Rock Island Line
Lonnie Donegan feat. Chris Barber's Jazz Band Lyrics

Now, this here's the story about the Rock Island line
Introduction to the song, the story of the Rock Island line railroad

Now, the Rock Island line is a railroad line
The Rock Island line is a specific railroad track

And it runs down into New Orleans
The Rock Island line ends in New Orleans

And just outside of New Orleans is a big toll gate
Before entering New Orleans, there is a toll gate on the Rock Island line

And all the trains that go through the toll gate
Any train that passes through the toll gate

Why, they gotta pay the man some money
Must pay money to get through the toll gate

Less of course, they got certain things on board
Unless they have specific cargo on board

Then they okay, then they don't ever have to pay the man nothin'
They are exempt from paying toll gate fees with certain cargo

And right now, we see a train
The storyteller identifies a train

She's comin' on down the line
The train is approaching the toll gate

And when she got up here to the toll gate
The train arrives at the toll gate

The-a depot, he shout down to the driver
The toll gate agent yells to the train driver

He want to know what he got on board
The agent asks about the cargo on board

So he say a
The driver responds with

What you got on board there, boy
The toll gate agent asks again

And the driver, he sing right on back
The driver sings his response

Down to the depot agent
Singing his answer to the toll gate agent

Tell him what he got on board
Informing him what cargo the train is carrying

The got a way of singing
The train has a specific way of communicating their cargo

I got sheep, I got cows
The train has livestock aboard

I got horses, I got pigs
The train has other livestock aboard

I got all livestock
The train has a variety of different livestock aboard

And the man say, well, he say
The agent responds with

Your alright there, boy
The agent approves the cargo

You don't have to pay me nothin'
The agent waives the toll gate fee for the train

Just get 'em on through
The agent instructs the train to pass through the toll gate

So the train go through the toll gate
The train passes through the toll gate

And as it go through
As the train passes through the toll gate

It got up a little bit of steam
The train picks up speed

And a, a little bit of speed
Continued description of the train accelerating

And when he sees me
The driver sees the storyteller

On the other side of the toll gate
The storyteller is on the opposite side of the toll gate now

They, the driver shout back
The driver yells back to the agent

Down the line to the man
Continuing to describe the interaction between the driver and the agent

'Course you don't hear what he say now
The storyteller is too far away to hear what is said

But home down the Rock Island line
But heading down the Rock Island line

I fooled you, I fooled you
The driver is pleased he tricked the agent

I got pig iron, I got pig iron
The train actually has pig iron cargo, not livestock

I got all pig iron
The entire train is carrying pig iron, not livestock anymore

He said, tell you where I'm goin', boy
The driver tells the agent his destination

Goin' down the Rock Island line, yes, yes
Going down the Rock Island line

She's a mighty good road
Describing the Rock Island line as a good road

Oh well, the Rock Island line
Repeating the name of the railroad line

She's a mighty good road
Reiterating the statement about the quality of the Rock Island line

Rock Island line is the road to ride
The Rock Island line is a great railroad to travel on

Ya, the Rock Island line
Yet another reference to the Rock Island line

Is a mighty good road
Confirming the quality of the Rock Island line

And if you want to ride
If you want to travel on the Rock Island line

You gotta ride it
You must actually travel on it

Like you find it
Take the train as you find it

Get your ticket at the station
Buy your ticket at the appropriate station

On the Rock Island line
At the station for the Rock Island line

Well, I may be right
The storyteller acknowledges that he may or may not be correct

I may be wrong
He isn't sure if his information is precisely accurate

I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
He predicts people will miss him after he leaves

Hallaluah, I'm safe from sin
A religious reference about being safe from sin

The good Lord's comin'
A reference to the second coming of Christ

For to see me again
To be reunited in the afterlife

Keep it goin'
Encouraging the continuation of the song and story

The Rock Island line
Another reference to the Rock Island line

She's a mighty good road
Yet again, complimenting the Rock Island line

Rock Island line is the road to ride
Repeating that the Rock Island line is a great railroad to travel on

Ya, the Rock Island line
Still talking about the Rock Island line

And if you want to ride
Reiterating the need to travel on the Rock Island line

You gotta ride it
Again, emphasizing the importance of actually traveling on the line

Like you find it
Travel on it as you see it

Get your ticket at the station
Purchase your ticket before traveling

On the Rock Island line
At the correct station for the Rock Island line