you can plainly see what happened to Tennessee
For the engineer pulled the throttle, conductor rang the bell
The brakeman hollered 'all aboard' and the banks all went to hell

Source: transcription of reissue on Various Artists 'Hard Times Come Again No More Vol 2' Yazoo CD 2037. The original recording (17 December 1930?) was released as Okeh 45507. In this performance, Uncle Dave was accompanied by Sam McGee on banjo-guitar.

Uncle Dave was very fond of topical songs and wrote many more than he actually recorded. This one related to a state scandal of the embezzlement of highway funds. The first 2 lines of the chorus had been used by him in an earlier topical song 'We're Up Against It Now' (Vocalion 15447, recorded 8 September 1926) – see link earlier in this thread to lyrics in forum. The chorus therein was:

We're up against it now
There's no use to raise a row
But of all the times I've ever seen
We're sure up against it now

In his notes to 'Rich Man Poor Man: American Country Songs of Protest' (Rounder 1026), Mark Wilson suggested that the lyrical similarity of the choruses indicates Macon may have 'based both on some antecedent bit of minstrelsy'.
PS.