The field recording I mentioned above is "The Rock Island Line," sung by Kelly Pace, Charlie Porter, L.T. Edwards, Willie Hubbard, Luther Williams, Napoleon Cooper, Albert Pate, and Willie Lee Jones at Cummins State Farm, Gould, Ark., 1934. Recorded by John A. Lomax. It is in Negro Work Songs and Calls (Rounder).

THE ROCK ISLAND LINE

(Chorus)
I says the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road.
I says the Rock Island Line is the road to ride.
I says the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road.
If you want to ride, you gotta ride it like you're flyin'.
Buy your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line.

1. Well, Jesus died to save me in all of my sin.
Well-a, glory to God, we goin' to meet Him again.

2. Well, the train left Memphis at half pas' nine.
Well, it made it back to Little Rock at eight forty-nine.

3. Well, Jesus died to save me in all of my sin.
Well-a, glory to God, we goin' to meet Him again.

~Masato