(traditional, adapted by ry cooder)

Come and gather all around me
Listen to my tale of woe
Got some good advice to give you
Lots of things you oughta know
Take a tip from one who's travelled
And never stopped a-ramblin' 'round
'cause once you get the roamin' fever
You never want to settle down, boy
You never want to settle down

I met a little gal in frisco
And I asked her to be my wife
Told her I was tired of roamin'
Goin' to settle down for life
Then I heard the whistle blowin'
And I knew it was the red ball train
And I left that gal beside the railroad
And I never saw the gal again, boy
I never saw the gal again
Saw the gal again
I never saw the gal again
Left that gal beside the railroad
And I never saw the gal again

Travelled all over the country
I've travelled everywhere
I been on every branch line railroad
And I never paid a nickel fare
I been from maine to califor'ny
And from canada to mexico
I never tried to save no money
And now I got no place to bo, boy
Now I got no place to go

Listen to a boomer's story
Pay attention to what I say
Well, I hear another train a-comin'
Guess I'll be on my way
If you wanna do me a favor
When I lay me down and die
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So I can hear the trains go by, boys
So I can hear the trains go by
Hear the trains go
Hear the trains go by
Just dig my grave beside the railroad
So I can hear the trains go by

• Ax Sweet Mama
• Boomer's Story
• Cherry Ball Blues
• Comin' in on a Wing & a Prayer
• Crow Black Chicken
• Dark End of The Street
• Maria Elena
• President Kennedy