Hey Dad, I'm sorry to leave my home
Mm-mm-mm
Lord, Lord, Lord, Lordy

She heard that 8:30 local blowing that
Morning. She hadn't rid the train in a good while
She thought it'd have that Special Streamline
She heard at 8:30 local when she is coming
To the line, declared up for that Streamline
Blowing like this

She said, 'Daddy, is that my train?
I say, I ain't keeping up with the train time
I'm tryin-a make a few dimes
She dropped her head went to singing
An crying:

It's alright how you turn me down
Mm-mm-mm
I ain't got a dime

After she called for a ticket
She heard this Special Streamline
Going 36 miles from Memphis, Tennessee
Make ya lonesome now
'Cause I hobo myself, sometimes

Man asks her, 'Where the other train?
She told him she didn't know
If she heard a bell she could tell him all about it
As she dropped over that hill
And stopped off in the valley
She heard the bell begin to toll like this

'Make a sound like a church bell toll

Before she got to that ten mile tunnel
She blowed and throw'd on the airbrakes

Airbrakes!
When she got to that ten mile tunnel
She was getting close
She was tippin cars on automatic switch
Getting her water and coal on the fly
You could hear her when she was striking
That double iron like this

When she run 'cross the last one
She squalled in

This girl looked out an seen that train
She commenced to singing an crying
'Hey, dad I don't wanna leave'
Mm-mm
I believe I'll lose my mind

When that train got a little closer
Down to New Orleans, she went around
That curve, you would hear her
When she's blowing like this

The people's always standing at the station
Lying there to see that train come in
You would hear her when she squalls
Boy, ev'rywhere but here

Copyright: Universal Music Publishing Group
Writer(s): BUKKA WHITE