Lyr Add:- Poison Train (Michael O'Rourke)

Poison Train
Michael O'Rourke

This old town has had it's day, all the people moved away,
The houses standing empty in the dry and dusty day.
No one cares for this old town now the money's not around,
The railway line is rusty and the station's falling down

When the railway opened here all the gutters flowed with beer,
And the people stood beside the line to watch and wave and cheer.
Oh the speeches that were made when the bosses smiled and said,
"Good times beginning - follow us and you'll go ahead."

There's a light down the line, let it shine lord let it shine,
There's a camp down the way, all the fettlers will be coming home today.

Well they built the streets so wide it'd be a thing of pride
To walk across it drunk or throw a stone to the other side,
And the buildings grew so tall you would tremble at their fall,
Now they all fall down and you'd never know there was anyone there at all.

There's a light down the line...

You can hear the tall man say to the children at their play,
Now you'd better go home early and you'd better stay away.
Stay away from the line can't you hear the tracks are humming,
The grass has grown too tall and the poison train is coming.

There's a light ....

You feel sorry for the grass all it did was grow too fast,
An with the weapons ranged against it, it was never meant last.
And the man and his offsider, well they're all dressed in black,
As the poison train goes through the town and blisters all the track.

But there's a light…

Well it never lasted long half the town was dead and gone;
They were all just too afraid to be left there all alone.
And the people moved away - there was no celebration,
No-one made a speech the day they closed down the station.

There's a light down the line...



Another great song. This is from the lyrics page of Chloe and Jason Roweth of New South Wales http://www.rowethmusic.com.au/pages1/livelyrics.html

from the "us not them" live album "one man's weeds, another man's flowers"

It's also been recorded by The Fagans (Bob & Margaret) and by Nancy Kerr & James Fagan. I was lucky enough to hear the combined Fagan family and Nancy Kerr singing this live a couple of years ago at the Harp in Sydney. Powerful stuff.

Ross