Hi all,

I'm finishing a double compilation CD of folk singers in Sydney Australia and would like help sourcing one of the songs.

I'm told that Jim Ringer sang it, but am not sure who wrote it. These are the lyrics:

"We'll play guitar all night long when the good old days come back
When the Wabash Cannonball comes steamin' down this rusty track
We'll sing along with the bluebirds' song in the cold clear air for sure
There'll be a chicken in every pot when the hard times come no more

Oh hard times come again no more!
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door
Oh hard times come again no more!

All I see is poverty when I look for a brighter day
The good Lord knows where the good times go, the good times sure go away
I'll make a damn good wealthy man, I ain't done good as poor
And there'll be a chicken in every pot when the hard times come no more

I'm tired of singin' sad songs, I wanna dance an old time jig
I recall when the bills were small a Cadillac was big
A government bond was as good as gold, a handshake meant for sure
Oh there'll be a chicken in every pot when the hard times come no more

I hope I'm here to stand and cheer when nobody has the blues
When you watch TV and all you see is nothin' but good news
I wanna see the old SP kick an Amtrak out the door
I wanna see a chicken in every pot when the hard times come no more"

Clearly the chorus is borrowed from Stephen Foster but the reference to Amtrak dates the song to after 1970. Any ideas?

Miguel Heatwole