jimmie rodgers
James Charles "Jimmie" Rodgers (1897 – 1933) is carved into marble in folk and country music along with Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie, due to their influence on later artists and songwriters, even nowadays. To me he's just the guy who introduced that ridiculous yodeling style to country music, and I very early got tired of castratoes with Stetson hats and Texas boots.
But I've got a thing about *this* song. It was first recorded October 1928 on old Victor; then following a million artists and labels. I first heard it from Hank Snow, then Johnny Cash, then ... the flippin' original? I don't remember; I don't recall. Because fortunately it can be performed without yodeling, and suspending THAT, it's a mighty good song.
And I've got a thing about trains ...
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've got money I'll see that you don't walk
well I haven't got a nickel not a penny can I show
he said get off you railroad bum and he slammed the boxcar door
well he put me off in Texas a place I dearly love
the wide open spaces all around me the moon and stars above
nobody seems to want me nor to lend me a helping hand
I'm on my way from Frisco heading back to Dixie Land
my pocketbook is empty my heart is willed with pain
I'm a thousand miles away from home just waiting for a train
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
C G7 C C7 F Fm C All around the water tank waiting for a train F C A7 D7 G7 A thousand miles away from home sleeping in the rain C G7 C C7 F Fm C I walked up to a brakeman just to give him a line of talk F C A7 D7 G7 He said if you've got money I'll see that you don't walk C G7 C C7 F E7 Well I haven't got a nickel not a penny can I show F C A7 D7 G7 C He said get off you railroad bum and he slammed the boxcar door
