I was born in Dixie in a boomer's shack 
Just a little shanty by the railroad track 
The freight train whistle taught me how to cry 
The whinin' of the driver was my lullaby 

I got the freight train blues 
Lordy lordy lordy, I got 'em in the bottom of my 
ramblin shoes 
And when the whistle blows, I got to go 
Oh lordy don't you know it, 
Looks like I'm never gonna lose the freight train blues 

Well, my daddy was a farmer and my mama dear 
She was the only daughter of the engineer 
My sweetie was a brakeman and it ain't no joke 
It's a shame the way they keep a good man broke 

I got the freight train blues 
I got the freight train blues 
I got the freight train...

Well, my daddy was a farmer and my mama dear 
she was the only daughter of the engineer 
My sweetie was a brakeman and it ain't no joke 
It's a shame the way they keeps a good man broke 

I got the freight train blues 
Lordy lordy lordy, I got 'em in the bottom of my 
ramblin shoes 
And when the whistle blows, I got to go 
Oh lordy don't you know it, 
Looks like I'm never gonna lose the freight train blues 

Well the whistle blows I gotta go
Oh lordy don't you know it, 
Looks like I'm never gonna lose the freight train blues 

Well the only thing that makes me laugh I guess
Is the southbound whistle on the southbound train
The only place I want to go and I can't go
I got the freight train blues 
Lordy lordy lordy, I got 'em in the bottom of my 
ramblin shoes 
And when the whistle blows, I got to go 
Oh lordy don't you know I'm never gonna lose the 
freight train blues