I was born in dixie in a boomer's shack
Just a little old shanty by a railroad track
The hummin' of the drivers was my lullaby
And a freight train whistle taught me how to cry

I've got the freight train blues, lordy, lordy, lordy
Got 'em in the bottom of my ramblin' shoes
And when that whistle blows, I've gotta go
Oh! lordy! Guess I'm never gonna lose
The mean old freight train blues

Now my pappy was a fireman and my mammy dear
Was the only daughter of an engineer
My sister married a brakeman and it ain't no joke
Now it's a shame the way she keeps a good man broke

I've got the freight train blues, lordy, lordy, lordy
Got 'em in the bottom of my ramblin' shoes
And when the whistle blows, I've gotta go
Oh! lordy! Guess I'm never gonna lose
The mean old freight train blues