ROCK ISLAND LINE, by Huddie Ledbetter, as recorded by Johnny Cash in 1957, on "Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar."

Now, this here is the story about the Rock Island Line.
Well, the Rock Island Line she runs down into New Orleans.
There's a big tollgate down there,
And you know, if you got certain things on board when you go through the tollgate,
Well, you don't have to pay the man no toll.
Well, a train driver, he pulled up to the tollgate,
And the man hollered 'n' asked 'im what all he had on board,
And he said:

I got livestock. I got livestock.
I got cows. I got pigs. I got sheep.
I got mules. I got all livestock.

Well, they said, you're all right, boy.
You don't have to pay no toll.
You can just go right on through.
So he went on through the tollgate,
And as he went through, he started pickin' up a little bit o' speed,
Pickin' up a little bit o' steam.
He got on through, he turned, looked back 't the man, he said:

Well, I fooled you. I fooled you.
I got pig iron. I got pig iron.
I got all pig iron.

Down the Rock Island Line, she's a mighty good road.
Rock Island Line, it's the road to ride.
Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road.
Well, if you ride, you got to ride it like you find it.
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line.

Oh, cloudy in the west, and it look like rain.
Around the curve come a passenger train.
North-bound train on a south-bound track.
He's all right a-leavin' but he won't be back.

Well, the Rock Island Line she's a mighty good road.
Rock Island Line, it's the road to ride.
Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road.
Well, if you ride, you got to ride it like you find it.
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line.

Oh, I may be right and I may be wrong,
But you're gonna miss me when I'm gone.

Well, the engineer said before he died,
That there were two more drinks that he'd like to try.
Conductor said, what could they be?
A hot cup o' coffee, and a cold glass o' tea.

Well, the Rock Island Line, she's a mighty good road.
Rock Island Line, it's the road to ride.
Rock Island Line, it's a mighty good road.
Well, if you ride, you got to ride it like you find it.
Get your ticket at the station for the Rock Island Line.


Whew, that's a long one!