Prologue: slow
GNow, this here's the story of the Rock Island Line
Well, the Rock Island Line, she runs down into New Orleans
There's a big toll gate down there
An you know if you got certain things on board
When you go through the toll gate
You don't have to pay the man no toll
Well, a train driver he pulled up to the tollgate
An' the man hollered nicely what all he had on board, an 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 alright boy, you don't have to pay no toll
You just go right on through, so
He went on through the toll gate
As he went through, he started pickin' up a little bit of speed
Pickin' up a little bit of steam
Well, he got on through an' he turned to loook back at the man
And he said: Well, I fooled you, I fooled you
I got pig iron, I got pig iron, I got all pig iron
Chorus:
GNow, the Rock Island she's a mighty good road
Rock Island Line, it's the Droad to ride
GRock Island Line is a mighty good road
Well if you ride it you gotta ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station for the DRock Island LineG
v.1
GOh, cloudy in the west an' it looks like rain
DAround the curve comes a passenger train
Northbound train on a southbound track
He's already leavin' but he won't be back
Rpt. Ch.
v.2
Well 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
There's two more drinks that he'd like to try
The conductor said what could they be?
A hot cup of coffee and a cold glass of tea
Rpt. Ch.