Waiting For A Train
by Jimmie Rodgers
"Most people on
the railroads would put hobos off the train and tell
them, 'This is no free ride.' They wouldn't put them in
jail, they would just tell them to be on the way,
whereas daddy would let them go ahead and ride. I
remember mother telling me that he'd just closed the
doors and make out like he didn't even see them. Daddy
would pick up hobos—that's what my mother called
them—and give them food and clothing and even luggage. I
remember one time he brought home one whose name was
'Sides.' He just kept staying and staying until Mother
finally told Daddy it was time he went on down the way.
'We're not running a hotel here Jimmie.' But that was
just like him; every time we turned around he was
picking up somebody. He would give you the shirt off his
back."
—Anita Rodgers Court
Waiting For A Train
All around the water
tank, waiting for a train
A thousand miles away from home, sleeping in the rain
I walked up to a brakeman just to give him a line of
talk
He said "If you got money, boy, I'll see that you don't
walk
I haven't got a nickel, not a penny can I show
"Get off, get off, you railroad bum" and slammed the
boxcar door.
He put me off in Texas, a state I dearly love
The wide open spaces all around me, the moon and the
stars up above
Nobody seems to want me, or lend me a helping hand
I'm on my way from Frisco, going back to Dixieland
My pocket book is empty and my heart is full of pain
I'm a thousand miles away from home just waiting for a
train.
1929, renewed by Peer Southern Organization.
