He said, the moon's out tonight
As it shed its silver light
On the rails running north from the town
And I sat with him there
In the cool autumn air
And we watched a lonely freight train running down
He closed his weary eyes
As the train went rushing by
Pulling hoppers full with iron ore and coke
He was tired, he was worn
And his clothes were racked and torn
And his voice was a whisper when he spoke
Where he was bound, where he was from
Who he was and what he'd done
He gave neither inkling, nor sign
When the train had gone by
I could hear the old man sigh-
Said, I surely hope that coming train is mine
I said, you may be confused
For this tack is seldom used
A train or two each day at the most.
And they haul only freight
So no matter how you wait
The only train you'll catch here is a ghost.
Then his eyes looked at mine
And a light began to shine
And though there was no mortal sound
Down the track, so it seemed,
Came a shiver and a gleam
And a rumble rolling silent through the ground
Through the door open wide
Came the faint conductor's cry-
All aboard, passengers all aboard!
He said you did what you could
And your company was good
But I'm not bound to this world anymore.
Now I've borrowed your ear
But I've got no souvenir
Of that night to show my story is true
But I'll never forget,
And you may believe me yet
When the long midnight train comes for you.
Shotgun Johnson & the Mississippi Seven Lyrics Index
Shotgun Johnson & the Mississippi Seven Index