I've Been Working On The Railroad
The Laurie Berkner Band (Children's) Lyrics

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I've been working on the railroad
All the live long day
I've been working on the railroad
Just to pass the time away

Can't you hear the whistle blowing
Rise up so early in the morn
Can't you hear the captain shouting

Dinah, blow your horn

Dinah, won't you blow, Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow your horn?
Dinah, won't you blow, Dinah, won't you blow
Dinah, won't you blow your horn?

Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Someone's in the kitchen I know
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Strumming on the old banjo

And singing
Fee fie fiddle eell o
Fee fie fiddle eell o
Fee fie fiddle eell o
Strumming on the old banjo

And singing
Fee fie fiddle eell o
Fee fie fiddle eell o

Fee fie fiddle eell o
Strumming on the old banjo

Overall Meaning

The Laurie Berkner Band's song "I've Been Working On The Railroad" is a classic children's song that dates back to the mid-19th century. The song talks about the life of railroad workers and their daily routine. The first verse of the song states that the singer has been working on the railroad all day, just to pass the time away. The song notes the whistle blowing and the captain shouting, and then introduces the character of Dinah, who is asked to blow her horn.

Dinah is a significant character in the song, and potentially refers to a female African American railroad worker. This verse of the song is possibly the most well-known, with the catchy tune and call-and-response structure. The second verse then introduces another character, someone who is in the kitchen with Dinah, strumming on an old banjo and singing "Fee fie fiddle eell o". This verse serves as a light-hearted break from the repetitive life of a railroad worker.

Overall, "I've Been Working On The Railroad" is a fun and catchy song that introduces children to the world of railroad workers and their daily lives.

Line by Line Meaning

I've been working on the railroad
I have been working hard to maintain and operate the railroad

All the live long day
I work on the tracks every hour of every day

Just to pass the time away
Working on the railroad keeps me busy and makes the time fly by

Can't you hear the whistle blowing
Listen to the sound of the train's whistle blowing

Rise up so early in the morn
The train runs early in the morning

Can't you hear the captain shouting
Listen to the voice of the leader of the train crew

Dinah, blow your horn
Sound your horn, Dinah, to alert others that the train is approaching

Dinah, won't you blow, Dinah, won't you blow
Please sound your horn, Dinah

Dinah, won't you blow your horn?
It is important for Dinah to sound her horn for safety

Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah
Another person is in the kitchen with Dinah

Someone's in the kitchen I know
I am aware that there is someone else in the kitchen