Come and gather all around me
Listen to my tale of woe
Got some good advice to give you
Lots of things you oughta know
Take a tip from one whos travelled
And never stopped a-ramblin round
cause once you get the roamin fever
You never want to settle down, boy
You never want to settle down
I met a little gal in frisco
And I asked her to be my wife
Told her I was tired of roamin
Goin to settle down for life
Then I heard the whistle blowin
And I knew it was the red ball train
And I left that gal beside the railroad
And I never saw the gal again, boy
I never saw the gal again
Saw the gal again
I never saw the gal again
Left that gal beside the railroad
And I never saw the gal again
Travelled all over the country
Ive travelled everywhere
I been on every branch line railroad
And I never paid a nickel fare
I been from maine to californy
And from canada to mexico
I never tried to save no money
And now I got no place to bo, boy
Now I got no place to go
Listen to a boomers story
Pay attention to what I say
Well, I hear another train a-comin
Guess Ill be on my way
If you wanna do me a favor
When I lay me down and die
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So I can hear the trains go by, boys
So I can hear the trains go by
Hear the trains go
Hear the trains go by
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So I can hear the trains go by