JOHNNY THE ENGINEER
(as sung by Vernon Dalhart)

If you railroad men will listen, I'll sing a little song
About a railroad engineer whose name was Johnny Long
Now Johnny was as fair a lad as ere you'd chance to see
And Johnny had a sweetheart by the name of Sally Lee.
As he traveled by the crossings, he made his whistle call
A song of love for Sally Lee for she was Johnny's all.
While waiting in the station yard he'd hum a little tune
A tune about his sweetheart for he knew he'd meet her soon.
While his sweetheart would wait by the old garden gate
He would travel down the line
He knew that she'd meet him, with kisses to greet him
So he'd always pull in on time.

Now one evening they were walking the pathway into town
When the call boy came a-running with a shout to slow them down
"Come Johnny, you are on the board, I know it isn't right,
But you must hold the throttle on the fast express tonight!"
The fast express tore down the line, a rock lay on the track
And Johnny felt an awful crash, then everything was black
They found him lying 'neath his cab, his head was streaked with gore
Alas for Johnny's sweetheart, she will never see him more.
Oh alas for her, poor Sally Lee, her sweetheart's dead & gone
As silent grave is all she has to shower lover upon.
Oh ladies who love railroad me, may you all happy be
And may to you not come the fate that came to Sally Lee.
She will never more wait by the old garden gate
For he'll ride his cab no more.
She will never more meet him, with kisses to greet him
For he's gone to that other shore.