Railroad Worksong
The Notting Hillbillies Lyrics
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Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad good buddy for a dollar a day
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
Take this hammer take it to the captain
Take this hammer take it to the captain
Take this hammer good buddy take it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone
If he asks you was I running
If he asks you was I running
If he asks you good buddy was I running
Tell him I was flying tell him I was flying
If he asks you was I laughing
If he asks you was I laughing
If he asks you good buddy was I laughing
Tell him I was crying tell him I was crying
This old hammer rings like silver
This old hammer rings like silver
This old hammer good buddy rings like silver
Shine like gold good buddy and it shine like gold
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad good buddy for a dollar a day
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
The Notting Hillbillies’ “Railroad Worksong” is a rendition of a traditional folk song that speaks to the harsh realities of railroad work in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The lyrics describe the life of a laborer who works on the railroad for just a dollar a day. The chorus repeats the central message of the song; the singer is working hard because they need to “get my money, gotta get my pay.” The hammer is used to represent the tools of the laborer and is a symbol of the physical labor required for railroad work, while the captain represents the boss or owner of the railroad. When the singer tells the person carrying the hammer to tell the captain that they are gone, it is a sign of resignation and rebellion against their working conditions.
The song is a powerful commentary on the hardships of early industrial life and the exploitation of laborers. It speaks to the dehumanizing nature of jobs that pay barely enough to make ends meet but require backbreaking work. The singer’s desperation for a better life is palpable, and the imagery of the hammer and the captain highlights the power dynamic that exists between workers and their bosses. The repetition of the chorus underscores the need for the singer to keep working, even in the face of harsh conditions, to receive the bare minimum required to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
I am toiling away on the railway for a meager wage.
Working on a railroad good buddy for a dollar a day
My friend, I am simply working on the railroad for one dollar per day.
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
I must obtain my earnings; it is essential.
Take this hammer take it to the captain
Pass this tool to the person in charge of our labor, please.
Take this hammer good buddy take it to the captain
My comrade, transport this equipment to the authority overseeing our work.
Tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone
Notify him that I am departing.
If he asks you was I running
Inquires if I fled hurriedly.
If he asks you good buddy was I running
Friend, if he questions if I fled briskly, respond.
Tell him I was flying tell him I was flying
Inform him that I was moving swiftly like a bird.
If he asks you was I laughing
Indulges if he wants to know if I chuckled.
If he asks you good buddy was I laughing
My friend, if he prompts to know if I was chortling, answer.
Tell him I was crying tell him I was crying
Tell him I was sobbing.
This old hammer rings like silver
This aged hammer sounds clear like silver.
This old hammer good buddy rings like silver
My friend, this ancient hammer produces a ringing sound similar to silver.
Shine like gold good buddy and it shine like gold
My friend, it shimmers like gold, with a shining aesthetic.
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
I must secure my compensation; it is crucial.
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
I am determined to receive my wages.
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
It is vital that I collect my earnings.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRENDAN CHRISTOPHER CROKER, DP, GUY EDWARD FLETCHER, MARK KNOPFLER, STEVE PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
amarouali Amar
TRADITIONAL
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad good buddy for a dollar a day
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
Take this hammer take it to the captain
Take this hammer take it to the captain
Take this hammer good buddy take it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone
If he asks you was I running
If he asks you was I running
If he asks you good buddy was I running
Tell him I was flying tell him I was flying
If he asks you was I laughing
If he asks you was I laughing
If he asks you good buddy was I laughing
Tell him I was crying tell him I was crying
This old hammer rings like silver
This old hammer rings like silver
This old hammer good buddy rings like silver
Shine like gold good buddy and it shine like gold
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad for a dollar a day
Working on a railroad good buddy for a dollar a day
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
Gotta get my money gotta get my pay
Teen Mechanic
I'm still a relatively young guy, but this song has always served as a reality check/escape mechanism in my life. My dad, who I'm very blessed to still have around, used to rock me to sleep every time I got to see him as an infant, and I grew up listening to this album for years, and before I could read, I'd pick out the shapes of Mark Knopfler, and the guys on the album cover, and the shapes of the words, and play it on my first iPod. Like I said, I'm a young guy, but this song, and the entire album really, is likely the most important album to me. And I'm a guy who can't pick a "favorite song". So I feel like I'm saying a lot. Mark made a good decision.
lee lee
ive been saying good buddy since i was 10, and i just found how it came about from my dad playing this song and me just think good buddy sounded goog
Evanmonster1
This tune in particular holds a very special place in my heart. I don't get to see my dad very much, but luckily ten years ago, just me and him drove up to North and South Dakota. No distractions, no nothing. We went to the Black Hills, Deadwood, Sturgis, etc.. He put this cd in when we were driving in North Dakota as it was getting late and thinking how much the music fit the scenery. I remember listening to this tune as the sun was going down and staring off into the endless horizon of the Dakotas. I'll never forget that trip and how fitting this album was for it!
TETRASLYRE 73
You lucky spirited American. Good of you maan. Respect from France. X
Evanmonster1
Ha ha! Thank you. Cheers!
sebas de bordeaux
Oh yes I guess it was!! never been there but I imagine easily the perfect harmony!
Reid McLain
I have a similar story with this slbum
GuerrillaNature
Similar memories of driving with Dad gives this a powerful nostalgia. What a great example of simplicity being truly beautiful. Tears and goosebumps.
Pete Marsh
Owned the CD for decades since it came out, it's brilliant. The way the rythym on this track morphs into that of a swaying railroad train is pure genius.
Maverick21491
This album will forever be bound to me reading the Hobbit and Lord of the rings for the first time . Railroad Worksong will be my dwarf song for eternity to come .