A
Well my mama told me, my papa told me too,
       D                          A
Now my mama told me, papa told me too,
       E
Well I shouldn't be here
          D                   A
Tryin' to sing these railroad blues.

 [Verse2]
A
Wish I had a'listened, oh-oh to what mama said,
D                               A
Wish I had a'listened, oh-oh to what mama said,
     E
Well I wouldn't be here
         D                     A
Tryin' to sleep in this cold iron bed.
[Verse 3]
A                 
Well I went to the depot, I never got there on time,
           D                     A
Went down to the depot, never got there on time.
      E
Well my train done left,
       D                  A
She's a rollin' down the line.

[Verse 3]
A
Mister jailer go away now, don't tell me no lies,
      D                                 A
Mister jailer go away, don't tell me no lies,
     E
When the train's going down,
      D               A
She's rollin' down the line.

[Verse 4] 
  A
Well my mama told me, my papa told me too,
       D                     A
Now my mama told me, papa told me too,
     E
Well I shouldn't be here
        D                  A
Tryin' to sing these railroad blues