Jimmie Rodgers’ Last Train Home
Tuesday, May 10th, 2016
Long ago in a Southern State,
Known as Mississippi-é
Twas a rambling man with a sunny smile
Who could sing & make up songs most effort-less-ly
Like a bird can fly through the empty sky
And the flowers bloom with a sweet perfume
Was a natural fact with Jimmie Rodgers tunes
Y’ left your troubles back in the other room
When the brakeman sang a yodel refrain
You got your own free ride on a magic train
Oh lee a lay eee, Ah lee a lay eee
Yoda dee a lay ee, Dah lay eee Dah lay eee, Yoda lay eee
It don’t matter who you are or if you’re troubled in your mind
Leave your worries at the station and your sorrow behind
With the rhythm of the rails and the clickin’ of the track
Put your smile on forward got no turnin’ back
Like a bird can fly through the empty sky
…
It was a long hard day back in 33
When the Lord took Jimmie with that old T.B.
They put his poor old body on a train so long
All the people come to see him take his last train home
Like a bird can fly through the empty sky
…
Some where out there in no where that distant train still rides
Where the coyote sings his lonesome song
And the birds harmonize up in the sky
It’s been 70 years but you can hear the cry
Of his last blue yodel as he passes by
Oh lee a lay eee, Ah lee a lay eee
Yoda dee a lay ee, Dah lay eee Dah lay eee, Yoda lay eee
© 2017 Caroline Abbitt Sauer
