C.w. Mccall & Co.

(goebel reeves)

Go to sleep, you weary hobo
Let the towns drift slowly by
Can't you hear the steel rail hummin'?
That's a hobo's lullaby

Do not think about tomorrow
Let tomorrow come and go
Tonight you're in a nice warm boxcar
Safe from the all the wind and snow

I know your clothes are torn and ragged
And your hair is turnin' gray
Lift your head and smile at trouble
You'll find happiness someday

Now, i'll tell ya a tale that'll bust yer heart
That only a few people knew, ta start
It all took place when our concert tour was booked at the seatac hilton?
I'll guarantee ev'ry word's the gospel truth
Got witnesses ta prove it, too,
'cause we all toured with a fella by the name a' milton

Now milton was o-fficial tour director,
Electrical piano-playin' plug connector
An' the slave-drivin'-est travel conductor
That we ever seen in our lives
He'd say "whaddya mean, ya need more rest?
"the world don't care whether ya look yer best!
"simply show up promptly at six a.m. with your instruments ...and your wives!"

[choir; in sorta of "bringing in the sheaves" way]
Shall we gather at the airport?

He'd always arrive in the nick a' time
A good five minutes ahead a' flight time
A-lookin' like he'd been drug through a needle's eye
He'd stand there, stoned and about ta choke
On his egg mcmuffin an' his giant coke
An' then he'd throw all the tickets on the counter and say
"check the bags and let's fly!"
"well, whaddya mean, this is too much weight?
"we only got forty-six pieces a' freight!
"and if it don't go, who's gonna explain it to our fan club in tacoma?"

We'd all get embarassed an' head for the plane
While milton stood there, bein' profane
But somehow he always managed ta get on board ...in sort of a coma

[choir]
When the drinks were served up yonder...

Well, we deplaned at th' other end
All the trouble seemed to commence again
Though milton had ordered three station wagons, a pickup truck and a limo
And though he'd phoned ahead to that number two
Cussin' an' fussin' an' turnin' blue
We'd always end up with two datsoons and a pinto

Now milton took all a' that stuff in stride
Laid on the floor, an' kicked an' cried
But we always looked up to him for hope and salvation
But we'd sink to the bottom a' trav'lers hell
When he'd check us in a remote motel
And he'd grab the clerk by his shirt an' tie an' say
"whaddya mean, ¿no reservaci

(ron agnew)

The cowboy will never get married to you, girl
It's the fightin' that he just can't bear
But when there's women and whisky and beer-drinkin' brawls
The cowboy will always be there

He'll sing you sad songs, girl, 'cause that's all he knows
And soon you'll be listenin' to
Solutions to problems you don't even have
As he unloads his wisdoms on you

He'll have you believin' he's one-of-a-kind
And that his kind knows what livin's for
He's a dreamer by nature, a liar, and soon
He'll have you believin' he's more

He'll say he's a loner, to cover the truth
Some sympathy might see him through
Just a hand on his shoulder and a bottle of that booze
Then all he'll be needin' is you

He'll drink all your whisky, to clear out his head
Of the drinkin' he's already known
And with a little persuasion, he'll lie in your bed
And when you wake up, you're alone

Now you're feelin' sorry, and the cowboy is gone
He just a-has ta be a-movin' along
But honey when you get lonesome, turn your radio on
And the cowboy will sing you a song

(terry skinner, j.l. wallace)

[chorus]
(gotta keep these wheels)
Wheels of fortune rollin'
It don't matter where we're goin'
East or west or south to tennessee
(gotta keep these wheels)
Wheels of fortune movin'
Keep on truckin', keep on movin'
Gotta stay ahead of the finance company

Well, i was down-and-out until this friend a' mine
He said, "i got somethin' here, guaranteed ta change yer luck.
"with just a few thousand dollars you can get on time,
"i can put you in a brand-new diesel truck."

He says, "you can make a fortune in a year or two
"it's easy; all ya haveta do is drive."
Well, i signed my name and i took the keys and then i knew:
I was gonna be the richest man alive!

[chorus]
(gotta keep these wheels)
Wheels of fortune rollin'
It don't matter where we're goin'
East or west or south to tennessee
(gotta keep these wheels)
Wheels of fortune movin'
Keep on truckin', keep on movin'
Gotta stay ahead of the finance company

Now, i ain't seen my lady in a month or two
This old rig may cost me my family
'cause when i truck on home, you know just what they do?
They treat me just like i was company

Now i'm lost and lonely on this interstate
My cb's broke and i ain't got a dime
I got a payment due and the finance comp'ny just won't wait
I gotta keep this rig a-movin' all the time

[chorus]
(gotta keep these wheels)
Wheels of fortune rollin'
It don't matter where we're goin'
East or west or south to tennessee
(gotta keep these wheels)
Wheels of fortune movin'
Keep on truckin', keep on movin'
Gotta stay ahead of the finance company
Gotta stay ahead of the finance company

(steve goodman)

Ridin' on the city of new orleans
Illinois central monday morning rail
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Two conductors and a-twenty-five sacks a' mail
All along the southbound odyssey
The train pulls out at kankakee
And moves on along past houses, farms and fields
Passin' trains what ain't got no names
Switch yards full a' old black men
And the graveyards full of them rusted automobiles

[chorus]
Good mornin' america, how are ya?
Well, a don'tcha know me? i'm your native son
I'm the train they call the city of new orleans
And i'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

A-dealin' cards with an old man down in the club car
Just a penny a point ain't a-nobody keepin' score
Say won't you pass that there paper bag that's a-wrappin' the bottle
Feel them wheels rumblin' under that floor
And the sons of pullman porters
And the sons of engineers
Ride their daddy's magical carpet made out of steel
Mamas with their babies asleepin'
Are rockin' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rockin' rails is all they feel

[chorus]
Good mornin' america, how are ya?
Well, a don'tcha know me? i'm your native son
I'm the train they call the city of new orleans
And i'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Night-time on the city of new orleans
A-changin' cars a-down in memphis, tennessee
Well, a half way home, and a we gonna be there by mornin'
Through the mississippi darkness
Rollin' down to that sea
Now all a' them towns and all the people seem
To fade away into a bad ol' dream
But the steel rail, well he still ain't heard that news
Conductor's a-singin' that song again
Sayin' "passengers will please refrain
"this train done got the disappearin' railroad blues"

[chorus]
Good night america, how are ya?
Well, a don'tcha know me? i'm your native son
I'm the train they call the city of new orleans
And i'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

[fade out.]
Mamas with their babies asleepin'
Are rockin' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rockin' rails is all they feel

Mamas with their babies asleepin'
Are rockin' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rockin' rails is all they feel

Yeah.