Lyrics to Rock Island Line?
Tom Simon
Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle band had a top ten song in 1956 with Rock
Island Line. Can anyone give me the lyrics, or tell me more about this
song and where it originated from?
Lonnie Donegan was a very influential pop musician in the 50's and 60's,
cited by John Lennon and others as a major influence. For a brief
biography of Lonnie Donegan, go to:
http://www.crl.com/~tsimon/donegan.htm
Ronald E. Hontz
My reference book says of the song "originated in the mid 1930's as an Arkansas prison
song: long associated with folk legend Leadbelly." A very influential country musician,
Johnny Cash, didn't get around to releasing his version until 1970. I don't have the
lyrics but you might check either old blues records or Cash's two LP's--"Showtime" and
"Story Songs Of the Trains and Rivers." Just for the heckuvit--the correct name of the
real railroad is the CHICAGO and Rock Island Line---Rock Island is also in Illinois.
Wayne Garvin
(posted to alt.music.lyrics and e-mailed to Tom Simon)
On 11 Nov 1996 18:17:06 -0800 tsi...@crl.com (Tom Simon) wrote:
>Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle band had a top ten song in 1956 with Rock
>Island Line. Can anyone give me the lyrics, or tell me more about this
>song and where it originated from?
This is from "Rise Up Singing" from Sing Out Corporation of Bethlehem,
PA, USA - an excellent book with words, chords and sources to 1200
songs. Available in book stores (ISBN 0-9626704-9-9) for $17.95 US or
directly from:
Sing Out Corporation
PO Box 5253
Bethlehem, PA, 18015-0253
or phone (215) 865-5366
THE ROCK ISLAND LINE
- new words and musical arrangement by Huddie Ledbetter
- edited with new additional material by Alan Lomax
I say, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road
I say, the Rock Island Line is the road to ride
Oh, the Rock Island Line is a mighty good road
If you want to ride you got to ride it like you find it
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line
Jesus died to save our sins
Glory be to God, gonna need him again
A-B-C, double X-Y-Z
Cat's in the cupboard but he can't see me
Little Evelina sitting in the shade
Figuring on the money I ain't made
I may be right and I may be wrong
I know you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Wayne Garvin, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
The Lyrics Library: http://www.kw.igs.net/~wgarvin/Lyrics/Lyrics.html
alt.music.lyrics
web site and FAQ: http://www.kw.igs.net/~wgarvin/aml.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------