Rock Island line

The Rock Island Line (Is a Mighty Fine Line)

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Lyrics

The Rock Island Line (Is a Mighty Fine Line)
(Huddie Ledbetter)

A-B-C double  X-Y-Z
Cat's in the cupboard and she cain't find me

cho: Oh the Rock Island Line is a mighty fine line
   Oh the Rock Island Line is the road to ride
   If you want to ride, you gotta ride it like you're flyin'
   Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line.

Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong
Lawd you gonna miss me when I'm gone.

Jesus died to save our sins
Glory to God I'm gonna see Him again

Moses stood on the Red Sea shore
Smotin' the water with a two-by-four etc.


RG

http://oprt.org/history/four.html

In 1892 the Rock Island completed a line from Kansas across Oklahoma Territory to the Red River . In order to extend this line into Texas , a charter was obtained on July 15, 1892, for the Chicago , Rock Island and Texas Railway Company to build from the north line of Montague County south to Weatherford in Parker County , a distance of seventy-five miles. On February 2, 1893, the charter of the Chicago , Rock Island and Texas was amended to provide for an extension to Fort Worth and Dallas . In August 1903 ninety-two miles of track was opened between the Oklahoma-Texas line through Bridgeport and on to Fort Worth . The line was laid through Wise County in 1893 and came within a mile east of Bridgeport. At that time Bridgeport was located on the banks of the Trinity River. The town moved from that location to its present site occuping land on both sides of the tracks. The charter was further amended to authorize a line from Bridgeport to Graham, and the fifty-five mile line was completed in 1903.

http://www.bridgeporttxhistorical.org/Pages/Rock%20Island%20Railroad.html

The Rock Island Line

One of the great songs performed by Lead Belly and interpreted by numerous

artists, over the years, such as the Weavers. Many interpreters have added

their own humorous words, but these are the original lyrics created and sung by Lead Belly.

The Rock Island Line

(Huddie Ledbetter 'Lead Belly')

Chorus:

[G] Oh the Rock Island Line is a mighty fine line

Oh the Rock Island Line is the [D] road to ride

[G] Oh the Rock Island Line is a mighty fine line

If you [C] want to ride, you gotta [G] ride it like you're flyin'

Get your [C] ticket at the station on the [D] Rock Island [G] Line

[G] A-B-C double X-Y-Z

[D] Cat's in the cupboard and she cain't [G] find me

CH

Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong

Lawd you gonna miss me when I'm gone

CH

Jesus died to save our sins

Glory to God I'm gonna see Him again

CH

Moses stood on the Red Sea shore

Smotin' the water with a two-by-four

CH X2

http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden-wp/?p=7031

[The chorus is the only part sung, the rest is spoken]

Now, this here's the story about the Rock Island line
Now, the Rock Island line is a railroad line
And it runs down into New Orleasn
And just outside of New Orleans is a big toll gate
And all the trains that go through the toll gate
Why, they gotta pay the man some money
Less of course, they got certain things on board
Then they okay, then they don't ever have to pay the man nothin'
And right now, we see a train
She's comin' on down the line
And when she got up here to the toll gate
The-a depot, he shout down to the driver
He want to know what he got on board
So he say a
What you got on board there, boy
And the driver, he sing right on back
Down to the depot agent
Tell him what he got on board
The got a way of singing

I got sheep, I got cows
I got horses, I got pigs
I got all livestock
I got all livestock
I got all livestock

And the man say, well, he say
Your alright there, boy
You don't have to pay me nothin'
Just get 'em on through
So the train go through the toll gate
And as it go through
It got up a little bit of steam
And a, a little bit of speed
And when he sees me
On the other side of the toll gate
They, the driver shout back
Down the line to the man
'Course you don't hear what he say now
But home down the Rock Island line

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

He said, tell you where I'm goin', boy
Goin' down the Rock Island line, yes, yes
She's a mighty good road
Oh well, the Rock Island line
She's a mighty good road
Rock Island line is the road to ride
Ya, the Rock Island line
Is a mighty good road
And if you want to ride
You gotta ride it
Like you find it
Get your ticket at the station
On the Rock Island line
Well, I may be right
I may be wrong
I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone

Ya,the Rock Island line
She's a mighty good road
Rock Island line is the road to ride
Ya, the Rock Island line
she's a mighty good road
And if you want to ride
You gotta ride it
Like you find it
Get your ticket at the station
On the Rock Island line

A B C, W X Y Z
Cat's in the cupboard
But he don't see me

Now, the Rock Island line
She's a mighty good road
Rock Island line is the road to ride
Ya, the Rock Island line
She's a mighty good road
And if you want to ride
You gotta ride it
Like you find it
Get your ticket at the station
On the Rock Island line

Hallaluah, I'm safe from sin
The good Lord's comin'
For to see me again

Keep it goin'

And the Rock Island line
She's a mighty good road
Rock Island line is the road to ride
Ya, the Rock Island line
She's a mighty good road
And if you want to ride
You gotta ride it
Like you find it
Get your ticket at the station
On the Rock Island line

The Rock Island line
She's a mighty good road
Rock Island line is the road to ride
Ya, the Rock Island line
She's a mighty good road
And if you want to ride
You gotta ride it
Like you find it
Get your ticket at the station
On the Rock Island line

mp3 audio download version that I was able to find on soulseek and piratebay etc:

johnnyCash--01 - Rock Island Line.mp3
johnnyCash--11 - Rock island line (Wolf Remix).mp3
leadbelly-GoodMorningBlues----11 Rock Island Line.mp3
leadbelly-whereDidYouSleepLastNight-SmithsonianFolkways----13 - rock island line.mp3
Mano Negra - The Best Of Mano Negra - 06 - Rock Island Line.mp3
old_time_blues_of_the_20s_n_30s---furry_lewis-rock_island_line.mp3
Rock island line - Lonnie Donegan & his Skiffle Group.mp3
06 Little Richard With Fishbone - Rock Island Line.mp3
aCapella-CompleteWorksVol1-leadbelly-----Rock Island Line.mp3
iBiblio-Rock_Island_Line.mp3

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