Casey Jones (The Union Scab) [IWW Version]

Lyrics

"That is right. That was written, uh, in, uh 1911. The time of the big [?] strike. The, uh, the shopcrafts, the machinists, bottlemakers and so forth, all these shopmen went out on strike and of course, the way they were lined up at that time, the, uh, trainmen, engineers and firemen, they stayed on the job, so Joe Hill, I think he wrote this when he was right here in San Pedro Now, the shopmen on the S.P. line for strike sent out a call But Casey Jones the engineer, he wouldn't strike at all The boiler, it was leaking, and the drivers on the bum And the bearings and the engines, they were all out of plum But Casey Jones, kept his junkpile running Casey Jones, was working double-time Casey Jones, got a wooden medal For being good and faithful on the S.P. line Now, the shopmen got together and they said it wasn't fair For Casey Jones to go around a-scabbin' everywhere And someone puts a bunch of railroad ties across the track And Casey hit the river with an awful crack Casey Jones, hit the river bottom Casey Jones, broke his blooming spine Casey Jones, became an Angeleno He took a trip to Heaven on the S.P. line Now, when Casey Jones got up to Heaven, to the pearly gates He said, "I'm Casey Jones, the guy that pulled the S.P. freights" "You're just the man," said Peter, "Our musicians went on strike" "You can get a job a-scabbing any time you like" Casey Jones, went up to Heaven Casey Jones, was doing mighty fine Casey Jones, went scabbing on the angels Just like he did the shopmen on the S.P. line Now, the angels got together, they said it wasn't fair For Casey Jones to go around a-scabbing everywhere The angels union number twenty-three, they sure were there For they promptly fired Casey down the Golden Stairs Casey Jones, went to Hell a-flying Casey Jones, the Devil said "Oh fine" Casey Jones, got busy shoveling sulphur That's what he got for scabbing on the S.P. line