Casey Jones (The Union Scab)

Lyrics

"You were telling me the other day about an original version of 'Casey Jones' and you sang me a verse I hadn't quite heard. And, I-uh, I'd wish you'd sing it now and before you sing it, tell us a little bit about it, what you know about it." "Well,  I learned this song in, uh, 1909, when I was switchin' boxcars in Memphis for the Illinois Central. And, uh, I heard Wallace Saunders sing this song myself. He was Casey Jones' fireman. This was within three or four years of Casey's death. All the negro railroad men knew this song. A lot of them sang it, and here is the original of 'Casey Jones'." Casey  Jones was an engineer Who told his firemen to have no fear All I want is water and coal And  my head out the window when the drivers roll When  the drivers roll When the drivers roll And  my head out the window when the drivers roll Through South Memphis yard on the fly The fireman hollered, "You've got a white eye." The switchmen knew by the engine's moan That  the man at the throttle was Casey Jones Oh, Casey Jones Oh, Casey Jones That the man at the throttle was Casey Jones Well, the engine rocked, and the drivers rolled The fireman hollered, "Lordie, save my soul!" Casey said "I'll roll her 'til she leaves the rails I'm way behind time with the Southern mail" "With the southern mail" "Oh, that southbound mail" "I'm way behind time with the southbound mail" Got within about a mile of the place A big old headlight stared him in the face He told his fireman "Boy, you'd better jump" "'Cause theres two locomotives that's a-going to bump" "That's a-going to bump" "That's a-going to bump" "Theres two locomotives that's a-going to bump" [?] [?] sees that sight The women stood crying, both colored and white I was there for the [?] They flagged him down, but he never looked back No, he never looked back No, he never looked back They flagged him down, but he never looked back Oh, Casey said, just before he died "There's lots more railroads that I'd like to ride" But the good Lord whispered "It is not to be" And he died at the throttle on the YNMV On the YNMV On the YNMV He died at the throttle on the YNMV