Hank Williams

Freight Train Blues Written by John Lair 1935. Recorded by Roy Acuff's
Crazy Tennesseans 1936, "Dynamite" Hatcher vocal, Acuff mimics the train
whistle.

This is Hank Williams 1939-40 version on the 10 CD box set from Mercury.


(C) I was born in Dixie in a boomer's shack,
Just a little old shanty by a (G7) railroad (C) track,
The hummin' of the drivers was my lullaby,
and a freight train whistle taught me (G7) how to (C) cry.

Chorus:
(C) I've got the freight train blues, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy,
Got 'em in the bottom of my (D7) ramblin' (G7) shoes,
And (C) when that whistle blows, I've gotta go, (C7)
(F) Oh! Lordy! (C) guess I'm never gonna (A7) lose,
The (D7) mean old (G7) freight train (C) blues.

(C) Now my Pappy was a fireman and my Mammy dear,
Was the only daughter of an (G7) en-gin- (C) eer,
My sister married a brakeman and it ain't no joke,
Now it's a shame the way she keeps a (G7) good man (C) broke.

Chorus: (one word changed, that whistle, to, the whistle.)
(C) I've got the freight train blues, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy,
Got 'em in the bottom of my (D7) ramblin' (G7) shoes,
And(C) when the whistle blows, I've gotta go, (C7)
(F) Oh! Lordy! (C) guess I'm never gonna (A7) lose,
The (D7) mean old (G7) freight train (C) blues.